clematis.org

And So It Grows; An Even Better Clematis.Org!

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the official website of the American Clematis Society. For over a decade we have dedicated ourselves to promoting and understanding growing clematis in the United States. But we've only just begun!

Today we are proud to announce some amazing improvements to our site! As always visitors to clematis.org can enjoy cultural information, a guide to clematis nurseries, book reviews, photo galleries the clematis timeline, and helpful faqs and care information. But now our newest innovation is a Member’s Only section that not only rewards ACS members with access to our clematis A to Z database and selected clematis and gardening articles, but it has been expanded to include an online membership directory, member’s ratings of clematis, books and nurseries and much, much more. Plus, we're only just beginning. We have plans for even more great features for members and non-members alike!

But best of all, the ACS is now offering online memberships so you can join the society instantly! An ACS memberships has always been a great value, but with the new members-only website features and exclusive member discounts it's a must-have for all American clematis gardeners. So please join us, explore our site and enjoy the wonderful world of clematis.

Attention current members: You will soon be receiving an email with instructions on how to login to the members-only area of the web site. We don't have everyone's email address though, so if you didn't send us one when you signed up please contact us and we'll get you all set up.

Saying Good Bye to Chalk Hill Clematis

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:00:00 GMT

When I wrote my editorial Clematis and the Economy in the last issue of this journal I had no idea that Chalk Hill Clematis Nursery would be closing its doors. I do not know why they are closing, all I can say is that it is a terrible SHAME it is happening!!! I also cannot begin to convey to you the “Great Sorrow” I felt when I first learned that they are quitting the business. After getting to know Murray Rosen, the manager of the farm who is a kind and generous person, the loss for me feels even greater.

Americans are worried about so many things right now (many of which we have no control over) and we tend to forget about patronizing our wonderful Mom & Pop nurseries and independent clematis growers. These people have limited resources, so they really need our business during this difficult time. I am deeply concerned about the fate of the pioneers that grow and sell clematis as it is a labor intensive crop. Please do not let all the negative news stop you from purchasing clematis from your favorite nurseries. I believe if we are complacent now we will end up with more closings and then our only resource to purchase our “babies” will be from the big box stores. So, if you think your selection is limited now in the U.S., just wait until there are only one or two suppliers that just sell exclusively to big box stores and a few of the larger wholesale nurseries that can afford to pay the royalties on an exclusive crop of patented clematis. At that point, there will no doubt be slim pickings when it comes to the choices available when selecting our plants. So, please let them know you CARE by supporting those remaining wonderful people out there who have been providing us with our clematis over the years so that they do not suffer the same fate as Chalk Hill Clematis Nursery!!!

Clematis forever,

Edith

This is excerpted from the Fall 2008 The Clematis Chronicle.

Buying Clematis Via Mail-Order

Sat, 13 Jan 2007 08:00:00 GMT

The 2007-2008 edition of the ACS's Online Buyer's Guide is now available. We have contacted 41 companies for our website’s 2007-2008 ACS Buyer’s Guide. We have listed the 18 of these companies which responded. It is a free service to these vendors except for the cost of the postage to return their questionnaire and providing us with their catalog if available. If a company is not listed it is because it went out of business or opted not to send in a questionnaire. So, we hope you will take advantage of reading the information about those companies which took the time to share with us what they have to offer. We believe it is a win-win for everyone. They get the exposure and you get an unbiased way to compare what is available. We hope this helps you in your selection of where to buy your clematis. View the Buyer's Guide.

USDA Zones: Making Progress

Fri, 15 Oct 2004 07:00:00 GMT

We are proud to announce that we are making headway in the battle to correctly identify in which USDA Zones clematis will grow. The 2004 edition of the American Horticultural Society A To Z Encyclopedia Of Garden Plants has expanded their zoning for clematis to include USDA Zones 4 through 11.

Numerous garden writers have also acknowledged this expanded zoning in articles they have written. For example:

Aitken, Steve, “Clematis that can take the heat”, Fine Gardening, Jan/Feb 2004.

Ross, Marty, “Clematis”, Country Home Country Gardens, Summer 2003.

Sterman, Nan, “You Say Clematis & I Say…”, San Diego Home/Garden, May 2003.

Riccio, Peggy, “Clematis: Queen of Climbers”, ChesapeakeHome, April 2003.

Cohoon, Sharon, “Clematis In Mild Climates?”, Sunset Magazine, April 2002.

Malek, Edith, “Clematis for American Gardens.”, The American Gardener Magazine March/April 2002.

Sawyer-Fay, Rebecca, “Clematis”, Country Living Gardener, August 2000.

The society would like to recognize growers and mail-order nurseries that have accepted USDA Zone 4 through 11 criteria for clematis. As it stands now, the one brave soul out there to attribute the correct zones to his product is Dan Long of Brushwood Nursery. As more nurseries come around to our way of thinking, we will list them on the website.

And finally, the book by Edith Malek, Simply Clematis…Clematis Made Simple gives clematis gardeners a concise yet comprehensive guide about growing clematis, that includes a section on addressing correct zoning.

Correct Growing Zones For Clematis In The United States

Mon, 28 Jan 2002 08:00:00 GMT

The American Clematis Society, originally the Southern California Clematis Society, was founded in 1996. It is the first clematis society in this country. The purpose of forming the society was not only to promote clematis, but also to help educate American gardeners about how they grow in this country as well as how to care for them. American gardeners have been left out when it comes to understanding these incredible flowing vines, and we are dedicated to acquiring all the information available that is out there and sharing it with our members. We are a non-profit organization with members throughout the United States and Europe.

