Clematis for poor soil
 

I expect Charlie Pridham may be able to answer this one. I want a
clematis to grow in my garden in the Auvergne, France. The soil is
poor with small tracts of earth/sand/decayed clay i.e. stuff as hard as
rock with putty like viens running through it and used in making
crockery. The Summers can be dry and hot but the winter weather is
viscious with snow on Christmas morning. We are high up overlooking
volcanoes which lay in the valley beyond, therefore the winds can be
horrendous, all adding to this beautiful almost etherial landscape.

I want a hardy cleamatis to withstand such extremes of weather and I
would prefer a large,white flower - any suggestions?

Clematis for poor soil
 

On 3/12/06 16:55, in article
, "judith lea"
wrote:

I expect Charlie Pridham may be able to answer this one. I want a
clematis to grow in my garden in the Auvergne, France. The soil is
poor with small tracts of earth/sand/decayed clay i.e. stuff as hard as
rock with putty like viens running through it and used in making
crockery. The Summers can be dry and hot but the winter weather is
viscious with snow on Christmas morning. We are high up overlooking
volcanoes which lay in the valley beyond, therefore the winds can be
horrendous, all adding to this beautiful almost etherial landscape.

I want a hardy cleamatis to withstand such extremes of weather and I
would prefer a large,white flower - any suggestions?

Charlie will know best but Mde. Le Coultre (aka Marie Boisselot) is a
lovely, large flowered clematis. The flowers are 5 or 6 inches across. It
can be grown in a container if well pruned. Your problem with Clematis in
the soil (and again I defer to Charlie) might be that they don't like to
have dry roots and your soil there sounds as if it could dry out quickly.
They don't like having their feet baked, either, so even in a tub I think
you'd have to put slate or something over the roots to keep them cool.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Clematis for poor soil
 

Sacha wrote:
On 3/12/06 16:55, in article

Charlie will know best but Mde. Le Coultre (aka Marie Boisselot) is a
lovely, large flowered clematis. The flowers are 5 or 6 inches across. It
can be grown in a container if well pruned. Your problem with Clematis in
the soil (and again I defer to Charlie) might be that they don't like to
have dry roots and your soil there sounds as if it could dry out quickly.
They don't like having their feet baked, either, so even in a tub I think
you'd have to put slate or something over the roots to keep them cool.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

that sounds lovely, I always put a cover over the roots, even in
England. I wonder if I excavated a very large hole in the awful soil
and filled it in with "purchased" soil/compost;whether a clematis would
stand a better chance? I'm about to look at Charlie's site to see if
he has the one you mention.

Clematis for poor soil
 

"judith lea" wrote in message
oups.com...

Sacha wrote:
On 3/12/06 16:55, in article

Charlie will know best but Mde. Le Coultre (aka Marie Boisselot) is a
lovely, large flowered clematis. The flowers are 5 or 6 inches across.
It
can be grown in a container if well pruned. Your problem with Clematis
in
the soil (and again I defer to Charlie) might be that they don't like
to
have dry roots and your soil there sounds as if it could dry out
quickly.
They don't like having their feet baked, either, so even in a tub I
think
you'd have to put slate or something over the roots to keep them cool.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

that sounds lovely, I always put a cover over the roots, even in
England. I wonder if I excavated a very large hole in the awful soil
and filled it in with "purchased" soil/compost;whether a clematis would
stand a better chance? I'm about to look at Charlie's site to see if
he has the one you mention.

If you are set on the large white flowers then add Henryii to your list its
a better grower and less wilty I also get on quite well with Gillian
Blades. But I would strongly recommend watering tubes in the holes.
A plant that would grow well in those conditions would be x Jouiniana
'Praecox' but it has small light lavender flowers
Let us know how it goes :~)

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

Clematis for poor soil
 

Charlie Pridham wrote:
"judith lea" wrote in message
oups.com...

I also get on quite well with Gillian
Blades. But I would strongly recommend watering tubes in the holes.
A plant that would grow well in those conditions would be x Jouiniana
'Praecox' but it has small light lavender flowers
Let us know how it goes :~)

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

Charlie, I took a look at your site and I loved Gillian Blades, do you
do mail order, if so I can email you details and send you a cheque, can
you let me know please?

Judith

Clematis for poor soil
 

"judith lea" wrote in message
oups.com...

Charlie Pridham wrote:
"judith lea" wrote in message
oups.com...

I also get on quite well with Gillian
Blades. But I would strongly recommend watering tubes in the holes.
A plant that would grow well in those conditions would be x Jouiniana
'Praecox' but it has small light lavender flowers
Let us know how it goes :~)

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

Charlie, I took a look at your site and I loved Gillian Blades, do you
do mail order, if so I can email you details and send you a cheque, can
you let me know please?

Judith

yes; email address is on the web site.

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

Clematis for poor soil
 

jane wrote:



Judith
I bought a Gillian Blades a few years ago for the front door side
trellis. It flowered the first season then got bad clematis wilt. I
wasn't happy, but I'd planted it very deeply in case! Sure enough it
came storming back, missed a second year of flowering and since then
has been superb. Last year was about 6m high and covered with 5"
blooms. It's in the lee of the house so water's a bit short, gets its
base scrabbled by cats, and shares its root run with a rampant yellow
climbing rose. (Which was lopped back before the clem was planted:
*that* grew back too...) To add even more !!!!s, it also shares its
root run with a seemingly perennial chilean glory vine.

I've got a photo I could email you if you want!


jane


That would be great, thanks. I have bought 3 Gillian Blades - for a
long, long fence, how many metres do you think three would cover, I
mean in length rather than height.

Judith Lea - at home

Clematis for poor soil
 

Clematis Montana is a great shade/ poor soil climber. will also tolerate a
north facing plot.
prepare the hole with well rotted compost ad dress with bone meal withal
liquid feed (Baby Bio) in the growing season add a mulch around the base say
woodchips.
Good luck.

"judith lea" wrote in message
ps.com...

jane wrote:



Judith
I bought a Gillian Blades a few years ago for the front door side
trellis. It flowered the first season then got bad clematis wilt. I
wasn't happy, but I'd planted it very deeply in case! Sure enough it
came storming back, missed a second year of flowering and since then
has been superb. Last year was about 6m high and covered with 5"
blooms. It's in the lee of the house so water's a bit short, gets its
base scrabbled by cats, and shares its root run with a rampant yellow
climbing rose. (Which was lopped back before the clem was planted:
*that* grew back too...) To add even more !!!!s, it also shares its
root run with a seemingly perennial chilean glory vine.

I've got a photo I could email you if you want!


jane


That would be great, thanks. I have bought 3 Gillian Blades - for a
long, long fence, how many metres do you think three would cover, I
mean in length rather than height.

Judith Lea - at home

Clematis for poor soil
 

Colin Jacobs wrote:
Clematis Montana is a great shade/ poor soil climber. will also tolerate a
north facing plot.
prepare the hole with well rotted compost ad dress with bone meal withal
liquid feed (Baby Bio) in the growing season add a mulch around the base say
woodchips.
Good luck.

Thanks you - I already have Clematis Montana and it is superb but I
wanted something different and in white. I will use your tip on
woodchips as I have a tree that was chipped last month, hopefully it
will be cool enough to use in January/February.

Judith - at home