I've been a fan of Clematis for as long as I can remember. My mother has had the same Jackmanii for more than thirty years, and though it's in a shadier spot now than it once was (thanks to the Norway maple) it's still going strong. For vertical interest and high-impact color, you can't beat it.
This year I installed two clematis on the same trellis, in order to have virtually non-stop blooming throughout the summer. 'Avant Garde' has unique, red flowers with showy pink stamens. This is a free-flowering variety that blooms June-September---the perfect companion for my early bloomer, 'Asao'.
I planted it on a south facing wall that is protected on the north and west sides and mulched it to 2" with your basic bagged shredded hardwood. Keeping the roots cool is essential to clematis success. Couldn't be easier for such a hard-working plant. From the window of our sun room, this combo is fantastic!
Hardy to Zone 4. Give it lots of support and it will grow to 10'. Prune back to about a foot in early spring for denser more vigorous growth.
(Photo courtesy of White Flower Farm)
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