Clematis from Spring Hill Nurseries

Clematis gets the slogan "Queen of the Vines' for good reason - few vines can put on such a show. This year our cooler temperatures and generous rainfall has caused a prolonged display of lovleliness over the garden gate - 'Jackmanii Superba' on one side and 'Madame Julia Corevon' on the other. The show started in early June and is still going strong. 

This year I have four new clematis to add to the collection, thanks to Spring Hill Nurseries who generously provided me with the plants in exchange for an honest review.

Upon arrival, the plants looked nice and healthy as I removed them from the box -

After unpacking, I completely submerge the plants in water until the air bubbles stop rising. This will ensure that there are no air pockets in the root ball and the plants are saturated.

Another tip (and I do this for clematis only) is to trim the plant back. Since these plants were already small, there wasn't a lot of trimming to do. Do remove any brown stalks or leaves.

A very healthy-looking root system -

Since they are small plants, I am transferring them to a slightly larger pot before planting them in the ground. 

This is followed by a thorough watering 

The next step is to provide a stake to support the new growth. You can buy a small trellis for this purpose or do like I did and make your own. I used a stake and attached a piece of fencing wire. Not the most attractive solution but it will suffice -

The following photo was taken a few days after receiving the plants. As you can see, the clematis on the right is the more vigorous of the two but all are growing nicely -

PLANTING AND GROWING TIPS - When the clematis become established in the pot, I will transfer them to the ground or I may even decide to keep them in a pot. This may not happen until next year. If planting in the ground, a mostly sunny location is best but some shade is fine. They prefer a deep, moist, loamy soil so add a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure to the planting hole and mix it well with your native soil. You can also add a handful of an organic rose fertilizer or bone meal. Before planting, allow the pot to soak in a tub of water until the air bubbles stop. For large-flowered varieties, plant the clematis 2-4 inches deep (like you would plant a tomato) and apply a mulch around the base but not up against the leaves. Plant other varieties at the regular soil level in the pot. Water well. For the remainder of the season, fertilize with a general all-purpose fertilizer or fish emulsion every 4-6 weeks.

So here are the new clematis that I received (photos provided by Spring Hill Nurseries) -

Nubia -
 I am really excited about this one because I've been searching for a true red clematis for years. Most of them turn out to be a burgundy wine color but the descriptions of Nubia sound promising. This is a compact clematis, growing to approximately 60 inches, so it would be a good candidate for a container or a small fence or trellis.

Manju -
A very unique looking clematis with flowers that start out lime green and open to white. Another compact grower, this one can get 4-9 feet tall. Manju is described as being similar to Taiga which is also a stunning clematis. I have that one and here it is now blooming in my garden -

'Taiga'

Chloe -
This is a non-vining variety that grows more like a small shrub. If you haven't tried these clematis, you are in for a treat. One of my favorites is Clematis durandii which I grow on the corner of a fence. It intermingles with the rose 'Sea Foam' and is just spectacular. 

Little Lemons -
I am really excited about this beauty! This is a dwarf clematis variety that grows to 20 inches. It is perfect for pots or hanging baskets. It is rare to see yellow clematis so this one is really special.

All four of these clematis are reblooming varieties. They are also pruned in the same manner - cut them back to the ground above the lowest node in early spring. Feed the plants in early spring.

Stay tuned for updates to see how these clematis are progressing.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy