I'm with you. The only source I have is Gardenimport which sometimes has a couple of unusual clematis.I'll watch the replies with interest.
Sharon

The International Clematis Society has links to various clematis specialty nurseries, including several Canadian ones. Clearview Horticultural Products is a major wholesaler of clematis, located in British Columbia - they ship all over the US and throughout Canada. They supply a data base of retailers they serve. Look for the link to Classic Climbers on the ICS website for details.

Here is a link that might be useful: ICS link to clematis nurseries

More than half the Clems at local nurseries here were grown by Clearview. I'd mail order from them, the plants were all really nice and some unusual ones.

Buy or Sell..do you have the link for the site you speak of??...TIA...Jeanne

Gardengal and buyorsell: Thanks for the link, but unfortunately I checked and there are no retail locations in my province of Quebec for Clearview grown Clematis, and as far as I can see, they don't do mail order.
Sharon: I have ordered most of my clems from Gardenimport, too! They have some very nice ones, but now there are a few I would like that they don't carry. I guess we'll find out with the new Spring Catalogue if there will be any new interesting varieties. Vessey's and Dominion Seed carry some, but not what I want.
If anyone out there has any more ideas, please chime in!
Thanks in advance.
Judith

Well, the ICS link showed 3 nurseries in Canada, one, in Calgary doesn't ship, one link didn't work and the third has their info all scrambled so we're back to the starting line. I actually spent about 2 hours whittling down my list for the Calgary nursery, only to discover I had to pick them up. Quite a distance from Windsor Ont to Calgary Alberta, even for great clematis!

This link seems to work very well and while they offer not a terribly extensive selection of clems, it seems a decent one. And though located in Ontario, they do seem to have online shopping available as well. Sorry about the lack of access in your area to Clearview products - since they are such a large grower of clematis, I'd assume they'd ship to all parts of Canada and have an extensive data base of retailers. And as a wholesale grower only, they won't do mail order.

Honestly, I feel for you both - I'm not sure how well I would respond if my plant lust were restricted by location or by the need to only be able to shop by mail order. To see is to have to have! Fortunately, I live in an area with abundant retail and specialty nurseries offering a huge range of all sorts of plants, plus I am a buyer at a local retail nursery and can bring in pretty much anything I want. Which is why my own garden is virtually erupting with a wide selection of plants of all sizes and varieties :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Humber Nurseries

Hi Gardengal: I already checked the Humber Nurseries link before, and they don't do mail order either. Thanks anyway though.
Hi Sharon: Maybe you would be interested in the Humber nursery link as they are located in the Toronto Area. I realize that is quite a drive, but maybe you go there on occasion? Anyway, at least it's not as far as Calgary! Good Luck.
All you other Canadians on the forum - If you have a good source that does mail order, please let us know! Thanks a lot.
Judith

Yes, I have been to Humber and purchased several although nothing particularly unusual. It was Rundlewood that excited me but I foolishly didn't check their shipping before I ruminated over every entry only to find it was no go on shipping. To tell the truth, I have one sitting in my garden right now while I search for a place to put so I REALLY don't need any. But what has need to do with it, eh? I too will anxiously await Gardenimport's spring catalogue (for all kinds of reasons).
Sharon

Sharon: Yes, what DOES need have to do with it!LOL I find myself looking at every corner and tree and bare wall to see how I could possibly fit another clematis in somewhere! Spring is so far away, I usually end up checking every day in January to see if their catalogue is on-line yet; I am so impatient!
Buyorsell: Sorry, I misunderstood. Anyway, I will talk to the nurseries in my area, and see if they can order some from Clearview since they have such good quality plants. You never know, they could change suppliers. Thanks.
Judith

Judith, I have ordered from Hortico, online, but they may not have what you are looking for. They are in Ontario. Good Luck. Isn't it frustrating to see picture on garden sites of everyone's clematis' just to find out we can't get one.

