(Virgin's Bower)

This nearly carefree vine offers strongly-colored pink flowers, fragrance and vigorous growth. It is descended from a white flowered species, Clematis montananative to the Himalayan Mountains of China. Deciduous and woody, it is long-lived and capable of reaching a large size. The stems bear dark green three-part leaves that when new are a distinctive burgundy. This vine climbs by twining stems that wrap best around small diameter twigs. It was often trained into dead trees in old English...

(Wilson's Virgin's Bower)

This beautiful bloomer produces single white flowers alone or in small groups. Each flowers is composed of four slightly twisted sepals (petal-like modified leaves) with a creamy white bunch of anthers at the center. Each is about the size of a small human palm and redolent with a vanilla-like scent. This variety blooms two to three weeks later than most other Clematis montana varieties, and its four weeks of color extend later into the summer. It falls into pruning Group I, clematises that...

(Sweet Autumn Clematis, Sweet Autumn Virginsbower)

Sweet autumn clematis is a very vigorous growing deciduous or semi-evergreen vine native to Japan. Throughout the summer its dark green foliage canopy can provide dense shade and screening on arbors and trellises. In the fall it is covered with small, creamy white star-like blooms which give off a wonderful sweet fragrance. Later in the fall, it is covered with silvery, downy seed heads for added visual interest.

Plant the sweet autumn clematis in a sunny location, but will perform remarkably...

(Late Small-flowered Clematis, Scarlet Clematis)

One of the most drought-tolerant flowering clematis vines extant, the scarlet clematis' blue-green leaves and red flowers highlight this plant's beauty. It is native only to the southeastern Edwards Plateau in central Texas. This deciduous woody vine blooms from very early summer to fall, often reblooming up until the killing frost.

The three leaflets comprising each leaf are rounded and a medium green with a hint of blue-green. Leaves are held in opposite pairs on the vining stems. In the...

(Italian Leather Flower, Viticella Clematis)

Purple clematis is a late blooming, small-flowered climber from central southern Europe. The flowers are bell-shaped, usually nodding, and commonly violet-purple or rose red. These appear from midsummer to early autumn.

Prune purple clematis in late winter as new buds begin to show low on the plant. Remove all dead material above the new shoots. Use on trellises, walls and upon and among large shrubs to add a vertical interest in the garden.

(Italian Clematis, Italian Leather Flower, Italian-leather-flower, Viticella Clematis)

The deep violet-blue blossoms of this vigorous clematis bring a welcome burst of color to the late season garden. ‘Blue Belle’ features larger flowers than the species, a semi-woody, deciduous vine native to central and southern Europe.

Silvery-green, divided foliage clothes the stems of this plant, providing a beautiful backdrop to the dark purple flowers displayed from late summer into fall. The slightly nodding blooms are composed of six large, petal-like sepals which surround a central...

(Campanula-flowered Purple Clematis, Italian Leather Flower)

Campanula-flowered clematis is a charming, vigorous small-flowering climber. The flowers are bell shaped, nodding, and white to pale blue with creamy yellow centers. Compared to other widely-grown, large-flowered clematis, it flowers later, from midsummer to mid-fall, a welcome time for such a profuse show of bloom.

Like most clematis it grows best in full to partial sun and likes rich, cool, friable soil. Woody vines should be pruned in late winter as new buds begin to show low on last year's...

(Blue Boy Clematis, Clematis, Shrub Clematis)

The delicate, nodding, silvery lilac-blue blooms of ‘Blue Boy’ are bell-shaped and have ribbed petals/tepals. This vigorous, integrifolia-type clematis was bred by F. Skinner in 1947 and blooms heavily late in the season.

Hybrid clematis is a hardy deciduous woody vine that climbs by twining stems. The vines are lined with green compound leaves that appear in spring. The large flowers appear from summer to fall and are followed by fluffy clusters of silvery seeds.

Clematis grows best in...

(Clematis, Durand's Clematis)

A hybrid between the deciduous vine Clematis x jackmanii and the herbaceous perennial C. integrifolia, this tall, sprawling, shrubby perennial produces masses of distinctive deep indigo, saucer-shaped flowers with yellow eyes in summer. Seedheads with ornamental silvery plumes follow the flowers. The undivided, oval leaves are dark green.

This plant does best in sun or light shade and humus-rich, well drained soil. Cut the stems back to a hand's breadth from the ground in early spring to promote...

(Orthosiphon )

Flowers with extremely long stamens make cat's whiskers an eye-catching plant for a tropical cottage garden. It is a tender, evergreen, perennial subshrub (woody only at the base) that is native from southeastern Asia to Australia and the Philippines.

The dark green, glossy leaves are long triangles with jagged edges. The dark stems are particularly showy when the tips hold a pyramid-like cluster of light violet to white flowers. The flower buds are white, and open first at the base of the cluster,...