Clematis ‘The President’

ACTINIDIA kolomikta 'Arctic Beauty' (Hardy Kiwi)   A twining vine which after some years develops a beautiful white overlay suffused with pink that marks most of the leaves to a varying degree, for a tri-color effect. For best coloration grow in sun, add lime, and go lightly with fertilizer. Small, fragrant white flowers bloom in late spring. Small, greenish-yellow edible fruits are produced in the fall on female plants if both a male and female are planted. To 12', or possibly longer. Can take 3-5 years to develop full variegation, but well worth the wait. Zone 4.

CAMPSIS (Trumpet Vine) radicans  Provides a wealth of deep orange trumpet flowers all summer. Dark green foliage becomes golden yellow in autumn. Attaches itself to walls without special supports. Can reach 30-40', but can be kept smaller by pruning in early spring. Thrives in the most adverse conditions but needs full sun for best flowering. 

radicans       3” long, brilliant orange-scarlet, trumpet-shaped flowers, widely flared at the ends. The nectar is very attractive to hummingbirds and many nesting birds seek out the protective tangle of branches. This is rapid growing twining vine with muscle. Requires strong support to climb on, (think Wisteria), and benefits from regular cutting back. May take a number of years for plants to bloom, but, if you have the space and the patience, it puts on quite a spectacular show when it’s. Average soil, full sun. Zone 4.

radicans ‘Flava’     Identical to the species except it has yellow flowers instead of orange-red. See description for Campsis radicans.

tagliabuana ‘Mme. Galen’     Salmon-red trumpets in summer, otherwise similar to Campsis radicans. See description of Campsis radicans.

CLEMATIS Treasured for their spectacular flowers. Give them moderately moist, well drained, rich, slightly alkaline soil. Clematis prefer full sun to bloom their best, but need their roots kept cool. Clematis are grouped according to pruning methods.

Group 2: This group includes those Clematis that bloom on the previous year's wood and then again in late summer on new growth. In general, not a lot of pruning in required beyond the removal of dead and weak stems in late spring. If more extensive pruning is deemed necessary, it should be undertaken just after the first spring flowering period. Rule of thumb, don’t over do. Limit pruning to what’s needed to keep plants looking good and to maintain a steady progression of bloom.

‘Arctic Queen’ 4-6” double, clear creamy white flowers with creamy yellow anthers. Blooms from May-Aug on both old and new wood and exhibits the strongest habit of any double clematis. Grows 6-8’. Pruning group 2. Zone 4. 

‘Blue Angel’    Sky blue flowers are lighter in the middle of the ruffled sepals. Very fine silky texture. Award winning. Blooms June and Sept., 8-13’ long. Zone 4.

‘Bourbon’    Vibrant red, 5-6in. flowers with showy yellow stamens. Blooms from June through early August. Low growing, reaching only 6ft. in height.  Pruning group 2. Zone 4.

‘Diana’s Delight’New    Blue flowers with a unique blending of light and dark tones throughout the petals. Blooms in June-July and, at only 6' high, it's well suited to container culture. Pruning group 2.

‘Filigree’    Silvery-blue, medium to large flowers,(4-7" wide), with both single and semi-double blooms. Very compact, usually reaching only l½', possibly to 3' but never beyond. This smaller size opens up all kinds of non-traditional uses such as allowing plants to drape over the sides of hanging containers, wedging them into small spaces where room is tight, and inserting them front and center in the mixed border for a refreshingly different look. Blooms May-July. Pruning group 2.

‘Franziska Maria’New    A fully double, blue-purple flower, very large and beautifully shaped. Blooms on both new and old wood, June-September. Only 3' high, so should be considered a strong candidate for container planting and for being trained to grow up into small woody, spring flowering shrubs to add a second season of bloom to the flowerless branches. Pruning group 2.

‘Ice Blue’    6-7" white flowers "iced" with a thin veneer of blue. Blooms in May-June and again in September. 5-6' high. Pruning group 2. Zone 4.

‘Miss Bateman’     Pure white flowers with chocolate-red stamens bloom so heavily in May-June that the foliage is obscured. Will rebloom more modestly in Aug.-Sept. Compact, 6-8'. An old favorite, with good reason. Pruning group 2. Zone 4.

‘Multi Blue’   4-5" wide, double flowers have an outer ring of navy blue petals and an inner layer of purple blue petals with white tips that are much narrower and quite sharply pointed. Double flowers are only produced on last years wood while semi-double blooms are produced on the current season's wood later in the season. 6-8' high. Pruning group 2. Zone 4.

‘Special Occasion’New     Rounded pale-pink flowers with a distinct dark bar in the center of each petal. Blooms in spring and again in late summer. 6-8' tall. Lightly fragrant. Pruning group 2.

‘The President’    Single, rich, purple-blue, and somewhat cupped flowers,(6-7” across), are composed of six to eight overlapping and pointed petals with undulating edges and silvery undersides. Stamens are pinkish white and anthers are deep red . Juvenile leaves are bronzy, becoming dark green. An extremely popular cultivar! Blooms late spring to early summer and late summer to early autumn. Tolerates most garden soil and any aspect. Pruning group 2. Zone 4.

