Clematis x jackmanii - These 2 pictures were taken in the summer of 2002. This is 1 vine. I drilled holes in the motar, put plastic anchors in the hole, then put a long galvanized screw in the anchor. I wrapped a wire around each screw. This put the wire about 1.5" off the wall. I trained the clematis to grow up the wire...and this is the result. Some people have a hard time believing it's 1 vine...but I assure you, it is.
I put some wire about the window so it would grow over top of the window. Birds nested in the vine, right above the window one year :)
Here's the base in spring (2003)
What the support looks like (it's phone wire...since I'm in the phone business).
*laughs* Great way!
Another one of your great landscaping ideas I'll have to borrow!
This is a southern exposure. These jackmanii like full sun?
We will be converting the garage into a den soon. The front portion of where the truck is parked will be landscaped. Dont you think the clematis would look pretty on the house? I think so!
I've always heard, most clematis like their head in the sun and their feet in the shade (cool soil). Mine is planted on the north/west corner of the house. North to the left and west to the right in the picture.
I think clematis looks great on a house wall. I just don't like to grow anything that can attach itself, for practical reasons. I like to be able to remove it quickly if I need to...and this vine can be yanked down in a few minutes if I need to. It's light enough that it won't harm anything either :)
Looks as if the clematis are happy there. I should be able to provide some kind of shady plant at the base to cool the roots.
Well, I don't think it's absolutely necessary...but maybe it does help a little. It would probably look better with something at the base anyway. I have balloon flowers growing at the base of mine.
That is just gorgeous, and what a compliment the color is to the bricks.
hczone6: Your C. Jackmanii is gorgeous! Yes, I would believe that you started with 1 stem. It does take several years of growth to develop the multitude of stems that you now have. Cutting back your C. Jackmanii in late winter/very early spring, will result in multiple stem development. What do you use as fertilizer to produce all those beautiful blooms?
Osteole: Yes, Clematis love to have their "heads" in the sun and "feet" in the shade. That can easily be done by putting mulch around the base of the vine, but NOT touching it. Or you could put a rock at the base to provide shade, but it would be much nicer to have a low growing flowering plant, like Heuchera, at the base of the Clematis. That way you don't see the Clematis' spindly "legs".
It all depends on the variety of Clematis that you select. Some of the varieties need to have more shade, so that their tepal colors do not fade. Others, of course, bask in the sun. Just make sure that the variety that you choose is NOT to vigorous when placing it next to your house.
I would only use the Clematis Montanas to cover a fence, pergola, or other structure. Same goes for Clematis, "Sweet Autumn".
I bought these beauty of balloon flowers at lowe's during that 2.50 perennial sale. they dont look very good right now. Maybe next year. Will these be ground sprawlers or upright versions?
Shirley: I don't fertilize at all....or just a tiny bit. I throw down a little 10-10-10 sometimes in spring...but I'm not consistent with that....lol Also, I never cut my vine back...not at all. The only time I cut it back is to control it....keep it from getting too wild. And that's usually on the ends, not near the base. It just grew like that over time. new shoots come up every year from the base even though I don't cut it back. Honest :)
Osteole: (first...what does that username mean?...anything) If that balloon flower is like mine, it will grow mainly upright, but fall over if it gets wet or gets a little shade. The one you have in your picture will stand up when it gets in the ground and gets established a little. It's not a really stiff stemmed plant though...might flop over sometimes. Mine does. Mine has spread out, but it's not out of control....it just gets tall (about 4 feet or a little more). Here it is at the base of the clematis in early to mid spring, 2001
This message was edited Jul 29, 2004 8:18 PM
Yours looks very nice. I wonder if a half of a tomatoe cage would serve well for holding it up? Very small so it would be unobtrusive after the balloon flowers fill-in.
Mine look so much darker leafed also. I wonder if its because of a different variety.
I've been asked that so many times, I have a cut/paste for you! LOL
My name was created from a foal I raised a few years back. He was born with a white bone shaped marking on his belly. Ost is a root word meaning "bone" Therefore I used Ost and attached -eon for masculinity. When I became an avid gamer/board troll on acvault I used the name Osteon but removed the suffix and added -ole instead. I thought it made for a great screen name. Anyone who knows me from the internet knows me as Osteole.
It sounds just like its spelled: OSTeoarthritis / the letter E / big OLE apple.
Oh ok...got it.
I would think a cage like you mentioned would do fine to provide support while not being unsightly. Maybe your's is a little different. Not sure. I can dig up my old tag if i still have it. Will look for it, i may have scanned it.
I found a tag for Platycodon Grandiflorus 'Sentimental Blue'...but I think that's the dwarf I have (about 10" tall). I guess I don't have the tag for the larger one.
This message was edited Jul 29, 2004 9:10 PM
hczone6...the clematis is just beautiful....what a wonderful specimen
hczone6: I'm amazed that you can get your C. Jackmanii to bloom so beautifully with just a Spring feeding of 10-10-10! Clematis are known to be heavy feeders & respond very well to Rose fertilizer. You must have very well amended soil! C. Jackmanii obviously loves its growing conditions, because it is thriving and putting on quite a show! Even though this cultivar is listed as a type III for pruning, it responds incredibly to a type II pruning style. Sooo, keep doing what you've been doing, it's working very well! :~)
Thanks. The soil isn't very well amended at all. It's mostly thick clay and there's a layer of somewhat broken up brick mortar about 8 inches below the surface...all the way around the house. It's from when they installed the bricks on the house when it was built (1996). I've tried to get the mortar out or break it up as I work in those areas of the beds. I guess it hasn't hurt anything. My guess would be it makes the soil PH a little higher. I've heard that clay holds nutrients much better than a nice loam, so maybe that has something to do with it. It stays moist there too...so that helps. I'll need to trim it back some this fall. It's getting way too top heavy and bushy. I wish I had one like this growing up a thornless honeylocust which creates just very light shade. Hmmm....now there's an idea ;) I've already started Miss Bateman and another one growing up a golden rain tree. Should turn out very nice. This is another light shade tree with open branches near the bottom. And I've got Nelly Moser growing up a crabapple. I guess that's my new thing lately - living support for vines.
http://www.pbase.com/image/31971192
Remember how I said I use giant miscanthus stalks from the previous year for plant supports? Here's a good example:
http://www.pbase.com/image/31971199
This message was edited Jul 30, 2004 8:31 AM
I can see how that would work fine. Will you remove the supports once the vine is established?
Also HC, what do you use to mow that yard! LOL Looks like my old place. Took me 3 hours to mow all of it. During the summer that's 6 hours a week mowing! *whew*
I leave them in place so as to not cause damage (but it could be done without damage I guess). I just don't see a need to remove the support...especially something biodegradable like miscanthus stalks.
I use a 46" cut riding mower for the large areas and a 21" walk-behind for the rest. I'd say it takes around 2.5 to 3 hours to do it all. Trimming is what I hate most! The more you plant, the more trimming there is to do (with gas powered trimmer)....yuck.
hc, love what you have done with your vine. Very attractive! I appreciate the info on how you installed the wire support system and the pictures.
Pen
