Clematis come in all shapes and sizes and most prefer at least six hours of sun each day, but with their "feet" well mulched, cool, and in the shade. Our climbing vines are many, such as this deep purple C. 'The President' which weaves its way throughout the pale pink climbing rose outside the kitchen window, while this periwinkle colored C. 'HF Young' wraps itself
around the supporting post of the pergola while offering a wonderful contrast against the yellow foliage of the Caryopteris clandonensis 'Worcester Gold'.C. 'Nellie Moser' and her multi-stripes of pink finds home above the delicate yellow foliage of Lonicera nitida 'Baggesens Gold'.
And a few non-climbing varieties have been introduced into the garden as they are quite
unusual. C. fremontii with its bell shaped blossoms and recurved tips, grows only to about 12 inches in height and runs along the edge of one of the borders.
C. recta 'Purpurea', a 4 foot upright clump-forming specimen, has that wonderful burgundy foliage which turns to green with age. Its delicate white fragrant umbels make this specimen most appealing within the perennial beds. It requires staking; otherwise, the first watering will find it sprawled along the ground... which can also be appealing, and once the blossoms fade, cut back the plant for an additonal flush of growth.
Here it simply leans against and among the blue delphiniums, the 8-10 foot giant grass, Miscanthus floridulus, and lends its gentleness as it peeks through the floating pink clouds of the seeding Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam'.Step a little further back and take one more glimpse.