Group 3: These species and cultivars flower in mid-summer on current year's growth. Prune hard in very late winter/early spring to just above the first pair of buds closest to the ground (about 12"). If greater height is desired, you can retain the lower woody framework and prune to just above the base of the previous year's growth..

‘Galore’  Single, 3in. purple flowers with attractive yellow anthers. Very free flowering, blooming July through Sept. and highly disease resistant. Grows to 10ft. Pruning group 3.  Zone 4.

‘Moonfleet’New     Large, 7", lilac-blue flowers maturing to a soft blue, June-August. Flowers mature at different times imparting a dynamic two-color effect with some flowers colored lilac-purple while others will have progressed to the blue stage. Grows 7'. Pruning group 3.

‘Paul Farges’ (aka 'Fargesioides')   Single, small white flowers 2ins. wide with a prominent boss of stamens. Flowers are held well above the foliage on long stalks. Grows to 20ft. and blooms form mid summer to autumn. Useful for covering large swaths of fences. Pruning group 3.  Zone 3.

‘Rouge Cardinal’     4-5" wide, single, velvety red flowers with showy creamy white filaments that contrast beautifully with the rich red tepals.  A vigorous, strong growing cultivar reaching 6-8' in height. Flowers early to late summer. Pruning group 3.

terniflora (paniculata & maximowicziana)     (Sweet Autumn Clematis) Clouds of small, strongly scented, white flowers in large panicles, Aug.-Oct., followed by attractive seed heads, vigorous, to 30'. Plants will bloom in part shade but will only reach their full, blooming potential in full sun. Easy to grow in average, well-drained soil and, in our garden, vigorous to the point of indestructibility. Group 3.

texensis ‘Princess Diana’      2¼" long, wide-flaring, bell-shaped, bright pink flowers crowd the 6-8' stems from mid summer to early autumn. Vigorous and not prone to mildew. Tolerates part shade. Interestingly, this Clematis behaves like an herbacious perennial and sends up new shoots from below ground. Well suited to informal uses such as growing up through shrubs or sprawling over the ground between low shrub or allowed to billow over stumps or low fences. Pruning group 3. Zone 4.

viticella ‘Betty Corning’   Single, nodding, bell-shaped, mauve/blue flowers, 2ins. long and slightly scented. Very free flowering from early summer through early autumn. Grows to 10ft. and makes a good choice for through large shrubs and climbing roses. Zone 3.

viticella ‘Carmencita’New  Satiny carmine-red flowers that fully engulf the stems through July. Unlike most other viticella types that display funnel or trumpet-shaped flowers, those of 'Carmencita' open fully. Begins blooming in July and continues for 4 weeks or more. Pruning group 3.

Non-climbing Clematis:

integrifolia   A nonvining clematis with fragrant, nodding, 1½", blue, bell-shaped flowers in late summer. Grows to about 3', and can be supported but perhaps is best grown rambling at will. Flowering occurs mid to late summer, followed by plumey seed heads. A fine plant that deserves to be grown more. Hardy to Zone 3.

Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonum aubertii)     (Silver Lace Vine) a vigorous twining vine, with billowy, foamy white fragrant sprays in late summer and fall, 20-30', flowers cut well. Excellent as a quick cover so long as it has something to twine around. Tolerant of dry soil. Zones 4-8

Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ (Golden Hop)    Bright chartreuse, nearly yellow, maple-like leaves unfurl in spring and gradually shift to an attractive lime-green color as the summer progresses. Small, non-showy but quite fragrant greenish flowers bloom in summer and are followed in late summer by decorative pendulous hops. This is a fast growing, twining, perennial vine that does best in sun to part shade in reasonably fertile and moist but well drained soil. Will grow to 20’ or more but is easily maintained at lower heights. Zone 4. 

Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (Climbing Hydrangea)    One of the finest and most artistic vines. Showy fragrant white 6-10" flowers in June-July, exceptional climber, peeling brown bark attractive in winter. Glossy green foliage until late fall, does well on north and east exposures. Does not need support to climb trees or walls, clings by root-like holdfasts. Zone 5. In photo at right, petiolaris is growing on our venerable white pine. We’re not sure whether the tree is supporting the vine or the vine supporting the tree.

Hydrangea anomala ‘Fire Fly’ New    A yellow variegated climbing hydrangea with green leaves with gold margins. Gold color is striking in spring, changing to chartreuse in summer. Vigorous to 30' with holdsfasts that cling to any surface. 6-10" wide, white, flat-topped panicles for two weeks or more, late spring-early summer. Zone 4.

