Ugly Fences (Or Ode to the Clematis)
I have a chain-link fence that I hate. Well, I don’t hate it. It serves the purpose of containing my Corgis outside while I leave the house. They do not like to be corralled into the house, so the dog door to the porch and the ugly fence keep my little doggos happy. Many years ago, I began obscuring the hideous chain-link fence with shrubs. There’s lilac and Rose of Sharon, but my favorite addition was when I started adding Clematis.
Eicher (American Welsh Corgi) & Greta (Cardigan Welsh Corgi)
I began accumulating Clematis as I traveled in my position for a large plant brand. At that time, the company I worked for did not offer any Clematis in our product line. So, as I visited customers, I was intrigued by this perennial that could hide that loathsome fence in such a lovely blanket of color. Nearly twenty years later, I can’t remember the variety of my first Clematis, but I distinctly remember carrying the 1 gallon pot onto the plane and holding it in my lap for the hours-long flight from New Hampshire to Michigan. My first clematis was gifted to me and started my love affair with the bright, big blooms.
Jackmanii Superba Clematis
To me, the perfect version of Clematis is brilliant magenta (Bourbon) or rich, velvety purple (Jackmanii). I have planted different cultivars over the years and I never get tired of these colors. I think my favorite deep pink variety is Viva Polonia. Finding it tucked away in a display garden was a splendid surprise and caused an urgent purchase. Some people have called it red, but mine has never fully reached what I consider a shade of red, but is a vibrant berry with a contrasting stripe of white down each petal.
One of my favorites over the years has been Pink Mink®. It doesn’t fit into my idea of what a Clematis should be. The bubblegum pink flowers are smaller than most in my collection, but what it lacks in bloom size, it makes up for in quantity. It grows thick and blooms even thicker to create a carpet of pink over whatever it climbs. Revisiting that ugly chain-link fence, Pink Mink grew up one side and down the other and looked like I had laid a fluffy pink blanket over the fence.
Pink Mink® Clematis
I have no idea where the blue bell-shaped Clematis came from. I forgot planting it and I don’t think it thrived for a few years because suddenly one summer it was blooming and I couldn’t tell you a thing about it. I would have to guess that I bought it on a whim and probably based on the snap decision on the picture on the tag, but it would only be a guess!
As I started out this article, I planned to give a logical, informative argument about adding Clematis to your landscape designs. I was inspired to write my article after seeing the beautiful pictures in the article in July 2023 issue of The Landscape Contractor. But as I wrote, I realized I was mostly just gushing about how lovely they are and the different varieties that have won a place in my heart over the years.
And, is that such a bad way to spend a few minutes on a hot pre-holiday afternoon?
Dr. Ruppel Clematis
So, here’s my quick attempt at the original logical, informative argument…
Why plant clematis when there are so many other climbing plants to choose from? Many other climbing plants can be invasive, like trumpet vine (I’m trying to keep this one off the fence), honeysuckle or wisteria (though some non-invasive cultivars do exist), most Clematis, at least in our area of the country, are not. If you avoid Sweet Autumn Clematis terniflora, there are a lot of excellent non-invasive options in this genus. Nicknamed ‘Queen of the Vines’, it is an incredibly beautiful climbing plant to choose.
Sweet Autumn Clematis
And, I’ll always prefer Clematis over climbing roses. Roses are flashy, but until they can breed them without thorns, they will always be a distant competitor to my beloved Clematis.
If you’re interested in the structures that can help your climbing plants, check out the article on page 24 of The Landscape Contractor magazine.
If you would like to know more about the vines that you might regret planting, including that pesky Sweet Autumn Clematis, check out Holly Christensen’s article, Landscaping Mistakes.
Tie Dye Clematis
If you want to wax poetic about Clematis, come see me sometime!
