I promised a blogger-friend that I’d post pictures of clematis in bloom.
But the gosh-darn rabbits ate almost every clematis right down to the ground last winter and spring, so I didn’t know what would come back and what was a goner. 
We had a few casualties, indeed. We lost the gorgeous white clematis. 
And the beautiful pink one that graces the arbour on the cover of my book, A Good Home. 
But there’s much to be thankful for. 
Now, it’s not all smooth sailing. A few are really struggling, and insects have also attacked them.
But the point is that they returned. And others came back in full force. 
This shy little red clematis decided to spread its wings — er, vines. 
This one below escaped the rabbits and is full of blooms now. 
Now, don’t go asking me all their names. Some days, I don’t even remember my own….. But I hope you are suitably impressed – I know I am! Several of these vines were bought for a few bucks at end of gardening seasons in years past, and planted by my Better Half.
I’m especially impressed with this bloom below- usually the first to flower, this clematis missed its moment because the rabbits ate the whole vine and it had to start up again from its roots underground.
But now it’s sent out a single bloom! 
**
Dedicated to late bloomers and other survivors.
Cynthia Reyes 
Oh, I love late bloomers. Oh, and clematis, too. My clematis is thoroughly misbehaved. Perhaps I need to threaten it with a rabbit if it doesn’t put out better blooms this year.
I could send you a rabbit. In fact, several….
Oh I wouldn’t dream of depriving you of any of your rabbits. 😀
Oh, please. You must!
I’ll talk it over with the clematis. 😉
What a wonderful post ! I like clematis. Délicatesse est le mot qui me vient à l’esprit…
Merci beaucoup, Christiane. Delicatesse, oui. Mais fort aussi.
Oui, doux et fort à la fois. De la vrai délicatesse 🙂
Doux et fort a la fois. Comme moi, j’espere…..
Just beautiful Cynthia. Have a wonderful day!!!
You too, Levi!
Stunning photos. I love clematis. My great aunt had it covering her well house in GA. I tried to grow it, but it never got more than knee high, withering away in the Florida heat. 😦
That’s the thing, isn’t it? We complain about our weather here in Canada, but a wonderful growing season followed our truly awful winter this year.
What a lovely mental picture of your great aunt’s well-house! Do you recall the colour?
They were blue violet, planted around each post and covered the roof.
wow. Even more lovely than I pictured. Hooray for your great aunt and her garden.
Are you similarly gifted with the gardening genes?
Most everything I plant takes over my back yead. So much is invasive here. I love the tropicals, but miss the bulbs and lilies that grew so well in GA.
Love it…”dedicated to late bloomers and other survivors.” Amen to that. These are lovely flowers, and apparently, so hardy!
They are, Rose. Delicate and strong.
Beautiful! I love all your varieties. I keep one in a pot on the porch, but the poor thing is not really happy here on the Gulf Coast. Thank you for sharing yours.
You’re welcome.
I love them too.
Wish I could figure out how to get yours to do better! But that’s a climate thing, right?
Yes, they do not like the heat and we are in an area with acidic soil. One trick is to plant them near or with a chunk of concrete to provide a more alkaline environment. There are always tropical vines to plant, such as bougainvillea. Sometimes, I just miss plants from my childhood up north and give them a try.
Wonderful romp in your garden Cynthia! I love the variety, colors and way they climb everything. I have one Clematis that never seems to bloom. There is always next year! To survivors and remembering our blessings, 🙂
Yes, Brad: “to survivors and remembering our blessings”, indeed.
I hope your clematis will bloom. Maybe you need some wild rabbits…..
Wowser . I am suitably impressed. I really am! Thanks Cynthia.
Well… coming from a guy with such magnificent flowers, I’m just gonna have to take that as a huge compliment. Years from now, our garden will become a legend for thriving with minimal upkeep (smile). It’s survival of the hardiest around here. And although the flowers are delicate, clematis plants are pretty hardy.
Do please take it as a compliment. Truth be told, I’m a flunky when it comes to clematis, so yep – I’m impressed!
I wonder what goes through a rabbit’s mind when it decides to eat one of our favorite plants and not another… or maybe I’d rather *not* know! 😉
Lori: Last winter was so long and punishing that the answer is: “Food!” They ate anything that wasn’t snow or ice. But I wonder what goes through their minds when they see us, and instead of running, stand stock still as if we can’t see them…
Good job. They are beautiful. Ours didn’t like the winter… I’m hoping some will return next year.
Cheers
MTM
They probably will. Tough little plants.
