Vancouver Sea Breeze

Day 234: Clematis "Vancouver Sea Breeze" is one of the principle focus pieces in the motley assemblage of plants I call my "garden." Saucer-sized flowers simply cover the vine once it's fully open, but even in the early days of its blooming cycle when it has more buds than blossoms, it's still a show-stopper.

The secret to success with Clematis is knowing what "group" defines a specific species. Group I plants are spring bloomers and should be cut back immediately following flowering. The plant will then put on new growth. This will be the wood which will develop blossoms the following spring. Group II plants are repeat bloomers, flowers emerging from both new wood and old. These can be pruned after the first flush of bloom in the spring, but care should be taken not to remove all old wood in order to ensure continued flowering throughough the summer. Vancouver Sea Breeze is a Group II species. Group III plants are the easiest of all: simply cut the vine back to 12-18" in early spring if you want to keep growth confined, or just let the vines wander at will for a massed display through summer and fall.