viticella Flore Pleno (Mary Rose) is still available.

There is no picture of it though.

Just placed my order for Blue Ravine, Sizaia Ptitsa (thanks to your recent pics, Miguel!), Honora (so I will finally quit posting inquiries about that one...), and Otto Froebel (just for fun). I had really wanted Mrs. PB Truax, Masquerade, and a whole host of atragenes, but I guess there's always Joy Creek.

I mean, I HOPE there's always Joy Creek...

- robinia

Oops, I goofed. I think it was because in my initial looking I didn't want to bother switching websites to COTW, so I didn't mark it down. But the pictures there weren't as nice as some posted last year here or GB, so I don't feel so bad about missing it. I even got the name wrong, she is MARY, not Marie as you pointed out

Too funny Jeanne! Maybe we should video it and market the videos. With the profits we could drill our own personal wells to use for irrigation! LOL

I was very conservative. I was trying to control myself this year, and have done pretty well. These three make it only 6 for the year.

Bourbon
King George V (thanks for the heads up on this lovely)
Pamiat Serdtsa

Here's what I ordered...I hope I did okay.

Amanda Marie
Blue Belle
Coerulea
Blue Boy
Olgae
Jan Lindmark
Juuli
Miniseelik
Negtitianka
Odoriba
Perrins Pride
Sizaia Ptitsia
texensis
Tie Dye
Vanessa
Little Nell
Fairydust

Any comments?

Robert

Wow! I almost bought Amanda Marie, very pretty. Well, they are all nice clematis.

Just placed my order:

ÂAndromedaÂ
ÂKing George VÂ
'Pamiat Serdtsa'
'Samantha Denny'
'Syrena'
'Tie Dye'
viticella Wallenburg
montana Margaret Jones

I tried to call them to ask about missing 'Order' buttons, but nobody answered. They did not reply to my email either... I guess they are too busy... I listed the ones that I would add to my order in the comments, but I got the order confirmation without them.

Great job everyone. I am still going back and forth whether to order anything or not. With the weather here being so fickle and scanty rainfall, I am seriously thinking about not getting anything and just dealing with what I already have.

Robin, hope you like Sizaia Ptitsa as much as I do.

Robert, you know what I think about Tie Dye, Juuli, Blue Belle, Olgae, Perrins Pride, Sizaia Ptitsia, and texensis--love them all. And I love any viticella based clematis on top of all that. I previously purchased what was supposed to be Blue Boy based on some pictures I had seen of it and it must have been a mislabeled one since it has never gotten higher than 4 to 6 inches. I think you will like Fairy Dust because I have seen pictures of it in someone's garden and it is much more impressive than the picture shown on COTW or the Chalk Hill site. One thing about Amanda Marie is that I have heard that the variegated foliage is only present on younger leaves and it fades out to all green as the leaves mature. It will be interesting to see what your experience with it will be like.

Alina, you bad girl. Montana Margaret Jones was one of the ones I was thinking about getting. I thought the ideas of white double blooms on a montana would be great. I also contemplated Walenburg but there are others I already have that are that pink and white bicolored viticella look that I decided how many did I need? Okay, need versus want. We all know how that goes!

Miguel, I am bad and I am getting even worse: I will place my second order today. The 'Order' buttons were just added to some of the cultivars. Chalk Hill folks do not reply to phone calls and emails. They did not add the varieties I wanted to my order. I guess they did not read my comments in the order form either :-( So the only way I can get those varieties is placing the second order. I guess that would be more expensive in terms of shipping/handling, but what can I do?
I was very excited when I saw the picture of 'Walenburg' because both Minuet and Tango do not have 'Order' buttons. I thought it might be a good substitute :0) I also thought that Montana Margaret Jones would look terrific with my newly purchased Montana Rubens. I missed 'Sizaia Ptitsa' (Miguel, it's Ptitsa, not Ptitsia :)). They sold it out :(

You bad girl. My bad on the spelling. I just copied it from a previous post on this thread since I didn't want to butcher it even worse trying to do it from memory! :0 Shoot half the time I can't remember if the first word starts with a P or an S. I see that Chalk Hill has it spelled Ptitsia. I see it is spelled correctly on COTW.

Cassis now has an order button so I'm placing a second order too.

I'm not sure that it's necessarily more expensive for shipping to place a second order. Their boxes are made to hold 2 clematis, so I think you pay for X number of boxes, no matter what. I don't think it's something like X amount for a flat fee per order, and then more added on after that. So theoretically, it should cost about the same whether it's one huge order or split into two orders. The only way I can think of to be sure you save is to always order in even numbers, since each box holds two.

