Clematis: I can't stand it!, 2 by citybusgardener

citybusgardener wrote:
A good reminder of the proper pruning. I have read different things too, but actually your rendition makes the most sense. Personally my Bushtit Niobe always seems to be at the very end of the list of things to deal with, and has thus far received "half baked" pruning. Each time I stand there indecisively and do the best that seems appropriate for the moment. So far so good. And it really shouldn't be. She is still in the same large wash tub I planted her in years ago, and still needs to be pulled out and all the soil replaced. Same as before..maybe next year. She still has shown no signs of harm, though obviously she could potentially become quite a monster of a clem if only I did things right.

What I really need to do is figure a better way to support her higher up. She runs up to the top of that support which is only about 5 feet high, then she starts reaching for the cherry tree limb that's a good 20 feet above her. Many years she gets pretty high up before she flops to one slide, then forming a giant question mark. The hollow of the question mark is the spot the Bushtits picked for their new home.

But the Bushtits may have had to pick a new sit after this afternoon. We had a huge wind come through and it defiantly distorted the shape of their almost completed nest. I had doubted the wisdom of their site choice, and now I see why. So it may be the starter home was just practice. Tomorrow will tell the tale.I had snapped a picure yesterday early, showing how far they had progressed in only a few more daylight hours.

It's so amazing how these little bitty birds and my Anna's hummingbirds ( year round here) build their tiny nests out of garden fluff, old seeds and spider webs. I do always save their favorite things over winter, even if it seems untidy to some folks. One larger patch of Japanese anemone seed fluff is routinely nest building supply central, but boy it looks bad about now.

I did notice one picture from before of dear Niobe. It's right at the same spot where I posted the picture of the nest starting. Looks a bit neon..think the camera had trouble with the color. But it dose show how nice the old gal does in less than ideal circumstances.

I was looking at native plants for my area and noticed this Clematis columbiana.
http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Blue Purple Enlarged Ph...

The DG listing is not helpful , seems unpopular or over looked. Reading the info listed on the site I posted, it seems a natural for my woodland garden. A real plant and forget sort of thing.
Anybody here know more ?