Gardening with Clematis

Description

Clematis are among the more versatile and diverse plants for any garden; few flowers can fill so many garden niches, from specimen plants to dwarf perennials, or container selections to multistory vines. Wherever they are found, their blooms never fail to induce rapture and awe. The carefully chosen clematis can't be equaled when planted in the right situation and pruned in the right way, but horticultural horrors can ensue when beginners (or experts) overreach and force plants where they do not belong. Linda Beutler provides instructions for newcomers and master gardeners alike on plant selection, cultivation, and design, and debunks a few myths along the way. With a distinct nod to the wonderful traditions for growing clematis in the British Isles and Europe, she may be the first author to provide a distinctly American perspective on the subject. In sparkling and delightful prose, Beutler treats a multitude of subjects, including growing clematis as companion plants, combining different clematis in the garden, clematis in containers, manipulating bloom time with pruning, and much, much more. Filled with 115 beautiful photographs and the incalculable wisdom of hard-won experience,

Linda Beutler grows a great number of plants on a simple city lot in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. She was a professional florist for over 20 years, and her first love in her own garden was growing flowers and foliage for cutting. Her focus changed when she purchased her first clematis as a misnamed plant. Her personal collection of this genus now numbers 300 separate species and cultivars. Her passion for clematis led to the publication of her first book, Gardening with Clematis. She is one of two vice presidents of the International Clematis Society. She was a founding member of the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection in 2003, and served on their board of directors until July 2007 when she was named the collection's first curator. Linda has been an instructor of horticulture at Clackamas Community College for 12 years. She teaches on herbaceous perennials and "The Flower Arranger's Garden." In 2007 Timber Press published her second book, Garden to Vase, on growing and using your own cut flowers, which was written with gardeners, not florists, in mind. She lectures nationally on numerous gardening topics, and is a garden writer for both local and national publications, including Fine Gardening, Pacific Horticulture, and Birdwatcher's Digest.

I love this book because it's written as if you're having a conversation with your best friend, who just happens to know everything there is to know about clematis. -- Valerie Easton Seattle Times 20040916 If you already love clematis, you need this book. If you love gardening, but don't know what a clematis is, you need this book. Probably you need this book,no matter what! -- Dorothy Rodal Hardy Plant Society of Oregon Newsletter 20040916 If you like clematis (and who doesn't?), this is the kind of book that you will refer to often, take with you to the nursery and dog-ear left and right to keep her words and wisdom close at hand. Dig: The Magazine for Northwest Gardeners 20041102 This is a well-illustrated very pleasant book at a fair price and presented in a handy size. It should be read by all garden designers, both amateur and professional. -- David Papayanopulos Gardener's Gazette 20041002 An excellent and lucid guide to choosing and using clematis to beautify the garden. -- Ann Lovejoy Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20041002 Finally we have a garden writer from Portland who is passionate about clematis and happy to infuse any reader with her enthusiasm. -- Marianne Binetti Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20041014 She writes with wit and zeal. -- Dulcy Mahar Oregonian 20041125 An informative and enjoyable read. LandscapeProjects.com 20041221 Love is blind, but Beutler doesn't let readers fall in love indiscriminately. Instead, she provides valuable information about how to choose the clematis for your garden. -- Marty Wingate Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20050106 Gardening with Clematis is the kind of book that opens up the garden to experimentation. Like a nod to toss aside the rules, the book recommends letting the plant be your guide to its perfect partner. It will leave you even more anxious to start the season again with at least one new clematis. -- Jean Starr Munster (IN) Times 20041028 Linda Beutler's conversational writing style brings clematis up close and personal ... This is an excellent book for both the beginner and the experienced gardener. -- Lyndy Broder Perennial Notes 20050301 This is an excellent book for both the beginner and the experienced gardener. -- Lyndy Broder Perennial Notes 20050309 This book is overflowing with stunning examples of clematis growing in a variety of settings in the garden. -- Debra Teachout-Teashon Rainy Side Gardeners 20050323 If I were to write a book about clematis, this would be the book. -- Lyndy Broder Perennial Notes 20050412 It's easy to read, very informative and the photographs are stunning. Garden Answers 20050325 [This book] is meant for gardeners at various skill levels,from beginning gardeners to master gardeners. -- Sarah Williams E-Streams 20050501 Beutler's ability to conjure word images of clematis colors and forms growing with all sorts of other plants is impressive... There are abundant ideas for ways to use clematis throughout the garden. -- Ethne Clarke American Gardener 20050520 With seductive photos to illustrate her prose, Beutler takes the guesswork and uncertainty out of the planting process. Indulging in Beutler's book is like reading a letter from a venerable garden buddy. Her love of the genus Clematis is indeed infectious. -- Grace Peterson Northwest Senior News 20050621 I highly recommend [this book] ... which is a thorough guide to all things clematis. -- Valerie Easton Seattle Times 20060405 Full of information so you'll understand [clematis]. [Beutler] covers types, cultivation, designing with clematis, and answers the always tough question of when to prune. Denver Post 20050527 I grew clematis for years without much success ... then Linda Beutler wrote Gardening With Clematis: Design & Cultivation, and my life with clematis changed forever. She demystifies these gorgeous and varied plants in a very accessible - and fun - way. -- Kym Pokorny Oregonian 20060629