Clematis vine just gets better with age

▪ I am all about clematis vine. This easy to grow, long-lived vine just gets better with age. Grow the vine in full sun to part shade. The roots like to be shaded, so use mulch or a flat rock over the roots. It is frequently grown on mailboxes and often called “mailbox vine.” Big, beautiful, colorful flowers cover this vine in early spring. Clematis is easy, disease free, well mannered and beautiful. Suggested locations for clematis vine include the mailbox, a trellis, an arbor, inside an existing tree like a crape myrtle, over a wall or on a fence.

▪ I thought winter had passed us by, but oh no! So, let me remind you again: It’s still too early to plant summer annuals.

▪ While it’s not my favorite ornamental tree, I have to admit the Bradford pears are beautiful this year! These trees are not recommended for the landscape.

▪ Climbing hydrangea, or Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris, deserves a place in every shade garden. This hardy vine is slow to get going, often taking three years to produce flowers. But it is worth the wait. It has a light fragrance, white lace cap blooms, exfoliating bark and yellow fall leaf color. Tough once established, grow it up a tree, over a shady wall or over an arbor.

▪ Blooming now! Super shrub is what best describes loropetalum. Some varieties can grow to 12 feet tall, but can easily be pruned lower, so look at the labels. It’s evergreen, with burgundy or green leaves, and flowers in the spring and fall. No major disease and insect problems. Try the “Sizzlin Pink” variety as a great substitute for crape myrtle. Try “Purple Diamond” for a good 4-by-4-foot shrub.

▪ Remove fading flowers on daffodils and iris. Do not cut back the foliage, because this is how energy is stored for next year’s blooms.

▪ Do not spray insecticide on fruit trees while they are blooming. This will kill pollinating bees, which could reduce fruiting.

▪ It is now to late to prune “Knockout” rose!

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 7:18 AM with the headline "Clematis vine just gets better with age."