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Carol J. Michel

Award winner author of gardening humor books

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May Dreams Gardens

Shrub Clematis

May 27, 2006 By Carol Michel 3 Comments


It’s all about the plants for me. This is Clematis integrifolia ‘Alba’, White Solitary Clematis, which is currently blooming in my garden. Unlike most clematis which are vines, this is a small shrub-like perennial. I prune it back in early spring, like you would the vine varieties, and it grows to about 1 – 2 feet. I have to provide a support for it, much like you would provide support for peonies.

The variegated leaves to the left of the clematis belong to zebra grass, another plant that a friend generously gave me a start of 9 years ago when I started this garden. I have enough of it now that I can afford to be quite generous with anyone who wants some of it for their own garden. When I see zebra grass for sale at the garden center, I almost feel it is my civic gardening duty to tell anyone I see who looks like they are going to buy it to just stop by my house, and I’ll give them a nice start of it.

The real point of this posting is to explain that I am a plant person. I am not a landscape design person. I don’t do very well with design. Yes, I know the basics and can copy design from others. And I know my garden has several design flaws (which over time I’ll correct). A written landscape design wouldn’t last long for me, because when I see a new plant that I like, I buy it and then decide where I will put it. I don’t want to not have a plant that I like just because it isn’t part of a landscape design.

Oh, there have been times when I passed up a plant that I really wanted because deep down I knew I wouldn’t have a good place for it. But, I might think about that plant for a long time afterwards and wonder if I should have bought it anyway. I saw a wisteria vine for sale earlier this spring, and I REALLY wanted it. It had blooms on it that were so pretty. But I passed it up, because I just couldn’t figure out where to put it, and I thought it might lead me to purchase a pergola or other support structure and distract me from my spring planting overall. But, I’m still thinking about that wisteria that I passed up.

Yes, it’s about the plants.

(See My Garden Pictures for pictures of the mock orange which is also currently in bloom.)

Filed Under: Blog

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. EAL says

    May 28, 2006 at 5:12 am

    Ah yes, Another plant person. I couldn’t agree more. But I can’t believe you passed up a wisteria that was already blooming. Mine just bloomed after 7 years of waiting.

    Reply
  2. Carol Michel says

    May 28, 2006 at 10:40 am

    I KNEW I should have purchased that Wisteria!

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    May 28, 2006 at 6:25 pm

    I planted a wisteria last year on the gate arch in the back. You can come and visit it when it blooms.
    Kathy

    Reply

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