There's too many varieties to make it easy to ID your two later clematis @Henatron . Colours alter on flowers as well, with conditions and aspects. The darker ones can be much lighter in sun for example. They'll both likely be Group 3s anyway due to time of flowering. Up here, you don't get much in the way of later flowers on Group 2s, while many 3s flower well into autumn. Even if they were Group 2, and you're pruning as a 3, they'd flower around June or so, but you could always leave one and see what happens. You can look at any of the specialist sites to get an idea of variety, but carry on with the same pruning regime. If you want some earlier flowering types, you can always get a Group 2.
PS- like your user pic - which hill was it taken on?
Thanks Fairygirl. I'm quite happy with them so I'll just carry on and prune hard in the spring. Thought the -19 we had last winter had finished off the lighter of the two, but it finally appeared about July or so, and then flowered the best it ever has!
It's the ridge between Coire an Lochain and Coire an t-Schnechda - northern corries of the Cairngorms. Loch Morlich in the background. My home stamping ground!
@Henatron Just taken a look at the Gardenia website. You say that 2 and 3 have been in your garden a long time. It is as I have said possible that they are both viticellas. You could look at both Polish Spirit and Abundance. This will not give you an instant answer but it could help with a comparison when they are next in flower.
Thanks! I might bookmark a few possibilities for now and try and remember to compare once they are in flower. Doesn't matter at all if I can't find out, I just like knowing these things!
I wondered if that was where it was @Henatron. It's quite a distinctive spot It's a bit of a trek for me to get there, so I've only done a handful of the 'gorms, but I'll hopefully get back up there again this year. I think Bynack More was the last outing I did, last summer. I love the views from Sgorr Gaoith though. Enjoy your clems. They do well in our climate because they can tolerate the cold well, even if it makes them a bit later at times
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I always like a puzzle , some years ago I was given a plant which took three years to ID. It is important to do the job properly, plants have Latin names so people around the world can recognise them. Clematis won't grow in my garden. I can grow Verbena Bonariensis like weeds as mentioned in another thread today. Guess we can't have it all.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Fairygirl The problem is they struggle to get there roots deep down in the soil. In the past bricks were made locally so there are seams of red clay everywhere. They survive for a while and then simply give up.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Have you thought of making some little purpose built beds @GardenerSuze? The smaller early ones [alpinas etc] don't need the same conditions as the bigger, later ones. I have some in raised beds, and they're in tight areas with solid clay and compacted soil underneath, or next to garage foundations
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl I agree that is probably the only way I could approach it. The garage is surrounded by concrete so that's a no go. I did grow a macropetala years ago it did flower for a few years but slowly gave up over time. I live on a street of gardeners and I can only think of one clematis that thrives, the soil in that garden is next to an old barn wall so I guess the soil has been improved over the years! Thank you for your thoughts.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
That's a pity, but you could still have some of the small ones in containers with a support if you were keen. I have one alpina just now that thrives on nothing but neglect. It's never fed or watered, and it has very limited conditions in a tiny little raised bed with a few pasqueflowers. Worth a thought
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Off to the local GC some time this week I am sure I will see if the Clematis plants have arrived after this thread. As you can imagine roses do well here so there are some plus points. I also live next to a wood so I grow R Glauca, ,Ghost brambles, R Canary Bird and my latest thanks to @malorena R Rushing Stream. My neighbour purchased R Mind Games last year it grows in front of a dark red and dusky grey wall fab!
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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It's the ridge between Coire an Lochain and Coire an t-Schnechda - northern corries of the Cairngorms. Loch Morlich in the background. My home stamping ground!
It's a bit of a trek for me to get there, so I've only done a handful of the 'gorms, but I'll hopefully get back up there again this year. I think Bynack More was the last outing I did, last summer. I love the views from Sgorr Gaoith though.
Enjoy your clems. They do well in our climate because they can tolerate the cold well, even if it makes them a bit later at times
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have some in raised beds, and they're in tight areas with solid clay and compacted soil underneath, or next to garage foundations
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have one alpina just now that thrives on nothing but neglect. It's never fed or watered, and it has very limited conditions in a tiny little raised bed with a few pasqueflowers. Worth a thought
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...