Clematis: Some new ones blooming!!, 1 by ClematisGuru

ClematisGuru wrote:
here is a shot that shows the height of guernsey cream at age 5 years. it has what i would call a mounding growth habit vs a tall , tall climber. not a sprawler, it will climb....but it likes to grow wider as well as taller. the photo is from a clematis that is really not pruned much, just snipped obviously damaged pieces. i can't speak too highly of this clem. it needs little attention and gives much spring beauty. when the pistachio colored ones open, it is like a trip to the tropics.
the plant does well in semi shade, in fact that will help retain the pistachio color a few days longer. the cupped shape to the early flowers broadens out as they age from pistachio to white to cream. in the final creamy stage, the flowers are slightly recurving (like a perrins pride) and last quite a while (better than other whites for me) if not storm or rain damaged. as with most clems, avoiding
leaf watering and watering from the ground only helps the blooms last longer.
hope you can find some good plants. i lucked out 5 years ago and a local nursery had bought some quite nice plants and i kept buying them as the season wore on and they became less expensive. i have never since seen it available in any local nursery, but i know it is available from the best mail order places. recommend silver star vinery as first choice.
in this photo, guernsey cream is growing on a climbing hydrangea on an old dead tree "totem". i trim the hydrangea pieces that start to grow outward to keep it close to the tree and that seems to help the two plants co exist nicely.