It is silly to be infatuated by potting soil, but we are. Thanks to Dave Andrews and the magicians at Pro-Gro Mixes & Materials, FRCC now has eight yards of our custom blended potting soil, perfect for clematis in containers. When the collection was housed at Gutmann Nurseries, the generous Bob Gutmann allowed Brewster and his volunteers to experiment with soil blends, using raw materials the nursery kept on hand.

Brewster suggested we blend our own mix after getting a shipment of happy little clematis plants from LaPorte Avenue Nursery in Ft. Collins, CO. The plants, mostly Colorado natives, arrived in a gritty soil with amazingly well developed root systems. It occurred to Brewster that most clematis would enjoy a coarser soil mix, and that such a mix might hold up better than regular potting soil, which starts to degrade and acidify, becoming “wet chocolate cake”, after only a year or two.

Gutmann’s basic potting soil from Pro-Gro is the #9B blend, containing some bark, pumice and a touch of peat moss. Our favorite blend (pretty much perfected by volunteers Rick Meigs and Sharon Kaito) starts with 50% Pro-Gro #9B, to which we add: 25% pumice (chunks the size of kitty litter), 15% coir fiber (coconut fiber), and 10% washed sand. The resulting alchemy is gritty and sturdy, not light and fluffy, and if I were clematis roots, I would love winding my way through it. Imagine stretching and having your back scratched at the same time, while being comfortably moist but not drowning. Mmmm…

FRCC now uses this soil blend for all of our potted clematis, including those we sell. We have also started using this soil in our “weaning” blend, the soil that newly rooted cuttings are moved into when they come off the perlite. Our weaning blend is now 33% coir fiber, 33% perlite, and 33% our potting soil. This is topped with 1/4 inch of #2 poultry grit, to keep the soil surface clean and move water away from developing crowns. (Don’t use the finest, #1 grit, as it has fine particles that can form a crust on the soil surface.)

If you have a nursery in the Willamette Valley or SW Washington, and need custom blended soils, let us recommend the folks at Pro-Gro. And if you need a lot of good soil for growing clematis in containers, just call ‘em up and ask for the Rogerson Clematis Collection mix. Visit their website,
www.pro-gromixes.com for more information.

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The Rogerson Clematis Collection, the most comprehensive gathering of the genus clematis in the United States, has recently been granted National Collection status by the North American Plant Collections Consortium. Located at Luscher Farm in Lake Oswego OR, the Rogerson Collection has amassed over 650 species and cultivars of clematis, including a recent gift from Poland of rare and previously unavailable cultivars from the late clematis breeder Brother Stefan Franczak.

The North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC) is a network of botanical gardens and arboreta working to coordinate a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation, promoting education and high standards of plant collections management. The NAPCC is administered by the American Public Garden Association.

The Rogerson Collection is administered by the non-profit Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection (FRCC) and curated by Linda Beutler.

The Collection was begun in the late 1970s by Brewster Rogerson, who moved with his plants to Oregon from Kansas in the 1980s. After maintaining the clematis in private greenhouses for many years, he donated his collection to the FRCC for its care and preservation in 2005.

The FRCC leases a portion of Luscher Farm, a historic agricultural site operated by the City of Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department. The FRCC maintains a greenhouse and is currently developing a variety of display gardens showcasing the use of clematis in diverse landscapes by home gardeners. FRCC also offers classes to the public and provides research opportunities in clematis cultivation and propagation.

The designation as a National Collection links the FRCC to a network of other unique and outstanding plant collections across the continent, including the Arnold Arboretum at Harvard University, the Chicago Botanical Garden, and the Huntington Botanical Garden in California.. The Rogerson Collection is the second largest collection of plants to be granted this status.