Your better half has impeccable taste! 🙂 love clematis but have yet to plant one in my garden…
Check out the end of season sales and grab a couple! I’ve been told the Jackmanii is the hardiest. But I don’t have one, so I’m not sure.
Used to have a Montana which was lovely…
“Used to…” Did the rabbits get them, or the winter?
No, it was in my city garden, smothered my fence and garden wall. Hopefully it’s still there 🙂
Summer at its best – absolutely gorgeous! I was looking for a hammock somewhere ……
I used to have one… somewhere….
I did not know rabbits ate clematis. Dad always had them growing on our porch posts. They are beautiful. 🙂
Sure are beautiful. Do rabbits eat clematis? I didn’t think so either. Until the winter that made all other Canadian winters feel like summer —
And then the wild rabbits ate anything that wasn’t ice and snow or concrete.
I am impressed! You got some darn nice clematis there. I especially like the bell-shaped blue ones.
Aren’t they lovely?
And today, as I walked around the garden, I spied – one of the “goners” coming back. Don’t know if it’s the white or the pink, but that’s part of the wonder of the garden, right?
I love clematis but we only have one type in this garden- a Montana ‘Rubens’ which would take over the whole garden if we let it. Thank-you for showing us all your beautiful vines, past and present and, reading your last comment about the goner that’s a not-goner, they seem to be plants that are hardier than they look.
I now know that they are, Clare.
What colour is your Montana Rubens?
I had a very vigorous yellow-bloomer and an even more vigorous Autumn bloomer (small, fragrant, cream-coloured blossoms, multitudinous) but I am not sure if I’ve ever encountered Rubens, or would recognize him if I met him.
Quite often when a clematis is cut back it will come back stronger and bushier than it was originally. These look like they’re doing well!
Most really are. But if you think I’m going to thank those pesky wild wabbits……
Oh, wow, Cynthia, what a fine collection of clematis you have!!! I’m so envious. I’ve just discovered in the last year that besides autumn clematis which grows like crazy here, I can have success with other clematis. So I’ve added 3 this year and will try more new ones next year. Hugs and love, Natalie 🙂
Oh, good news, Natalie. I’ll be looking for photos of their blooms on your blog next year…..
One of the flowers I do well! My arbor overfloweth:). Will send you pics in the spring. Only one variety but it’s truly a blessing. Yours are gorgeous!
I’m holding you to that promise. Send pictures in spring! What colour?
Beautiful clematis! Thank you for sharing your pictures. The rabbits got yours and remodel construction got mine. But these wonderful pictures will help keep me motivated as I revive and replant my gardens.
I’m sending many positive thoughts your way. Remodels can do that to a garden, but next spring and summer these things will be forgotten. Want some wild rabbits? (OK, just kidding…)
Reblogged this on Georgetown Butterfly Garden and commented:
I’m thrilled that I just found Cynthia Reyes wonderful blog! Remodel construction has all but destroyed my butterfly gardens, but her wonderful pictures will help keep me motivated as I revive and replant my gardens.
You have some gorgeous clematis Cynthia and all so healthy. The first one is an amazing blue. And I love the little blue bells of Clematis integrifolia
Thanks very much, Chloris!
(… she writes, quickly turning to the internet to see which one is the integrifolia … having long forgotten all their names….)
How beautiful, love the blue and white clematis, they are all very healthy! What the heck are you feeding them? I am following your blog but I can not getting email notifications when you post, very strange.
Well, I have to tell you the truth: I don’t think a single one of them has had any compost in years. My poor Guy has had his hands full with other stuff.
I suspect that they have all just developed really strong root systems now, because the wild rabbits didn’t kill them when they ate all the vines. Maybe they like the kind of soil we have? And they do get sufficient light. It’s only when I put all these photos together that I realized we really do have several really nice clematis.
Hmmm…. I’m finding the same problem with some of the blogs I’m following. I’ll ask around and see if I find any solutions.
Sorry ’bout that.
I AM impressed! Go, Clematis! That first purple one is really a knockout. And cheers to the little brave one at the end. I’m sure you root for them regularly and they all bask in your appreciation. 🙂
On blog e-mail notifications – I suspect we have to go in the Admin side and see who we’ve chosen to follow. If someone we’ve signed up for isn’t there, then perhaps we can just sign up to follow them again. ?
Jeanne
Double thanks. For the reaction to the clematis, and the advice re: following. I’ve been puzzling it over, for it does happen to me, even though WordPress says I am following them. Yikes.