Charlie Pridham wrote:

Just another thing, Charlie. Remember the Ercilla volubilis that I
bought? It was just a yard away from one of the C. montanas, climbing
the same wall. And it has survived perfectly, just the tips are a bit
scorched. So, as far as I'm concerned, Ercilla seems hardier than C.
montana :-)

Regards,
Roger.

Smelling wonderfull at the moment it is in full flower and untouched by
winter, Ercilla main claim to fame down here is its ability to withstand
salt laden gales, not many evergreen climbers can claim to!

Not only that - but since it has proved itself hardy over here this
winter, I'm sure that it can be grown practically everywhere in the
UK.
I wonder why I have not seen it there. (Could it be a recent
introduction?)
And there are not that many evergreen flowering climbers, period.
Regards,
Roger.

--
Walk tall, walk straight, and look the world right into the eye.

You're welcome to visit my gardening page:
http://users.pandora.be/roger.van.loon/gardenp.htm

In article ,
Roger Van Loon wrote:
Charlie Pridham wrote:

Just another thing, Charlie. Remember the Ercilla volubilis that I
bought? It was just a yard away from one of the C. montanas, climbing
the same wall. And it has survived perfectly, just the tips are a bit
scorched. So, as far as I'm concerned, Ercilla seems hardier than C.
montana :-)

Smelling wonderfull at the moment it is in full flower and untouched by
winter, Ercilla main claim to fame down here is its ability to withstand
salt laden gales, not many evergreen climbers can claim to!

Not only that - but since it has proved itself hardy over here this
winter, I'm sure that it can be grown practically everywhere in the
UK.
I wonder why I have not seen it there. (Could it be a recent
introduction?)
And there are not that many evergreen flowering climbers, period.

Er, not quite. Replace the "period" by "hardy in the UK". Most
tropical climbers fall into that category!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Smelling wonderfull at the moment it is in full flower and untouched by
winter, Ercilla main claim to fame down here is its ability to
withstand
salt laden gales, not many evergreen climbers can claim to!

Not only that - but since it has proved itself hardy over here this
winter, I'm sure that it can be grown practically everywhere in the
UK.
I wonder why I have not seen it there. (Could it be a recent
introduction?)
And there are not that many evergreen flowering climbers, period.

Er, not quite. Replace the "period" by "hardy in the UK". Most
tropical climbers fall into that category!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
Sadly you are not wrong! :~) but to answer Rogers question, I think after
it flowers it is a bit messy, hangs onto the old flowers which turn black,
and also gets very big and heavy very quickly pulling itself off walls. I
always hard prune mine after flowering which gets rid of both problems, but
rather negates the point of having an evergreen climber!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

Charlie Pridham wrote:


Smelling wonderfull at the moment it is in full flower and untouched by
winter, Ercilla main claim to fame down here is its ability to
withstand
salt laden gales, not many evergreen climbers can claim to!

Not only that - but since it has proved itself hardy over here this
winter, I'm sure that it can be grown practically everywhere in the
UK.
I wonder why I have not seen it there. (Could it be a recent
introduction?)
And there are not that many evergreen flowering climbers, period.

Er, not quite. Replace the "period" by "hardy in the UK". Most
tropical climbers fall into that category!
Regards,
Nick Maclaren,

Sadly you are not wrong! :~) but to answer Rogers question, I think after
it flowers it is a bit messy, hangs onto the old flowers which turn black,
and also gets very big and heavy very quickly pulling itself off walls. I
always hard prune mine after flowering which gets rid of both problems, but
rather negates the point of having an evergreen climber!
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.

Well - I'll see about that in a few years, I suppose, when it has
covered the wall some more :-)
In the meantime, it sure is a fascinating plant.
By the way, Nick, knowing where you are - do you know if Ercilla
volubilis, in the open, is in the (very extensive and fascinating)
Cambridge botanical garden? I can't remember seeing it there - but
then, I just was there once, some
years ago.
Just wondering how hardy it really is.
Regards,
Roger.

In article ,
Roger Van Loon wrote:

By the way, Nick, knowing where you are - do you know if Ercilla
volubilis, in the open, is in the (very extensive and fascinating)
Cambridge botanical garden? I can't remember seeing it there - but
then, I just was there once, some years ago.
Just wondering how hardy it really is.

I haven't seen it, but that doesn't prove anything. Cambridge Botanic
Garden is no Kew, but is big enough to hide quite a lot!

Perhaps more relevantly, it is fairly warm by Cambridge standards.
Not just because of its location in the city, but because of the way
it uses shelter belts. My garden is a lot colder and only 3 miles
away! I am trying to copy some of its planting strategies in a VERY
small way.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren

This topic appears to have gone off at an unpleasent tangent for no apparent
reason!

Victor