Or maybe I'm just trying to justify making a second (or third) order.

Ok, I just went and ordered two more: Piilu and Miniseelik. I contemplated Cassis to go with my Vienetta that's starting to bloom right now, but chickened out.

They take $5 handle fee for each order.

Hopefully, they will combine orders for those of us who bought more than once and only charge one handling fee but I won't hold my breath.

I ordered Cassis and Tie Dye the second time.

Although they might be short staffed right now due to the nursery closing, you might be able to email them and let them know that you placed two orders and so that they will combine them all into one order. If nothing else, you could have made a comment in the comments box on your second order, and I am sure they would have made note of it--at least it would have been more likely that they noticed it if they are too busy to notice individual emails.

Well, they still don't have order buttons for two that I really wanted (Sialia and Propertius), so maybe I'm still safe from having to place a second order...

Alina, sorry you missed Sizaia Ptitsa - thankfully Joy Creek still has it, but their s/h is so expensive, too. Miguel, thanks - I know I'll love it.

Robinia, you do not have this excuse any more: they both have buttons now :-)
Finally, most of the missing buttons were added. I just placed my second order. Missed 'Olgae' and 'Akaishi' while waiting for others :-(

Cassis ÂEvipo020Â
'Juuli'
ÂTangoÂ
ÂSialiaÂ
'Veronica's Choice'
ÂEkstraÂ
'Warszawska Nike' (Syn.
'Midnight Showers')
ÂPatricia Ann FretwellÂ
(ÂPafarÂ)

I have no idea where I will plant 16 new Clematis...

You guys are a bad influence. On top of the 7 new clematis I already planted this Spring (4 from Chalk Hill), I ordered a total of 8 more, in two orders because someone was enabling enough to note that the site had all order buttons up and running now...

Order 1: C. columbiana v. tenuifolia, C. x triternata 'Rubromarginata', 'Alba Luxurians' and C. diversifolia 'Heather Herschell'

Order 2: 'Broughton Star', Patricia Ann Fretwell, C. recta 'Velvet Night' and Rouge Cardinal.

Just what I needed. You shameless enablers, you! Not only do I NOT need 8 more Clematis (no idea where I'll put them), but I'll have to fly home from Las Vegas to Sparks one weekend to plant them once they arrive. Shameless, I tell you...shameless!

Lisa

Alina,
NO WAAAAAY!!!!
I did not need that...now to rack my brain for more justifications....this will cut into my already shrinking daylily budget...and fall bulb budget...

On a more positive note - I'll try to just be happy that SOMEONE - not me - will be enjoying Ekstra and Alba Luxurians this season. I have gone back and forth on Alba Luxurians for a long time, and just couldn't do it this time. Which only means I will be jumping out of my skin to hit the order button for it next spring... :) Lisa, please report back on how it does for you while I spend all year trying to find a place for it.

- robinia

Sorry Robinia :)
After reading your comments on 'Warsaw Nike', I am glad I've ordered it. They sold out 'Romantika', so I chose WN for a really bold color. Thanks!
As for the fall bulbs, I like to buy many of them at Costco. Excellent quality and nice selection if you can buy them very early. I also buy bulbs on the Brent & Becky's 50% off sale every year. Just a couple of ways to save...

Did you have a problem with Costco bulbs being mis-labeled? I sure did. Oriental lilies turned out to be yellow Asiatics. Pink Orientals were white, not as bad as the first mistake.

I love Brent & Becky's!

On Chalk Hill, I did put a note in the comment section that this was my second order but I see now they have verbage that they can't combine. Guess I'm paying the service charge again.

I have absolutely no idea where I'm going to put the clems I did order. I really wanted to go on that local tour that I missed due to dizziness because I knew that at least one of the gardens was full of ideas to grow Clems through shrubs and trees and as ground cover. I have her book but the pictures are all close ups of the flowers. I am out of spots to put man made structures. Any more and I'm going to look ridiculous.

Yes, I did have a problem with mislabeled bulbs from Costco. The good thing is that they accept them back any time, even the next year. Most of them are true to names. The quality and size of their Lily bulbs is absolutely superb. I've received worse bulbs from VERY reputable Lily sellers. Again, the key is to buy them as early as possible. Keep receipts and bags so you can return them if they are mislabeled.
Brent & Becky's is one of my favorites. I finally bought OT lily 'Anastasia' this year. It was always so expensive. This year they have lower price. With 50% off it finally became affordable.

