When photographing my flowers for the last post, my Colchicums and Clematis hid their blooms for another couple of days. I could see the colchicum buds developing, but they weren’t open in time, I have also been waiting for my Clematis to flower all summer and thought it wasn’t going to manage it this year.
Yes, we have had a lot of rain!
My late flowering Clematis is C. viticella Rouge Cardinal and it must be about 10 yrs since it last flowered! I had almost given up on it and was on the point of digging it out!
The clematis is supposed to flower on one of the uprights to the arbour in the back garden, it has climbed the upright, then crawled right along the hoizontal beam along the front, to the end and is now flowering with the honeysuckle about about 18ft from where it began!
Now that it is October, it is lovely to find new flowers when I go for my daily wander.
I wonder why your clematis has not flowered for so many years and then flowers this year after you threaten to dig it up? And you have answered a question for me. We recently bought a summer house and in the garden there have appeared what look like crocus, but are of course colchicum! Thank you.
I think the clematis flowering Denise, might have something to do with the handful of fertiliser that I gave it in the spring! You might have Autumn crocus by your new summer house, they are very similar to colchicum, but with smaller flowers. Colchicums don’t have any leaves at this time of year, common name is Naked Ladies, their leaves appear in the spring and are rather large.
Thank you Pauline. Indeed, they have no leaves and now you mention I do recall seeing large leaves in the spring and no flowers.
I’m glad that is now sorted Denise, enjoy them, they look lovely flowering at this time of year when everything else is dying down.
How lovely that your clematis finally flowered again! Lovely photos.xxx
Yes, Dina, it is lovely to see the flowers again, after all this time, I must give it more attention in the future!x
Always a pleasure when a plant exceeds low expectations. I thought my ‘Sally Holmes’ was a gonner this year but it bounced back and had a few blooms. My ‘Golden Raindrops’ crabapple didn’t bloom at all though. I like the color of that clematis.
My fault really Jason, I had neglected it in the past, must do better in the future.
Exciting to see your Rouge Cardinal respond either to fertilizer or threats of removal. In either case its response is lovely! Hope you’re doing well Pauline.
It is still looking lovely Susie, with more flower buds to open, I hope they beat the frosts whicj must come soon! I think I’m getting on better with the garden this year, have been working hard at every possible moment and I’m feeling better for it, thank you for thinking of me.
I used to have a clematis like that. Totally different color, but it grew for years without bothering to bloom. Then it finally did and I didn’t like the color… but it was not nearly as nice as yours. Ended up removing it and haven’t missed it at all!
The colchicum look great with the raindrops
Frank, that must have been so disappointing after waiting so long for your Clematis to flower, but I agree with your solution, if they don’t behave, they have to go! The colchicums have had endless raindrops lately, they are certainly not short of water!
Your colchicum is lovely! I recently planted some giant colchicum, along with fall blooming Crocus pulchellus. The colchicum came up and bloomed within two weeks, but the crocus have been slower. I hope I did not plant them too deep! Your late blooming clematis is amazing.
The colchicum have been fantastic this year Debs, I must get some crocus to join them.I think the crocus have to be planted in the spring, so hopefully yours will flower next year. The clematis is still opening new buds, it will be a race against the weather though!