Fine Gardening Article on Clematis by Edith Malek

16 years ago

Just thought I would let everyone know that Tauton's Fine Gardening Magazine has an article on clematis in a special issue entitled Great Plants. It says Volume 2 2008 right above the price and barcode on the lower left hand corner. Edith Malek, the president of the American Clematis Society, authored the article.

On the last page of the article she debunks 3 common myths about clematis that I have been stressing here time and time again. Go Edith! Get the word out! The three myths include 1)plant their head in the sun and feet in the shade, 2) they can't take the heat, and 3) they are lime lovers! On a side bar, she also gets the word out how clematis "do not require heavy amounts of fertilizer or water, but they do require a steady supply of both during the growing season." Go Edith, Go Edith!! :0)

I am sure that the clematis featured in the article and their attributes that are extolled are based on Edith's experience with the clematis so not everyone may have the same experience with the clematis she talks about. Case in point--Rooguchi-mine is a mildew magnet that I have to treat to prevent mildew from occurring on every year and it is a semiclinger in my garden and Edith states it does not attach itself by its leaf stalks. (She and I had an email conversation about this after an issue of the ACS newsletter came out). She also talks about how Pagoda is mildew resistant and mine arrived from Chalk Hill with mildew and has mildew every year unless I treat it like I do Rooguchi. Edith also states that her Betty Corning doesn't have a fragrance and that it might be due to the hotter zone she lives in. If I could capture the scent of my Betty Corning blooms I would bottle it up and send it on to her! I can't imagine a Betty Corning without a scent. So if you live in a warmer zone like Edith does, this may explain why your BC does not have a fragrance.

All goes to show that one's own experience with any clematis is going to be dependent on many factors including your growing conditions (high temps, low temps, humidity, altitude), cultural practices, age of clematis, source of clematis, and probably so many other factors that it would be impossible to elucidate and list them all.

Overall a great article on clematis and my hats off to you Edith!!!

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Comments (9)

carolfm
16 years ago
Thanks, Miguel. I guess I'll be on the hunt for another magazine. Did you ever get your copy of Organic Gardening? If not, I can drop mine in an envelope and send it to you.

Carol
julieiwuc
16 years ago
I will have to get a copy of the FG issue. I used to subscribe to it years ago. But, too many magazines and not enough time to read them lead me to drop it.

Julie in So. Calif.
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Erela, clematis do fine in California. I have a number of different varieties in my garden. If you are interested in clematis, check out the American Clematis society at this website. They are based in So. CA. Edith Malek lives in Orange County and her garden is filled with them. Jackmani is a type 3 clematis, and so needs pruning down at the end of winter. I usually do it the end of January or early February. As for trellises, I use the thin iron ones. The wooden ones are too thick for the clematis to get their tendrils around. You can buy cheap ones at Lowes or Home Depot. They don't have to be fancy. Also plain wire or even the filament netting works just as well (doesn't look as nice), and of course a nearby bush is a perfect support host for clematis. Tzus Here is a link that might be useful: American Clematis Society
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To begin with, the clematis that was planted originally is a type III clematis that generally does need trimming back on a yearly basis. If it is not pruned yearly, the existing stems will get woody over time and any flowering that happens will happen higher and higher on the new wood that is produced each year. Perhaps that was the cause of the diminishing blooms this past year. In addition, it may be suffering from water, sun, and nutrient competition if it is planted in an area where there are large trees and other shrubbery. Any clematis planted in these types of conditions will fail to thrive unless special attention is given to its water and nutrients needs (can't do much about the sunlight). Perhaps with four of the trees removed, this will remedy the light situation in the coming years. Since you are interested in clematis that don't need pruning like the Comtesse does, I have consulted several books that I have and am providing a list of type II clematis that are listed as being able to tolerate shade. Just realize that it is difficult to determine how much shade on a quantitative scale that they require to actually flourish but at least you will have some names of varieties to try since trial and error is going to be your best bet to determine which, if any, will work in your location. From "Simply Clematis" by Edith Malek: Asao Barbara Dibley C. W. Dowman (never heard of this one) Carnaby Charissima Dawn Fairy Queen Gillian Blades Josephine Lincoln Star Louise Rowe Nelly Moser Otto Froebel Peveril Pearl Pink Champagne Proteus Scartho Gem Silver Moon Wada's Primrose From "Clematis for Small Places" by Raymond Evison: C. alpina cultivars C. macropetala cultivars Veronica's Choice Alabast Angelique Cezanne Chantilly Clare de Lune Dawn Fujimusume Guernsey Cream Ice Blue Silver Moon Twilight Having multiple books on clematis I could continue on but this should give you something to start with. Perhaps someone who gardens in a similar situation as yours will chime in and give you some real life choices as well. Good Luck!
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nckvilledudes
Original Author
16 years ago
Carol, no I never did get my copy and thanks for the kind offer. I will eventually get to a Barnes and Noble and get one. Was the article any good overall?

Julie, just realize that this is not the normal edition of Taunton's Fine Gardening Magazine but a special edition dealing with Great Plants for the Garden. There is a picture of Duchess of Albany on the cover along with other plants.
carolfm
16 years ago
Miguel, I thought the article was very good. I think the thing I liked about it the most was that they interviewed knowledgeable clematis growers from different areas of the country. It is a given fact that what does well in one area, can have disease problems or not grow as vigorously in another area. I really liked the presentation of different viewpoints. I wish I could remember which clematis you were talking about and I'm too tired to go look it up right now, but I loved it when you said that it was too "weedy and seedy". I laughed!

Carol
nckvilledudes
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Carol. I can tell you right away I was talking about tangutica the species. Weedy, weedy, weedy for me but others grow it with no problems. I know in the Fine Gardening article, Edith said that Bill MacKenzie was one that was not for her so that may be one that I give a try eventually.
carolfm
16 years ago
I planted Bill Mackenzie last year. I'll let you know how it does here. The clematis are bursting out of the ground right now! It seems that they are growing inches every day. How is it in NC? I'm off to B&N today to look for this magazine.

Carol
nckvilledudes
Original Author
16 years ago
It is way too warm and sunny for this time of year. Last year the same thing happenend and then in April around Easter we had several days when it went into the low 20s and everything got zapped. I personally think that we are being set up for the same thing this year. Our last average frost date is April 15 and our 100% frost free day is not until much later than that. I am not getting a really good feeling about this early batch of warm weather or what it might hold for this summer!
carolfm
16 years ago
Bite your tongue! Oh, I do hope you are wrong. We had tremendous damage to everything last year. Plants, trees, nothing was spared.

I found the magazine. It is starting to rain so I am going to sit down and read that article. We do need this rain!

Carol
nckvilledudes
Original Author
16 years ago
Hey sunny and warm here--70 degrees according to TWC. Just got back from the grocery store and it was hot in the car! Send that wet stuff our way!!

Fine Gardening Article on Clematis by Edith Malek

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Fine Gardening Article on Clematis by Edith Malek

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