Sunset has wonderful books aimed at southern gardens and gardeners. I have one that must be 30 years old. What I like about it is that it has older varieties listed that you seldom see anymore but that you might encounter from time to time. I think everyone should have a book like that to look up impartial information. That is how I came across my Brandy which is an amazing bloomer in cool or even the hottest weather. It out-performs all our other flowers and is about the size of a small woman's hand. A good 4-6" I would say. Jackson Perkins also has a great book with the more modern varieties, but they seem to imply that all the varieties featured are fantastic performers, and I couldnt disagree more. Many a bush has come to my house only to go back, because it didn't tolerate the heat or wasn't the color they described. We live in zone 8a which might be the same as where you are.

Cameron - got this newsletter from White Flower Farms in my e -mail the other day and thought of you immediately. Definitely relates to growing Clematis in shrubs, roses, ect......... "Large-flowered Clematis usually grow about 6Â8 feet tall, making them ideal companions for Climbing Roses and many shrubs. The wiry vines will scramble through the branches without adding excessive weight to their hosts. Clematis like full to partial sun with a bit of shade on their roots, so this pairing works to the vine's advantage. Clematis climb by means of grasping petioles -- the stem-like base of the leaves. When it meets a potential support, the petiole coils around it tightly. The best support is therefore rather narrow, such as the branch of a Rose or the crossbars of a wire or steel trellis. In the Reading Room section of Gardening Help on our Web site, you'll find Christopher Lloyd's article, The Virtue of Vines, with an illustration of how to lead Clematis vines up into shrubs using bamboo stakes. Sweet Autumn Clematis is the exception for partnerships. This vigorous plant is likely to overwhelm most hosts. Instead, provide a sturdy support, such as an arbor or fence. Indeed, it is the perfect way to camouflage a chain-link fence. Plant your new Clematis with the crown three to four inches below the soil level. This protects future buds, and allows the plant to re-sprout if its top growth is damaged. The pruning of Clematis vines causes lots of trepidation, but it doesn't need to; the plants will keep growing after their haircut, and you will learn timing by experience. The general rule: prune out four-year-old stems after bloom, because flower production tends to decline. Varieties that bloom on new wood (including Sweet Autumn Clematis) can be cut back severely early every spring, if desired. Plants that bloom on old wood (last year's growth) can be pruned lightly right after bloom, if needed to control size. For plants that bloom twice, you may remove weak growth in spring, then prune lightly if needed after the first bloom. Our Clematis growing guide gives a list of varieties and their pruning groups to help you decide when and whether to wield your clippers. The Gardening Help section of our Web site contains an A-Z list of growing guides plus articles and tips on gardening and design, videos, and much more." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lynne

I wrap my little lilacs, that are the same size as your plants, in Jobes tree wrap, and then I close-pin burlap around each one, tightly. Neither voles, nor rabbits have gotten through. And hopefully neither will turkeys. :/ I really like what you've done. It's impressive. I wish I was handy like you and could do something like that.

yikes.. no wonder i couldnt find this post.. titled for shrubs.. but posted in perennials ... whats that all about ... lol ... one thing for sure... propagation is done in bulk ... for expected failure at every level ... so you arent going to do 100 one gal pots ... or you will end up with no profit at all... as suggested above ... and unlike perennials.. you are talking a 3 to 5 year process to grow stock to salable size ... size at which you profit enough to cover those years ... check out some of these pix... and perhaps spend some time hitting some of the links ... the 9th link to mikes backyard nursery looks interesting ... ken https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffsb&q=commercial+shrub+propagation&iax=images&ia=images