Thank you both. It is very wintry here, so I thought I would try posting pictures--instead of cleaning up the house. I put some snow pictures over on the 'winter interest' thread in perennials because they seemed a little bereft of snow...

We don't mind if you never clean the house again, just as long as you keep posting photos. Your addition of the snow pictures shows genuine compassion and generosity.

I have a question about Arabella. I bought 3 from Brushwood Nursery this fall/late summer. I was thinking about planting each one in a very large ceramic pot (have 3 cobalt blue pots) with a Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea in each pot. I have read that Arabella acts more like a bush clematis. For those who grow Arabella, do you think it will flow over the pot and hang down the sides of the pot?

Doris

@cem9165 is the one I'm sure would have the answer for you though many others may have the clematis, Cem (Annette) does live in Georgia so let's hope she's not out shoveling 3" of partly cloudy and will appear here to help you.

Thanks, Pirl. I remember Annette posting pictures of her Arabellas. Her pictures and praise of this clematis made me want to grow Arabella. We are currently getting more rain. Better rain than the ice and snow that so much of our country is getting now.

Annette is also tempting me with that one!

No rain, snow or ice here...yet.

Casshigh,
I planted one of mine in the middle of 3' high (about 2.5' wide) raised bed. It did indeed cascade beautifully over the drab concrete retaining wall about 6" by the end of the summer. Sorry no pic, wall was still too ugly.

dirtdorphins, thank you. That is the effect that I want for the Arabellas. I don't really care for it to run up in the hydrangea. I have a few Limelight hydrangeas planted in the ground that I will plant a clematis to run up through those hydrangeas.

Welcome to ATP dirtdorphins

Hi Doris and Arlene, yes I love Arabella, I now have 6 of them. They would look beautiful cascading out of a large pot. They rambled over some of my peonies this past summer, and provided color well into the fall, when not much else was blooming. The plants bloomed nicely the 1st season, then really took off this year. Every garden should have at least 1 Arabella😁



Annette

Gorgeous!

Thanks, Annette. That is what I will do! I loved your pictures of Arabella and the idea that it will continue to bloom even into the fall. I am all for reblooming and continuous blooming clematis.

Doris

zuzu said:Welcome to ATP, Dirtdorphins. Cool username!

Trikatrei really appeals to me. That's a great photo.

Love your sense of humor!
and I am an Arabella fan too. I have it growing in the front of the bed with marigolds so can't speak to the cascade effect, but that is a great idea

I'll have to remember to take a picture next summer of Arabella cascading full of blooms and post it here. It will take a few years for it to grow and really look good cascading down.

I think my faves are the dwarf ones .

Asao is blooming now for the first time and it is awesome!!

that would be like asking me who is my favorite child
so here are mine and why I like them...smiles
How would you pick one over the other?

Prince Charles ..for the high count of blooms and color

Julia Correvon ..for the cherry red and shape of the petals
getting fall bloom from it now last of Sept..and also May blooming

Marcelina..for its dainty lavendar color

Comtesse de bouchard..pretty pink lavendar here and good bloomer
fall blooming and May bloomer..

Madam baron viellard for the huge pink blooms and a good bloomer

Dr Ruppel huge bi color blooms ..spring and fall
I think I have the names correct ..if not ..forgive me.
Sheri

Nice plants😁

Beautiful! Prince Charles has been a prolific bloomer this year . I agree!

dirtdorphins said:My favorite clematis is generally whatever is blooming in the moment, because they are all awesome at that point aren't they?



However, I have only recently 'discovered' the non-vining ramblers and small flowered varieties and I have been really impressed so far with how these new (baby) plants have performed in their first season. Hands down, my favorite is 'Arabella', for non-stop bloom spring-summer-fall, even in the shade.

• Clematis 'Arabella'
• Uploaded by dirtdorphins

'Trikatrei' put on the best show for sheer number of flowers, and outgrew it's temporary trellis. Hopefully, it's companion rose will eventually grow up too.

• Clematis 'Trikatrei'
• Uploaded by dirtdorphins

My favorite color and shape is 'Rooguchi'; second favorite color is 'Venosa Violacea'--but I didn't take a decent picture of either.
'Madame Julia Correvon', 'Maria Cornelia', and 'jouiniana praecox' were stellar, but I neglected to even attempt a photograph to prove it, for some unknown reason.
I had quite a few snail casualties and others are still settling in and thinking about flowering next year, but here are a few more pics of some new ones for me this year:

'Juuli'

• Clematis (Clematis integrifolia 'Juuli')
• Uploaded by dirtdorphins

'Pamiat Serdtsa'

'Durandii'

• Clematis (Clematis durandii)
• Uploaded by dirtdorphins

'Moonfleet'

I love your screen name "dirtdorphins"
So true. Nothing is more therapeutic