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What could be better than spending five hours introducing Polish clematis cultivars to the New World? Nothing! The sturdy new arrivals seem undaunted by their journey, and most were given further root pruning and planted into deep 4″ pots. Szczepan Marszinski sent us an inspiring selection of clematis cultivars bred in Poland, many not readily available in the North American trade. In fact, one of the clematis sent to us, ‘Maksymilian Kolbe’, bred by Noll (who bred ‘Niobe’), was thought to have been lost. FRCC President Sally Geist had the privilege of taking plants of ‘Halina Noll’ to Szczepan in June 2009, thus restoring the true form to the country where it was bred. Think of this gift to FRCC as insurance for some of these rare varieties, and a chance for these plants to reach new gardens once they are propagated. If lost in Poland, FRCC will be able to preserve and restore them.

Please be aware that these clematis were a gift to the Rogerson Clematis Collection, and will not be for sale. We will begin propagating them late next spring, and will eventually have plants for sale.

A display garden has been prepared for the Polish clematis, but we need to install companion plants and structures for them, and the weather needs to heat up!

The list of all of the cultivars we received follows. If you are unfamiliar with any of these, please visit Clematis-on-the-web (link is in our sidebar).

‘Agnieszke’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Aleksandra’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Anna Karolina’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Bieszczady’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Blekitny Aniol’ (Viticella Group) Introduced by Franczak
‘Danuta’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Dzieci Warszawy’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Noll
‘Gabriela’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Gizela’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Grazyna’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Jerzy Popieluszko’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Joanna’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Jolanta’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Julita’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Kamila’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Karolina Kozka’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Kryspina’ (Viticella Group) Introduced by Franczak
‘Lech Walesa’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Lidia’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Magda’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Maksymilian Kolbe’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Noll
‘Marcelina’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Matka Teresa’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Mazowsze’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Mazury’ (Large-flowered Hybrid, double) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Mikolaj Kopernik’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Moniuszko’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Oberek’ (Viticella Group) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Piotr Skarga’ (Large-flowered Hybrid, double) Introduced by Franczak
‘Polenez’ (Viticella Group) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Regina’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Serafina’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Solidarnosc’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Marczynski
‘Slowianka’ (Viticella Group) Introduced by Franczak
‘Sylwia’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Warszawska Olga’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Franczak
‘Wildfire’ (Large-flowered Hybrid) Introduced by Marczynski

Of these 38 varieties, 34 are new to the FRCC inventory.

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Granted, this should have been posted the week of Thanksgiving, but technical difficulties (read: death of computer) prevented this list appearing sooner. ‘Tis the season for thanking all of our supporters and especially those that have donated plants, materials and labor to our cause. Here is a no doubt partial list of those we consider VIPs:

Bas Verbeek, The Netherlands (thank you for your gift of clematis)
Brewster Rogerson, Lake Oswego, OR (donation of clematis plants and hours of expertise)
Brushwood Nursery, PA & GA (thanks, Dan Long, for swapping plants & knowledge with us)
Champoeg Horticulture, St. Paul, OR (Mark and Darlene Wilmes continue to provide quality clematis for re-sale)
Cistus Nursery, Sauvie Island, OR (Thanks Sean, et al, for the on-going plant swaps. [love those pittosporum!])
City of Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation (they manage Luscher Farm and make our sojourn there a joy)
Clackamas Community College, Hort. dept. (another handsome donation of woody shrubs to support clematis)
Donna Wood, Woodburn, OR (thanks, Donna, for swapping seeds with us again this year)
Dorothy & David Rodal, Sauvie Island, OR (they are labor and expertise behind our popular plant labels)
Dorris Starrett, Salem, OR (in addition to dedicated service, Doris donated a covey of clematis this year)
Earth Science Products, Aurora, OR (thanks to the makers of Wood’s Rooting Compound—great stuff!)
www.earthscienceproducts.com
Fancy Fronds Nursery, Gold Bar, WA (thanks to Judith Jones for a selection of Victorian ferns—they’re perfect)
Garden Gallery Iron Works, Hubbard, OR (thanks for the special deal on the clematis ladders—they work!)
Gutmann Nursery, North Plains, OR (Bob & Carol continue to provide us w/ custom propagated evergreen clematis)
Heavy Petal Nursery, Moses Lake, WA (thanks, Bruce Bailey, for the gift of cool shrubs)
Howard & Sally Geist, Portland, OR (for escorting ‘Halina Noll’ back to Poland, greenhouse space, and much more!)
Joy Creek Nursery, Scappoose, OR (thanks to Maurice, Mike, & crew for their contributions of clematis & companion
plants, and so much more) www.joycreek.com
Linda Beutler, Sellwood, OR (has given cuttings, divisions and plants of any clematis she has that FRCC doesn’t)
Nancy Dunis, Lake Oswego, OR (our mole-getter, who saved the test plot from complete upheaval)
Nancy Gronowski, Lake Oswego, OR (our landscape designer and work party leader)
Old House Gardens, Ann Arbor, MI (once again great bulbs from Scott Kunst and his staff)
Perennial Partners, Portland, OR (Lucy Hardiman & Co. manage to find inventive herbaceous perennials for us)
Pro-Gro Soil Mixes, Tualatin, OR (thanks for free delivery on our first load of terrific custom blended potting soil)
Rick & Fran Meigs, Portland, OR (the gift of funds to assist with construction in the Founder’s Garden)
Robert McKillop, Portland, OR (gave us a beautiful original watercolor as a fund-raiser)
Roger Lorenzen, Tukwila, WA (the gift of his labor and expertise in constructing the Founder’s Garden)
Silver Star Vinery, Yacolt, WA (Debbie & Dennis, thanks for your labor and great plants)
Soil Builders, Inc. in Ridgefield, WA (to know why we get our mulch from David Cox, all you have to do is look at it)
www.soilbuilderswa.com
Stanley Zubrowski, Saskatchewan (we have started a seed & plant swap with Stanley—very fun!)
Sunshine Farm & Gardens, West Virginia (Barry Glick sent us a lovely box of plant goodies for our display gardens)
Susan Toler, Aloha, OR (thanks Susan, for seeds and hours of “sweat equity”!)
Szczepan Marzinski, Warsaw, Poland (for aiming a shipment of Brother Stefan Francak’s clematis our way)
Terra Nova Nursery, Canby, OR (thanks to Dan & Chuck for the herd of Clematis japonica ‘Golden Necklace’ plants)

As we remember more folks who have materially contributed to the well-being of our clematis in 2009, we will add them to this list. And to all of our volunteers, be you regulars or specialists, we cannot thank you enough! A picnic every summer doesn’t begin to express our gratitude for your time and the pleasure of your company.

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Earlier in the year I posted about some strange behavior seen by European honeybees on one particularly fecund seedling in the FRCC test plot. They seemed to be trying to pry sepals apart to get to the nectary chamber, formerly only accessed by hummingbirds.

They succeeded!

After working and working, tag-teams of the bees managed to separate the sepals at the broadest diameter of the flowers, as shown in the first picture, and get at the nectar. The opening shows the visible bruising consistent with the forcing apart of the sepals. Keep in mind that bees exploiting the blossoms this way are not pollinating the flower, because they have no contact with the anthers. Free-loaders!

No native bees have been seen engaging in this activity, and the hummingbirds (both Anna’s and Rufous hummingbirds) continue to pollinate the flowers until the bees have cracked the sepals apart on a given flower. The hummingbirds move on to newly opened flowers, and cease pollinating the flowers disfigured by the bees. And unfortunately, once the bees mastered the skill of opening this shape of clematis blossom, they applied their lessons to ‘Fudo’ and other Viornae group hybrids. Yes, they’re quick learners, I’ll give ‘em that!

This “tutorial” seedling, which showed great vigor and stamina, has been named ‘Bee Happy’. We will be propagating it for sale. The flowers, in the typical “bonnet” shape, are rosy-mauve in color, with the exterior fading to silver as the flowers age. We assume it to be a pitcheri x crispa cross, and it is lightly fragrant, but shows no crispate edges. We’ll be sending more details to Clematis on the Web, and will be registering the name with the RHS clematis registrar.

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