Archive 2009

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Alternate-foliage seedling. A seedling which has not yet flowered. You can see from the old wood that it bore alternate foliage last year, too.

I am fairly sure it will flower this season. It came into active growth a little later, after winter, than some others. Now that it is producing extension growth I can do lots of cuttings. The early foliage is trifoliate, but only until it gathers itself (or from where it has been trimmed), then the trifoliate leaves give way to simple leaves and the plant is very beautiful and symmetrical when fully clothed. Obviously the flowers will be terriby exciting even if only to confirm the id. If it is something different, it would be...interesting!

Needless to say, I cannot wait to see flower buds beginning. I am expecting something like this:

Hope I'm completely wrong!

	A new montana, first flowers forming on the old wood from last year. It is very exciting to raise some new Montanas as these will be the first I've raised from this group, from seed.
	Two plants of C. fusca var. Kamtschatica, the two cuttings are in perfect condition and the foliage is very attractive. The plants will soon produce numerous brown furry urns which I will use in this season's hybridising efforts. I will cross it with C. patens and a few other large-flowered plants.
	A new patens x coactilis cross. The plant has patens-like overall form but with coactilis-like modifications and characteristics. The plants is about to produce lots of flowers as can be seen. Some of the sisters of this plant have produced tubular flowers in white. I do not know as yet what the form of this one's flowers will be.
	A cross of C. patens x C. texensis. You don't always get it right, and although I could be wrong, this one looks like a failure, as it is a typical young patens plant and the flowers, which you can clearly see, look like standard patens flowers in form. The foliage is not modified to any obvious extent. I hope I am wrong, and that the flowers show some altered characters, but I don't think it is likely. Must have been self-fertilised before I emasculated the parent patens.
	This one, however, is a completely different kettle of fish. From the same batch of seed, however, this one shows distinct foliar modification and I am sure this is a successful cross. Therefore, the flowers will be terribly exciting in due course, and I can't wait to see them.
	This one is a definite hybrid, between a large-flowered hybrid and C. campaniflora. The foliage is highly modified and the flowers will be an absolute thrill. There are three sisters and the first-born flowered last year: the new flowers were extremely interesting and different altogether. So I am hoping for similar excitement this time around, and I am certain the plant will be a joy to watch as it comes to fruition.
	Another exciting cross between a large-flowered hybrid and C. campaniflora. Again, the foliage is completely different and I expect super-interesting flowers some weeks from now. A reasonable picture and a better, closer picture.
	The third of the group of large-flowered hybrid x C. campaniflora. This one flowered last year for the first time. The flowers were wonderful - large versions of the campaniflora flower, starting purply and then immediately fading to 'washed denim', and lasting for ages. It will be fascinating to see if the flower colour alters, this year. In clematis, where new seedlings are concerned, you sometimes don't get the definitive bloom until year two or three.
	Another patens x coactilis. This one produces a delightful small clump of foliage at the base which immediately goes on to flower early in the season. The plant is compact, attractive, interestingly intermediate in form. Once the flowers are formed and open, the plant then produces a mass of new vines which extend rapidly and flower again later in the season.
	Another patens x coactilis. This one is larger again, with beautiful, pleasing foliage, coming to flower early - you may be able to see the flowers at the terminals. This one has tubular flowers which are terribly exciting and different. The white flowers later open out more, but still retain a tubular appearance.
	A new C. texensis seedling. The parent was a beautiful scarlet lady which I sadly lost a few years ago due to an infection in the root. However, although this one does not appear to me to be 100% true, it looks good, and the flowers will be very exciting indeed. I expect the flowers to start forming in the next week or two. So she should be in bloom some time in May.
	Another patens x texensis hybrid, and this one will definitely be terribly interesting, as the foliage modifications clearly indicate a successful hybridisation. Therefore the flowers will be wonderfully exciting and special, so, very much looking forward to seeing flowers begin to form, in a couple of weeks from now.
	Another new montana. This one is keeping me waiting - really - as it is now three years old and still no flowers. Since it has produced extension growth from the buds again this year, it looks like I may have to wait until next spring, another full year, before seeing the new flowers. However, even these plants can surprise, and I wouldn't be shocked if it produced a few flowers at the other end of the season when the day-length begins to shorten.
	Ianthina var. kuripoensis - flowers forming, a little late this year, but looking good all the same. The flowers are a lovely blue, and I will use them in hybridising once the patens and some large-flowered plants are available. This plant flowers over a long period and produces copious pollen.
	The same new montana at the top of this table, the flowers a few days older, as development slowly takes place.

BCS Seed Exchange list February 2009. The excellent seed list is produced each year to benefit Society members firstly, after which seeds can be purchased at shows attended by the BCS, throughout the year. I have converted the booklet into separate pdf documents that can be printed directly from your browser - click to open (pages will open in a new window) and, when the page opens, follow the usual menu instructions to enlarge, print etc.

The British Clematis Society annual Journal, The Clematis, is now ready for posting to all members and should be received during the course of next week. Overseas members will receive shortly after, by Air Mail

I should like to thank all contributors and everyone else who has assisted me with its production. I very much hope you enjoy this edition.

Val has asked me to post details of the Wessex BCS Members and Friends Spring Meeting, which will take place on 21st February 2009.
Here is a link http://www.bcollingwood.com/images/BookingForm.pdf - click to download the details and booking form (pdf format - you can print the form and details straight from the image when it opens). If for any reason you cannot open the file, please just email me and I will gladly return your mail with the document attached as a WORD file.