Clematis Finally Bloomed!

About 4 years ago, a friend gave me two clematis. They bloomed in their little boxes, but once in the ground, they ceased. The following spring, only one survived, and not it is quite a healthy plant. I'd just about given up seeing it bloom, but the foliage was nice. The other day I walked past the clematis, and there was a bloom!

For you vine and climber folks, this probably seems pretty uneventful, but in our Zone 3 area, clematis are marginally successful... mostly tangutica, or Golden Clematis. This one is a lovely white with a tinge of pink and and dark, bluish center. After all this time, I have no idea which cultivar it is, but it sure looks like a Miss Bateman. What do you think?

Very nice! And yes, after looking Miss Bateman up on the 2 clematis reference sites I use, I fully agree.

Well, I hope Miss Bateman has decided to bloom from now on. The flowers are quite beautiful!

Congratulations! Miss Bateman is a lovely Clematis.

Just remember to fertilize Clematis regularly, since they are heavy feeders. Also, their soil needs to be kept moist (not wet) and shaded, with their "heads" in the sun. You can use rose food as a fertilizer and they will be very happy. Hopefully, they will produce more and more blooms with each passing year!!

Thanks, Shirley. I'll feed her again soon. This bead is under the south eave of my house and watered with a soaker hose, so it gets plenty of moisture and a warm face. I have an autumn joy sedum at her feet to shade her from the sun.

This is the first year I've gotten new growth on the old stems... do they only produce blooms on last year's growth?