Growing Clematis by Vicky Barney

Last week I had the pleasure of touring some Old Town Steamboat gardens and was particularly charmed by blooming clematis plants.   The cultivars had beautiful blue flowers on long vines, one covering a tall trellis, the other running along a porch roof beam.   Both were several years old and looked very happy.   I went home, inspired to find the clematis growing in my garden (planted by the previous homeowner 5+ years ago), and determined to make it as healthy as the ones I saw. First, though, I needed more information. I found research-based information and learned that clematis (pronounced CLEM e tis, Greek for vine) is a showy and hardy perennial that fares well in Routt County’s climate.   In the Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) family, it produces flowers most often in shades of purple, blue, pink, or white and blooms at various times during the summer months, depending on the variety.   Most varieties grow as vines but there are some mounding varieties. Native Colorado clematis includ