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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Red Clematis 'Earnest Markham'

Red Clematis 'Earnest Markham'
Red Clematis 'Earnest Markham'
The red-flowering Clematis 'Earnest Markham' has one of the longest bloom periods in our garden compared to our other clematis. This year it lasted over 5 weeks, beginning in early May and still going strong in early June for our garden party. It is planted near the back yard fence and with some help in the first year to make it up the fence with a small stake and some fishing line, it was soon covering the pickets in pretty rosy blooms.

One line always plays in my mind when choosing a place for my clematis:
Plant their feet in the shade and make room for their heads in the sun.  
This maxim has never let me down. When I have dared to defy it by planting my clematis with no shade for its root ball, death was imminent.

When you plant Clematis, be sure to dig the hole a bit deeper and wider than your pot and back-fill it with some rich organic matter, such as some purchased mushroom compost or your own thoroughly decomposed grass and leaf litter.  Be sure the crown of the plant is at the soil surface after watering it, not sunken too deep. In an exposed location, provide shade by planting a low perennial nearby.

Here are some more photos of Clematis 'Earnest Markham' in our garden in May...

Clematis 'Earnest Markham' on the fence looking toward the Shade Path garden with yellow foxgloves in bloom, Digitalis grandiflora.
Clematis 'Earnest Markham' on the fence looking toward the Shade Path garden with yellow foxgloves in bloom, Digitalis grandiflora.
Clematis 'Earnest Markham' is a pink-red shade which happily combines with many other perennials.
Clematis 'Earnest Markham' is a pink-red shade which happily combines with many other perennials.
Clematis 'Earnest Markham' in the evening sun.
Clematis 'Earnest Markham' in the evening sun.
The Fence garden combination for May: Clematis 'Earnest Markham' with tall woodland phlox and Allium 'Purple Sensation' in a pot.
The Fence garden combination for May: Clematis 'Earnest Markham' with tall dame's rockets (Hesperis matronalis) and Allium 'Purple Sensation' in a pot.
One more of Clematis 'Earnest Markham' at the evening golden hour.
One more of Clematis 'Earnest Markham' at the evening golden hour.

9 comments:

  1. Nice fence with clematis flowers! Is this one of Jackmani group? I had the same many years but the last winter was very hard for him.
    I love the photo "at the evening sun"

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  2. a very nice Clematis, i like this one!!! greating,

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  3. Beautiful...love the light coming through the petals...just luminous!

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  4. That is a lovely clematis, mingling with the other flowers on your fence. Beautiful photos taken in the evening sunlight, looks like astained glass window.

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  5. I love clematis. What a pretty one! I have definitely found that adage to be true.

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  6. Julie this is so lovely...the clematis are amazing this year..lasting so long and the number of blooms are wonderful.

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  7. Beautiful images of a lovely Clematis. I was a bit surprised about your comment of not planting too deep. In the UK it is usual to plant with plenty of stem covered so that if the plant suffers clematis wilt, you'll get new growth from the stem covered by soil. Christina

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    1. Christina,
      Thank you for the updated info about Clematis planting! It is always nice to learn something new about plants, especially the ones that I love so much.
      ~Julie

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