In 1995 I planted a Montana (unknown variety) and it has flowered very well, indeed so well I though I'd plant a second one in a different part of my garden. (this was in 2003)

Both have perished this year, all my other clematis are doing well, (Nelly Moser, President, Dr. Ruppel & Etoile Rose)

Has anyone any suggestions as to the likely cause of death?

Well, it certainly wont be the winter weather ! It might be vine weevil ??
Lannerman.

On Monday, May 7, 2012 12:10:16 AM UTC+1, lannerman wrote:
'80/20[_3_ Wrote:
;958047']In 1995 I planted a Montana (unknown variety) and it has
flowered very well, indeed so well I though I'd plant a second one in a
different part of my garden. (this was in 2003)

Both have perished this year, all my other clematis are doing well,
(Nelly Moser, President, Dr. Ruppel & Etoile Rose)

Has anyone any suggestions as to the likely cause of death?

Well, it certainly wont be the winter weather ! It might be vine weevil
??
Lannerman.




--
lannerman

If it was vine weevil wouldn't you expect it to attack the Nelly Moser that lives next to the newer Montana?

In article 20539425.656.1336415462646.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@vbbdh3,
80/20 wrote:
On Monday, May 7, 2012 12:10:16 AM UTC+1, lannerman wrote:

;958047']In 1995 I planted a Montana (unknown variety) and it has
flowered very well, indeed so well I though I'd plant a second one in a
different part of my garden. (this was in 2003)

Both have perished this year, all my other clematis are doing well,
(Nelly Moser, President, Dr. Ruppel & Etoile Rose)

Has anyone any suggestions as to the likely cause of death?

Well, it certainly wont be the winter weather ! It might be vine weevil
??

If it was vine weevil wouldn't you expect it to attack the Nelly Moser
that lives next to the newer Montana?

Hybrid clematis are prone to some bacterial and fungal infections,
like most overbred plants. You will probably never find the cause,
and it may strike unpredictably. In my garden, I have at least
one unidentified fungus and one unidentified whatsit that have
killed quite a lot of plants. All you can do is to try again
somewhere else, in the same location some years later or try
something different. And sometimes even just replanting with
an identical plant works.

But, since you have lost two, my advice is to try something else.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"80/20" wrote in message
news:6281605.678.1336336605915.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@vbvx4...
In 1995 I planted a Montana (unknown variety) and it has flowered very
well, indeed so well I though I'd plant a second one in a different part
of my garden. (this was in 2003)

Both have perished this year, all my other clematis are doing well,
(Nelly Moser, President, Dr. Ruppel & Etoile Rose)

Has anyone any suggestions as to the likely cause of death?

Montana have a fibrous root system and can rot off if very wet, but is was a
dry winter so maybe not that, also despite being a hardy plant the stems as
they age become thick and gnarly and can rot from the inside out, this will
also happen to any other Clematis that is not cut back hard from time to
time and is due to clematis stems not being a permanent feature but having a
finite life. So although montana and some of the others you listed are "No
prune" varieties I would never the less cut at least one old stem hard back
each year to encourage new stems from the base, if Clematis only have one
stem/trunk it normally means the owner was too kind hearted to chop it down
after planting!


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