Bors, please post pictures if you will make that tour. I also need some ideas how to incorporate more Clemmies into my garden :)

I'm in big trouble, thanks to all of your updates on Chalk Hill's adding order buttons on some clems, I ordered 21 new plants, with no idea where i'm going to put them. Oh yea, gotta pick a good time to break it to my wife also. Wish me luck!
Tracy

Alina,
Thanks for your suggestion on the bulbs. I order a lot of lilies from The Lily Garden - nice, but pretty expensive. Unfortunately, we don't have Costco here, but I'll check out Brent & Becky's. When do they have the sale?

I hope you like Warsaw Nike as much as I do. It's blooming in my yard right now, and I just keep looking out my kitchen window at it every chance I get! I have it paired with Ramona (and some big white trumpet lilies), and I really love the effect. They both have that ethereal glow and saturated color. I've deliberated on Romantika and Negritianka for a couple of years, but I don't have immediate spots for them.:(

One of the really terrible things about these nursery closings is that for those of us with wish lists as long as our arm, you suddenly realize you have to make some tough choices. I thought it would only take so many years to acquire all the clems I really wanted. I'm realizing now that may never happen. A recent poster (I think maybe on the Antique Rose forum) remarked re: Chalk Hill's closing that we've been living in a sort of golden age for gardeners with so many specialty nurseries accessible online, and that it all may come to an end with shipping costs going berserk and no end in sight. So I'm thinking maybe I'll go ahead and get another one or two. Unfortunately, Propertius is already sold out.

Lisa, I bought 21 last year. This year I look around the garden thinking.... "I don't have enough clematis".

:)

I feel relieved I wasn't the only one who went a little berserk with the sale! I bought a couple new trellises (spelling?) last weekend. That gives me a place for a few of the ones on order. I need to find some obelisks but it's so hard to find ones tall enough.

i've been unfortunate in that the few that I have on my list of "gotta gets" have been unavailable.

Haukee (Miguel this is all your fault) and Helios being two of them (and Vienetta which CH has never had listed....and I know Florida Sieboldii is a good replacement, but I've got three already)

I won't order just one, but if I could find two.....but then again where would I plant them. (at the point of pulling plants to put new ones in and I still haven't planted that Serratifolia)

If I posted my insane list I think I'd even get the admiration of a few of the heavy collectors here. (though my clematis collection is fairly reasonable)

~Chills

Robinia, Brent & Becky's have their sales twice a year. Spring sale is after Memorial day and fall sale is after Thanksgiving. Usually, the sale lasts for a week or so. B&B are the authors of many modern Daffodil hybrids. IMHO, there is no better place to buy Daffs in America. They always send huge multi-nosed (is this a word?) Daff bulbs.
'Anastasia' Lily is the Lily Garden's hybrid. The Lily Garden sells it for $12.50 per bulb. I've bought 5 bulbs of this variety at B&B's sale for $9. Fresh bulbs with lots of roots. Can not beat this. Shipping cost is very low, so I place 2-3 orders during sale sometimes. Usually, someone on the Bulb forum alerts about the sale.

I am looking forward to receiving these 16 new Clematis from Chalk Hill. Miguel, Robinia, Bors, gardengirl, Jeanne, thanks for your help and recommendations! Honestly, I would never look at Juuli without your comments for example. The picture on the Chalk Hill site is quite dull. I am sure I will love it in my garden.

The tour I mentioned was in May, I could not go, medication making me dizzy.

Violetta went and did post a link to her pictures in this forum.

I did not realize I could return mislabeled bulbs to Costco, I will keep the receipts if I buy more. The only ones I was really mad about were the Asiatics instead of Orientals. I much prefer Orientals.

I have purchased a ton of daffodils from Brent and Becky's. They were the feature on A Gardener's Diary last week. So fun to see them in person. What an amazing farm they have.

I can't decide whether to feel virtuous or just plain cheap after reading all your posts! I ordered only one clematis from Chalk Hill -- Roko-Kolla. Of course, I must admit I've made a couple of orders from Joy Creek this spring. I didn't think I had an inch of space for even one Chalk Hill clematis, but finally decided Roko-Kolla on a wrought iron tuteur would give me some tall white in the perennial border. If it hadn't been that rationalization, it would have been another.