Hi Bloomorelse:
Thanks a lot - I will check them out. I never thought of ordering anything but roses from them before.
Judith

Judith, Holes Nursery (holesonline) out west has a somewhat extensive collection, nothing too unusual but a goodly number. They may only ship in pots which would be expensive but maybe worth it if you found a couple you were yearning for.
Sharon

Hi Sharon:
You know, I forgot about them! I have several of Lois Hole's gardening books, and I bought her annual magazine a couple of times a few years ago. I will go to their site right now and check out the selection. Gardenimport ships their clematis in pots too, so hopefully it won't be too much more expensive than that. But you're right, if I find something I really want, it's worth the price. Thanks so much.
Judith

Hi Sharon: I'm back! I've checked out Holes and they have a nice selection, but not the ones I'm looking for at this time. However, you were right about the shipping being expensive. The following are shipping rates to Quebec for plants:

Purchase up to $25 - $18.00
" $25-$50 - $36.00

The clems are between $13 and $20, which is very reasonable, and I'm sure they are lovely, healthy plants, but unless it is a plant that I ABSOLUTELY had to have, I would not be willing to pay that amount for shipping. So, the search is on again. Anyone?
Judith

So now I'm really curious. What is it you really have to have? If I have it (or them), I would start one for you and get it to you somehow next year. A trip to your botanical gardens perhaps.
Sharon

Hi Sharon;
The Montreal Botanical Garden is a paradise for clematis lovers, just makes me want more than I could ever have room for! I'm sorry I lead you to believe I wanted some rare, exotic clems! I'm looking for Huldine and Crystal Fountain, that's all, and believe it or not, they are hard to find up here. But I will keep checking all the catalogues, and hopefully, someone will chime in with another suggestion. And thanks for the offer of the cutting - that would be great. I could trade something for it, if you tell me what to do. I have never rooted a clematis cutting before (just annuals like coleus, fuschias, geraniums, ivy, stuff like that).
Judith

Hello Judith,

I am a grower located just outside of Montreal and happened on your post regarding Clematis, here are some sources for interesting Clematis on the island of Montreal. No mail order.

Pepiniere Jasmin - on Henri Bourassa in Montreal
La Ferme Floral - in St. Bruno
Pointe Claire Nursery - in Pointe Claire

You need to visit these nurseries early in spring, as most of the unusual or new varieties are sold out very quickly.

In the Toronto area, you can try:

Fiesta Gardens - downtown on Christie
Angelo's Garden Center - in Concord
Plant World - in Etobicoke
Lakeside Garden Gallery - in Brampton

Again no mail order.

Clearview Horticultural does provide Clematis to growers throughout Eastern Canada. They are sold as small plugs in 2.5" pots and grown on to 1 or 2 gallon plants. You won't find them as finished plants in Eastern Canada because the cost of shipping 1 or 2 gallon plants is prohibitive,

In passing, C. Crystal Fountain was available from Dominion Seed this past season. It will be more widely available in 2007.

If you really need a mail order source, you can try Botanus in the spring. They resell the plugs from Clearview Horticultural.

Hi Maryv:
Thank you so much, I am actually very close to Pepiniere Jasmin on Henri Bourassa! I haven't ordered from Dominion seed in a while, but I will definitely check out their spring catalogue (although I have gotten several mislabeled plants in the past from them; they have given a credit, no problem, but it's frustrating when you are anxiously awaiting a particular plant to bloom and it's not the right one when it finally does!). I will also visit the Botanus web site in February and see what they have to offer. I really appreciate all your help. Thanks again.
Judith

hihi just found this discussion while looking for a source for clematis joe zary for this spring....
dont think anyone mentionned canning perennials clematis selection at http://www.canningperennials.com/acatalog/Clematis___Queen_of_Vines.html

thye do a nice mail order business....personally i shop mostly with margaret at fieata farms...if you call early she wll special order stuff for you and she deals with a number of different growers...for those in or near toronto she has distinctly better variety than anywhere close by for all perennials...

HTH
liz ruork

liz ruork

Another thing you might try is to ask your local nursery if you can pre-order the clematis you want so they are more sure to have the varieties you want and hold them for you - I have done that with a local nursery which has worked very well.

Hi everyone! I haven't posted in a long time, thought I would check out the Clematis forum, and lo and behold, there was the thread I started a while ago. Thank you all so much for your continued help. Fortunately (or unfortunately for my credit card bill) the catalogues all came in the last few weeks (incl Botanus), and Garden Import's 2007 catalogue is on-line, and I have many to choose from! In fact, GI's selection is outstanding this year and it will be very difficult to keep the list sensible. Once again, thanks to everyone for your advice, and hopefully I will be able to post some photos this summer (finally bought a digital camera!). I am so excited; spring cannot come fast enough!
Judith

Hi Judith,
I, too, am mulling over the Garden Import clematis choice and what a choice (for us up here in the north). I know I will order way too many but isn't it great to be looking at catalogues again?
Sharon

Judith
Canning Perrenials has a nice choice this year!
Sharon