Name: Evey Blalock South Louisiana - Zone 8b/9a (Zone 8b)
Many times, we've seen photos of gorgeous clems standing as crowning pieces of a garden, solitary in their beauty. They have their own dedicated support and their bases are clear of clutter or other plants. They look grand. We wish we could have something like that in our own garden, but sadly, we believe there is no space. I believed this thinking for a long time, and it prevented me from exploring the clem world for quite a while. I thought my garden, and my budget, were too small to have a worthy clem display. But, there is a hybridizer who is working hard to change that way of thinking. He has done book tours and he has hosted radio programs throughout the U.S. in an effort to dispel the myths that gorgeous clem displays are just for the lucky few who have grand gardens.
Here is an interview with that hybridizer, Raymond Evison, regarding his philosophy on planting and caring for clematis. For me, Evison's work has inspired me to change my way of thinking about clems. Sure, I still admire the large specimin plants that I see in pictures, but for me, I am much happier with the more intimate, personal feel of a well-loved small garden that engulfs you in beauty. The interview has some extremely helpful information that might surprise you... such as planting other plant material right with your clematis rather than leaving a space around the base. There's also specific information related to container growing. Here is that video.