"The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps - We must step up the stairs." - Vance Havner

My vision for clematis in America is to give gardeners a clear understanding of where clematis can grow here. This can be accomplished through research and documentation and even experimentation. It is all right to take chances and not just follow the flock. Be a pioneer.

With the continued exposure in articles and books, the popularity of clematis will increase. With increased popularity there comes more demand. With more demand there comes more selection. With more selection there comes more recognition. And this recognition will fulfill my dream of making clematis as "Recognizable as the Rose".

I believe by changing attitudes and proper education, more American gardeners will come to enjoy the pleasures of clematis. Considering what those pleasures bring, the future looks bright!

Since one of the key objectives of our society is identifying the correct growing zones for clematis in the U.S. I would like to share with you an article I wrote on the subject.

Correct Growing Zones For Clematis In The United States

The United States is made up of many diverse growing regions and they are divided into climate zones. The most frequently mentioned reference guide to these zones is the Official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which has our country divided into 11 climate zones.

Until the American Clematis Society's Guide to Growing Clematis in the United States was published, there were no books available to American gardeners that address our diverse growing zones correctly. Sadly, this is still the case. It is most alarming to me that there are still books on clematis being produced that are utilizing these incorrect zones.

The question is, "how did these growing zones first originate?", particularly since there has never been a comprehensive study conducted in the United States that legitimately answers where clematis will grow successfully in our 11 climate zones. There was a study conducted in Chicago to find how clematis grow in our USDA Zone 5b but, unfortunately, I believe its conclusions weren't based on enough sufficient data to formulate an accurate evaluation (For more details see page 10 of May/June 2000 The Clematis Chronicle).

Why am I so concerned? Because the number of correct growing zones directly correlates with the future of how popular clematis will become in the U.S. The American Clematis Society will never realize our goal of making clematis, as "Recognizable as the Rose" in the U.S. until we have the correct growing zones. I believe American gardeners deserve this information so I will continue to be a vocal advocate to rectify the use of improper growing zones and my ultimate objective is to help lead the way for conclusive studies of our approved growing zones for clematis success in America!

Hopefully articles such as this and the work of our society and its members will help rectify this problem so that clematis will step to the forefront as a staple in American gardens.

Faithfully yours,

Edith

Growing Clematis in zones 4-11 IS possible!

Thu, 01 Feb 2001 08:00:00 GMT

Dear Clematis Enthusiast or Future Clematis Gardener,

If you are an American gardener who is contemplating growing clematis in USDA growing zones 4-11 but have been concerned because the present information available about clematis has them listed as growing only in USDA zones 5-9, I would like to share an article I wrote for our newsletter in the January/February 2001 issue of The Clematis Chronicle.

Giving Clematis Their Rightful Place in the U.S.

As you may know, we formed the Southern California Clematis Society in April, 1996 in order to dispel the myth that clematis do not grow in Southern California. Our goals were to reach as many gardeners as possible, get the word out that clematis will grow in the U.S., give information on how to grow them successfully and to promote the hybridization of American clematis cultivars.

In 1997 I wrote an article titled, So, You Think That Disneyland Is The Only Attraction In Southern California! It is the first time I addressed USDA growing zones in an International arena. Unfortunately, the humor was lost and it was re-titled Clematis News from South California.

Here is an excerpt from the first paragraph:

You may not be aware of it, but Disneyland is not the only attraction in Southern California. We grow large hybrid clematis here! Despite what you may have read or heard, it is not accurate that clematis can not be grown here. It is not just an annual vine. According to the gardening bible, Sunset Western Garden Book, clematis can grow in all 24 zones of California except for mountain and desert areas where they need special care. Even in these difficult areas you can grow the many beautiful Clematis viticellas. A gentleman in Temple City has been growing a C. x 'Jackmanii' for over 26 years in a zone 20 and it is truly a site to behold!

Last year I was invited to submit another article to the same clematis journal. They wanted something different this time, not just news of what our society was doing. So, I sent the following article:

Correct Growing Zones For Clematis In The United States

Until the American Clematis Society's Guide to Growing Clematis in the United States was published, there were no books available to American gardeners that addresses our diverse growing zones correctly. Sadly, this is still the case. It is most alarming to me that there are still books on Clematis being produced that are utilizing these incorrect zones.

Why am I so concerned? Because the number of correct growing zones directly correlates with the future of how popular Clematis will become in the U.S. The American Clematis Society will never realize our goal of making Clematis, as "Recognizable as the Rose" in the U.S. until we have the correct growing zones. I believe American gardeners deserve this information so I will continue to be a vocal advocate to rectify the use of improper growing zones and my ultimate objective is to help lead the way for conclusive studies of our approved growing zones for clematis success in America!

I guess the above article proved to be too controversial because it was not utilized. I realize it is only my opinion but I would have liked to have seen it printed so other clematis gardeners from other parts of the world would begin to understand how diverse our country is.

This is something that is extremely important and we all should do what ever we can to stop this use of incorrect USDA growing zones. So, if we ever want clematis to have their rightful place in the U.S., we must take some kind of action. I believe filling out our Clematis Bloom Charts is one of the ways we can all help understand how and where they grow. It is not perfect but it is certainly a lot better than using the results of an inconclusive evaluation.

In conclusion, you may be wondering why I am so adamant about this issue. Well, if I had followed the traditional wisdom of where clematis can grow, I would never have experienced the joy Clematis have brought me over the last 7 years. I truly want to give every American gardener the same chance to experience growing this exquisite flowering vine that I have had and prevent them from being misled by the unproven USDA growing zones.

Faithfully yours,

Edith