What's in Bloom?
There are always clematis blooming in the garden! See below for a complete list of this week's blooms, plus a map to help you find each theme garden and bed number.
Updated May 3, 2024: Welcome to Spring! We’ve had swings of rainy days followed by days of fine weather make for a not bad spring. We have 72 clematis in bloom, up 26 from the last update. The large-flowered hybrids are starting…in fact, it’s a positive Polish invasion in Beds 18-20. Also offering fuzzy flowers to the spring sun are those children of the Virginia shale barrens, in the American C. integrifolia sub-section of non-climbers.
For those of you on Facebook, look for us at Rogerson Clematis Garden, and we’re on Instagram at @rogersonclematis as well as Rogerson Clematis Garden.
Purchase clematis onsite Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday, 10:00am-2:00pm. Visit CLEMATIS SALES for all the information.
Visit CLEMATIS CARE for information sheets on growing clematis. If your questions are not answered there, call or text FRCC at 971-777-4394. Also, for a more detailed response, or to send photos for clematis identification, please email info@rogersonclematiscollection.org
Brewster Rogerson named this chance seedling after his dear friend, ‘Barbara Houser’, who was our newsletter editor for several years. Bed 16.
The brilliantly pink Clematis ‘Freda’ is in full bloom on the shady north end of the Chicken Coop border. This variety is slower growing than many of the other C. montana hybrids, so it isn’t difficult to keep it winding on its half-round, 5.5’ tall support. And now a pair of Brewer’s Blackbirds have moved in!
‘Fair Rosamond’ is dependably early and fragrant, too! It is the last survivor of a 1870s breeding program by Jackman and Son’s Nursery to develop scented large-flowered hybrids. Bed 6.
‘Baltyk’ is a glorious introduction by Brother Stefan Franczak. Bed 19.
The Modern Garden
‘Zo09124’ PICOTEE is the first large-flowered clematis to be fully open in the Modern Garden (Row 16).
At the end of each row along the center aisle is a modern non-climbing hybrid or very short-growing vining cultivar.
ROW 1, Profuse summer bloomers related to C. viticella and some summer urn/trumpet hybrids related to C. texensis
Nothing in bloom
Clematis ‘Delightful Scent’ was first available in the USA as SUGAR SWEET LILAC. Row 2.
ROW 2, Profuse summer bloomers and Pink large-flowered cultivars
‘Delightful Scent’ SUGAR SWEET LILAC
RAYMOND EVISON HYBRIDS (Rows 3-7)
As usual, ‘Everin’ CLAIR DE LUNE is covered with buds. Sadly, some of these are drooping due to slug damage. We know from past experience that this cultivar with recover well and flower on and off all summer.
ROW 3, Evison Hybrids
Nothing in bloom
ROW 4, Evison Hybrids
‘Everin’ CLAIR DE LUNE
ROW 5, Evison Hybrids
Nothing in bloom
ROW 6, Evison Hybrids
Nothing in bloom
ROW 7, Evison Hybrids
Nothing in bloom
ROW 8, Double large-flowered clematis
‘Mary-Claire’ (single form)
We were misinformed about this clematis, as we were told it is double in the spring, and so it was planted in the row reserved for double clematis. When we have room to expand the area for white large-flowered hybrids, it will be moved.
ROW 9, Profuse flowering clematis (C. viticella and C. texensis hybrids)
Nothing in bloom
SZCZEPAN MARCZYNSKI HYBRIDS (Rows 10 & 11)
ROW 10, Marczynski Hybrids
Nothing in bloom
ROW 11, Marczynski Hybrids and White large-flowered cultivars
Nothing in bloom
ROW 12, Red large-flowered cultivars
‘Corona’, ‘Regency’
‘Regency’ is blooming unusually early for a “red” clematis.
ROW 13, Red large-flowered cultivars and Purple large-flowered cultivars
Nothing in bloom
ROW 14, Lavender/Blue large-flowered cultivars
‘ Joan Picton’ is always an early bloomer. Row 14.
‘Joan Picton’, ‘Mrs P B Truax’
ROW 15, Lavender/Blue large-flowered cultivars and Striped/Barred large-flowered cultivars
‘Irene’ flowers now, and will rebloom well in July.
