It may not seem like a big thing to most of our sister botanic gardens and arboreta, but for the Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection, with our limited operating budget, the addition of plumbing to our greenhouse is a very grand thing. Several years ago, Debbie Fischer of Silver Star Vinery in Yacolt, WA, gave us an old farm sink that she had hanging around her place. So the sink went from hanging around her place to hanging around the north end of the FRCC greenhouse. This year, Bob Gutmann—who used to house the Rogerson Clematis Collection at Gutmann Nurseries in North Plains, OR—decided to take on the installation of the sink as a project.

Everything that Bob does for us is done right. As you can see from the picture, the whole end of the greenhouse where the sink now sits has been cleaned up and leveled and covered with ground cloth. The sink, which now looks like new, has a backsplash and drainboard, all made by Bob. He also installed a pipe into the greenhouse on the back of this outdoor sink, so that when we find a sink we like, we can easily plumb the indoor sink.

Bob has also engineered the indoor hose stand so that we have water inside the greenhouse at the south end too, including a rack for storing the new hose.

For those who may not know it, the greenhouse is technically the Bob and Carol Gutmann Greenhouse, so named because of the years of generosity and friendship we have enjoyed (and still enjoy) with Bob and Carol. We have a new saying around the greenhouse when considering how to undertake a new project, “What would Bob Gutmann do?”

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This year FRCC has two interns from the Horticulture Department at Clackamas Community College (where our curator is an instructor). They are part of the CWE (Career Work Experience) program, which enables them to get college credit for their hours at FRCC. On the left (in the hat) is Susan Gordon, whose focus is garden design and maintenance. We will have Susan for 180 hours this summer. On the right (perennially hatless and liking it!) is Linda Huff, and her focus is new plant evaluation/test garden monitoring, and propagation. We have Linda for 180 hours.

In just her first week, Susan had endeared herself to our regular volunteers by completing this year’s Bluebell eradication efforts (Hyacinthus hispanica) under the Beech Tree, installing two wood chip paths under the Beech tree, and completing the planting around our shady informational kiosk. Now we just have to wait for the native, “improved” native, and shade-loving non-natives to fill in.

We had Linda Huff sticking cuttings and dividing potted clematis by the end of her first week. She takes direction very well, and nestles the nodes of the cuttings into the wet perlite just the way the curator likes it!

In the picture, you see them both hard at work putting stabilizing gravel at the base of a new hose stand installed by Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation in the orchard area. Now the planting in the orchard can go much faster, and we thank Lake Oswego for their help getting the irrigation lines into place.

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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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