Venosa Violacae

It has a beautiful jewel like flower but the Venosa violacae clematis I planted years ago on the iron tower has never performed. It has always been spindly, thin, and produces just a few flowers briefly.

This spring it looked the best it ever has, but that was still a small and short show. Nice enough mingled with the rosy Jupiter's Beard, but there were only a few isolated flowers and it was over soon. The foliage declined and then this September the plant dried up. No foliage left at all, just dry brittle stems.

Time for it to go. 

In spring I am going to take it out and replace it with a Jackmanii Superba clematis. Bigger flowers, a lot of presence, a redder purple, it is not as refined as what was there, but I need some oomph.

Here's the thing -- I tried a Jackmanii clematis on the fence by our garage when we first moved in, but it too was disappointing. I think it got too much shade and I was still learning how to water here. It was tall and had flowers only at the top. They did not show well against the rough brown coyote fence.

This was it in 2019.

I moved it to the guest room window garden under the rose and that too was shady and it didn't take.

So, my third attempt: I will clear out the root area to give it more room than Venosa violacae had and I'll keep it better watered and fertilized. It will get more sun there but shade in the afternoon.

It will never be the huge vine I had in Connecticut. IF I can even get it to grow.

But I need something with more presence against that stucco wall and surrounded by the Jupiter's Beard and shrubby peony next to the tower.

The Venosa violacae clematis was never going to be that impactful, even though it was pretty enough at times.

I'll try this old standby clematis - big flowers, long bloom season and bright color. 

(I might get some flowers, a shortened bloom time, and some purple punch from it. We'll see in three years.)

This is a mock up →