‘Will Barron’, ‘Irene’
ROW 16, Striped/Barred large-flowered cultivars and Late Adds
‘Zo09124’ PICOTEE, ‘Thomas Strawford’
‘Thomas Strawford’ is looking fabulous this year! Row 16.
Beech Tree's Garden
Japanese species Clematis fauriei (pronounced four-ee-eye) has been widely used in hybridizing. Bed 3, and easily seen from the driveway
Clematis patens ‘Komurasaki’ and false Solomon seal, Maiathemum racemosum, always manage to flower together.
BED 1
‘Brewster’, ‘Elizabeth’, C. patens ‘Komurasaki’, ‘Omoshiro’
BED 2
‘Picton’s Variety’
This montana selection, ‘Picton’s Variety’, marks one of the entrances to the Beech Tree’s Garden.
BED 3
‘Picton’s Variety’, ‘Akaishi’, Clematis fauriei
BED 4
This is one of our largest beds, starting across the paths from Bed 3 and Heirloom Garden Bed 5, continuing along the west boundary fence of The Antipodes beds, and the gravel path towards the chickens. Step down to the greenhouse level and walk back toward the farmhouse, which will end the Bed 4 loop.
‘Fairy Blue’ (synonym CRYSTAL FOUNTAIN), ‘Kakio’ PINK CHAMPAGNE, ‘Omoshiro’, ‘Asao’ (in two locations within this bed), ‘Fuyu-no-Tabi’, ‘Kasumi-no-Kimi’, ‘Toltae’ TAE (on the fence), ‘Kaiser’ BLUSHING BRIDESMAID, ‘Kahori-no-Kimi’, ‘Haru Ichiban’
Large-flowered ‘Asao’ is often the first of the Japanese hybrids to bloom in our area’
‘Toltae’ TAE is broad and dramatic.
Non-climbing ‘Kasimi-no-Kimi’ is early and free-flowering. It will flower on and off all summer.
Coop Border
Along the west side of the chicken coop and run, this bed faces due west, so the clematis planted here are sun-lovers, along with their herbaceous perennial companions.
‘Utsusemi’, ‘Freda’, ‘Little Bell Sumire’, ‘Sophie’
Japanese hybrid ‘Utsusemi’ is already in bloom! Tiny, but a jewel none the less.
‘Little Bell Sumire’ is a free-flowering Japanese hybrid of North American species.
Heirloom Garden
We love how ‘Miss Cavell’ blends with her neighbors, Hydrangea ‘Miss Saori’, and the blue and variegated groundcover Ajuga incisa ‘Bikum’. Bed 12.
BED 5
Once again Clematis ‘Etoile de Paris’ opens with Rhododendron ‘Jean Marie de Montague’. Can you say “jewel tones”?
Clematis montana var. wilsonii (of hort.), ‘Etoile de Paris’
BED 6
Clematis patens (Manchurian form), ‘Fair Rosamond’, ‘Lady Londesborough’
Brewster Rogerson grew this form of Clematis patens from seed given to him by a Japanese friend, who had been given wild collected seed.
BED 7
Popular ‘Nelly Moser’ was bred in France in 1897, a true heirloom.
‘Nelly Moser’
BED 8
Nothing in bloom
BED 9
Nothing in bloom
BED 10
‘Souvenir de Capitaine Thuilleaux’
BED 11
Clematis spooneri is a closely related cousin of Clematis montana. It’s been very winter hardy for us.
‘Nelly Moser’, ‘Fair Rosamond’, C. spooneri
BED 12
‘Brewster’, ‘Miss Cavell’
Clematis ‘Brewster’ acting as offical greeter on the farmhouse arbor.
We love ‘Miss Cavell’ with Hydrangea ‘Miss Soari’ and its moody foliage.
BED 13
Nothing in bloom
The Front Bank
Clematis coactilis is native to the shale barrens of eastern Virginia.
What is a shale barren? Thousands of years ago, Virginia was underwater. As the inland seas retreated, the layers of compressed silt formed these massive walls of quite fertile crevices, if you have roots that know how to exploit the nutrients. The little mounds of green at the upper right and at the bottom of the shale scree are clever Clematis coactilis.