Buyorsell,
Sorry to go OT but is Gardener's Diary back on regularly? I gave up looking for it. Can you tell me when it runs in your location?
Thanks!

Ok. I went ahead and placed my order for Sialia and Myoojoo. Now I should be done. Alina, thanks for the heads-up on those order buttons.

I took a look at Brent & Becky's. Amazing daffodil selection!!! Something to look forward to this fall.

Butterclem, you should feel pretty good, I think. At the beginning of the year I announced that I wasn't going to buy any clems this season. Because I didn't "need" any. But then I made some more beds...and then I found the perfect clems for those spots...and then the Chalk Hill announcement came and forced my hand. I wish I were you right now so I didn't have to explain to my husband how impossible it was not to order 6 clems I said I didn't need.

Does anyone know when our orders will begin shipping?

I believe they are shipping in the fall though my credit card was charged already.

We already went OT about bulbs.......:)

Gardener's Diary is back on and there have been new episodes for 2008 and repeating some 2007 episodes too.

I use a DVR to record it and have a series priority set for it so it records it whenever it is on.

I really don't know exactly when it is on but the HGTV website should say.

Gardener's Diary Thursdays at 7 a.m. Thanks!

WOW...Usually Murray never had charged our cards until at the time the clematis were sent?...Jeanne

It says on the website that they are charging cards at the time of order. I know it is unusual but I guess I understand under the circumstances. It also says that they can't send replacement plants if unhappy with a purchase for obvious reasons) but they will refund your money if you advise them within 5 days of purchase and send a digital photo of the plant.

I'm not sure I am ok with this. They have my money, but aren't shipping until fall. Hmmmm.....

I hadn't read that on his site..but, I am not worried ..I know they have good plants and are honest about returning money if not pleased...thanks for telling me...Jeanne

Guess what???

I didn't order a thing. Not ONE thing. I'm so proud of myself!

((**does the happy dance of self restraint**))

Of course, part of it is that I'm sick of not having room on my balcony to set up a chair if I want to read out there, but it still did take a lot of self restraint to not order tie dye. :0)

Every order I have ever made from Chalk Hill the credit card was charged on ordering--this reserves your plant for you. That is the way it has always been and has been pointed out, it states this on the website.

Ditto here Violetta--didn't order a thing but only because the weather has been so bad that I am already sick of watering what I have.

I prefer that companies charge at the time of order. It never fails that I have to scramble with companies that charge at shipping every few years, not because I don't have the funds, but because a credit card has been hacked and the number changed, or I've paid one off and closed the account, or some other minor financial change that requires that I now contact all the time-of-shipping places and give them the new information. On average, I'd say it happens every 4 to 5 years.

Lisa

I said I was going to cut back on ordering this year, but we all know how that goes. Here's my list

florida var. sieboldiana
'Prince Charles'
'Rhapsody'
ÂSolinaÂ
Wadas Primrose
'Special Occasion'
Scotii
'Pamela'
ÂEkstraÂ
Cirrhosa Jingle Bells
cirhossa Landsdown Gem
'Cecile'
cirrhosa ÂOurika ValleyÂ
cirrhosa 'Wisley Cream'
ÂKaiuÂ
'Marie Boisselot'
ÂMercuryÂ

I just really hate that they are closing.

wanda

I want King George V so badly and it's sold out, it seems every clematis I want is sold out. Oh well, that's what I get for holding out so long. Actually I really don't need anymore Clems however, I really do like the looks of King George V.

Wanda,
I wanted Mercury too, but ultimately didn't get it. Please, please, please post pics when you see blooms.

I just saw my first bloom of Special Occasion last week. It's been a very slow grower for me, so I'm quite excited. It's very cute.

Wanda, you will love Kaiu. Mine is still in bloom in the heat and drought conditions and the conditions have seemed to bring out more purple coloration around the edges of the flowers.

Hope you have more success growing scotti than I have had. Carol Lim and I have both had similar results with the scottis and hirsutissimas--they come up strong and then just wither away by midsummer and then they re-emerge with new foliage. Still haven't had any flowers after several years.

{{gwi:598457}}
{{gwi:598459}}
{{gwi:598461}}

Hopefully this one does better than the one I bought last spring. It just kind of sat there and didn't do much. It came up this year, but again, it's not growing. I was going to move it this fall and see if it does better in a different location. Thought it couldn't hurt to have a "spare" and the price was definitely right.

Love you pic. Hope I can make it work.

wanda