I have had a terrible fungal prioblem in my garden this year. I think its mainly powdery mildew that has affected my clematis, of which I have had to cut down about 5. It has also affected my honeysuckle, my continus coggygria or "smoke bush" my rhododendron, and about 3 of my other shrubs.

I have read that in clematis it can be caused by too much darkness and moisture, but then in the same breath that it could be caused by dryness at the roots, what am I to believe? At the time I was giving them a thorough watering so believed it to be over watering. All I can do it cut all these plants back hard and hope it doesn't come back again. It seems to be an epidemic!