BED 14
Walking from the driveway west: C. addisonii, C. albocoma, C. viticaulis, C. ochroleuca, C. coactilis, C. socialis, C. fremontii (pale form), C. ochroleuca ‘Bald Knob’
Clematis viticaulis grows on slightly more calciferous shale.
What the shale looks like where Clematis viticaulis grows.
Clematis addisonii, from the shady ends of the Virginia shale barrens.
The Baltic Border
BED 15
Nothing in bloom
The Founder’s Garden
Clematis patens ‘Manshu-Ki’ WADA’S PRIMROSE in the Founder’s Garden.
BED 16
‘Warwickshire Rose’, ‘Vera’, ‘Moonlight’ (in a container), ‘Sharpie’, ‘Louise Rowe’, C. patens ‘Manshu-Ki’ WADA’S PRIMROSE, C. montana ‘Snowflake’, ‘Barbara Houser’, ‘Broughton Star’
Clematis ‘Sharpie’ was a chance seedling Brewster nurtured. Sharpie was his nickname, bestowed by soldiers who learned English from him in WWII. In a way, Brewster Rogerson named this one after himself.
The Steppe Garden
After a particular testing winter, ‘Mayleen’ shows itself to be one of the hardiest C. montana forms.
BED 17
This bed wraps around both sides of the old Gravenstein apple tree and includes the stock plants at the south end of the Test Garden.
‘Tsunami Child’, ‘Tetrarose’, ‘Mayleen’
Old Poland (the Polish Beds)
‘Mikolaj Kopernik’ is opening in our A Friendly Wind sculpture. Bed 19.
BED 18
‘Serafina’ flings itself in every direction and flowers from the ground up.
‘Serafina’
BED 19
‘Matka Urszula Ledochowska’ was named for a lovely lady who helped Brother Stefan Franczak keep records of his breeding program.
‘Mikolaj Kopernik’, ‘Baltyk’ (2 locations), ‘Dorota’, ‘Matka Urzula Ledochowska’
BED 20
‘Regina’ looks so dashing with the new foliage of Acer palmatum ‘Tsumagaki’.
‘Izydor’, ‘Regina’,
The Beginner’s Garden
‘Guernsey Cream’ is starting from the ground up this year.
BED 21
‘Guernsey Cream’, ‘Markham’s Pink’
BED 22
Nothing in bloom
The Hedges
BED 23
(Replanted in spring 2024 with Tasmannia lanceolata as the hedging; the Viburnum tinus was removed.)
‘Joe Zary’,
We look forward to this pairing maturing together: ‘Dark Dancer’ on the left and ‘Joe Zary’ on the right.
BED 24
‘Pauline’ (three specimens), ‘Pink Swing’, ‘Propertius’
‘Pink Swing’ was bred in Poland by Szczepan Marczynski. It has proved to be especially tough in our climate and soil.
Troughs
Nothing in bloom
Subtropical Shade Porch
The plants have been moved outside for the spring and summer.
The Antipodes
This area was hard hit by the brutal weather we had this winter. C. marmoraria is sending up new shoots, but we do not believe it will bloom.
CONTAINER DISPLAY AREA
This area, between the Bob and Carol Gutmann Greenhouse and The Antipodes will be increasingly populated by a display/demonstration area for growing clematis in containers. We imagine a continually changing, slowly evolving space where those with small gardens will find suggestions and inspiration. Seating is coming soon, too! The broad pale green bowl in the container area will be used to make floating arrangements of clematis.
Nothing in bloom
The Egg
Nothing in bloom
Artist James Harrison donated a handsome structure he created using the proportions of a Fabergé egg; hence we call it The Egg. It occupies the round foundation of the long-gone Luscher Farm silo. The cottage garden herbaceous perennials and volunteer annuals (the sunflowers are full of American Goldfinches nearly all day, every day) make a mad display at the feet of the clematis climbing The Egg through the spring and summer.
In 2022 we altered the clematis planting to include some of the magical hybrids and species selections made by the late Ton Hannink, a past president of the International Clematis Society. What better memorial to the man than his plants?
Mr. Western Bluebird is a frequent percher on The Egg, reminding humans that the mealworm feeder is a thing that exists and always needs replenishing.