Hydrangea anomala ‘Skyland Giant’      A newer, larger flowered selection of climbing hydrangea originating at the New Jersery State Botanical Garden at Skylands.  In June-July, large, flat, white panicles bloom on vigorous climbing stems that attach by hold-fasts to almost any surface. Flowers are prominently displayed on stout petioles that lift them several inches above the lush, dark green foliage. Vigorous, able to climb 30' and more. Very effective when used to run horizontally along stone walls. Grow in sun to part shade, in rich, evenly moist soil. Plants do not like baking in hot, dry sun and part shade is advised where soil dries out in summer. Zone 4.

Lathyrus latifolius (Sweet Pea) Perennial sweet peas are vigorous vines that can be used to climb fences, trellises, or rock walls. Blooms for a long time in summer in shades of red, pink, and white. A bit informal, but undemanding, rugged and quite lovely. 4-8', hardy to zone 3.

'Red Pearl' Long lasting red flowers on vigorous 3' vines, May-July.

'White Pearl'  Same as above with white flowers.

Lonicera (Honeysuckle)Showy vigorous summer blooming vines, easy to grow in most soils, best flowering occurs in full sun with moist soil. In part shade flowering period will be shorter. 

sempervirens ‘John Clayton’     Lovely soft yellow flowers for many weeks starting in June. Displays excellent repeat bloom on compact plants, 6-10' long.  Flowers are followed by a showy red fruit set. For best growth and fullest, longest bloom provide rich, moist, well drained soil in full sun. This is a distinctive flowering vine that always turns heads. Thought to be more resistant to leaf spot problems that can bother honeysuckles.  Climbs by twining and needs a support structure that it can weave it way through such as latticework, chainlink fenceing, etc. Regretfully, flowers are without fragrance.  Zone 4.

sempervirens ‘Major Wheeler’    A Honeysuckle worth getting excited about! To start with there are the long, trumpet-shaped flowers, brilliant red outside and yellow on the inside, abundantly produced in large clusters throughout the plant starting in late spring and continuing right on through summer, undeterred by heat amd humidity. The flowers are highly fragrant and the consistency of the bloom over the entire season is unrivalled by any other Honeysuckle. Then there is the remarkably clean, mildew-free foliage that forms a lush, green background for the brilliant flowers.  Bloom is best in sun, with rich, moist but drained soil. Plants will adjust to part shade but with diminished flowering. As they mature, plants become better able to withstand drier conditions. Hummingbirds love the flowers! Zone 4.

sempervirens x ‘heckrottii’ New   (Goldflame Honeysuckle) Reddish purple buds open to reveal petals that are creamy yellow inside. The outside reddish purple gradually changes to pink resulting in a flower that contends as the showiest of the honeysuckles. No detectable fragrance but the gorgeous flowers more than compensate for the lack of scent. Begins bloom in May and will continue blooming well into summer if soil is sufficiently moist. 20' high. At its best with best flowering in full sun with good, reasonably moist but drained soil. Zone 5.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia ‘Variegata’      This selection of the Virginia Creeper boasts showy, white vareigated leaves and a more restrained growth habit, reaching only 20'-30' instead of 80'-100', and more, that is characteristic of the green leafed form. Leaves are deciduous and turn deep red before falling in autumn. Attaches firmly to any surface, wood, masonry, tree bark, with tendrils that have the holding power of super-glue. Not fussy as to soil but does appreciate some light shade. This pretty vine offers something different to those looking to dress-up a smaller vertical surface. Zone 5.

Parthenocissus tricuspidata 'Robusta'     Commonly known as Boston Ivy, this vigorous vine attaches by fail-proof holdfasts to almost any surface, wood, masonry, you name it, covering large areas as it gallops along at a rate of 10' per year. One of the best vines for clinging to stone and brick. Leaves are thick textured, glossy green, turning brilliant red before falling in autumn. Given a surface to climb on, ’Robusta' will climb to 100', and more! Extremely adaptable to virtually every site, wet, dry, sun, shade, city and seashore conditions. Better than almost all other vines at thriving in shade. Zone 3.

Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’     A native Wisteria that's far less aggressive than its Asian relatives though still capable of producing a stunning display of large, dangling, purple flower clusters that all gardeners love. Soft, gray-green compound leaves emerge somewhat late in spring, late April or early May, and are followed immediately by large bud clusters that open in mid to late May revealing grape-like clusters of deep lavender, mildly fragrant flowers. Unlike the Asian varieties which can take years before putting out their first flowers, 'Amethyst Falls' gets right down to business and blooms at an early age. Grows to 20-30' and does best in average to rich, moist soil in sun. Zone 5.

Wisteria frutescens var. macrostachya (Kentucky Wisteria) New   'Blue Moon' is a selection of the Kentucky Wisteria which is native to the mid-Atlantic states and considered to be the hardiest wisteria, reliably hardy through zone 4 and possibly into parts of zone 3. No amount of flowering is sacrificed to achieve the rugged constitution as evidenced by the spectacular, 8-10" long racemes of lavender-blue, fragrant flowers that grace the branches in May and may repeat intermittently through the summer. Best in sun, in good, evenly moist soil. More tolerant of moist to wet soils than other varieties. A vigorous climber, 20-30', that should be given the sturdy support afforded all wisterias.