Garden Tip: This is a plant that is still too seldom used in Texas landscapes. It’s a naturalized citizen, and you may be surprised to hear its name: Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata). It’s evergreen in South Texas, but from Central Texas northward, it’s likely to freeze to the ground in the winter. Not to worry: it comes racing back each spring to put on this kind of show by mid-August. Even if it doesn’t freeze back, you want to prune it heavily toward the end of each winter to keep it from becoming too congested. This fence along Heard Street in East McKinney (photo today at 3 p.m.) is in almost full sun, but the vine is equally well suited to morning sun with afternoon shade. The flowers are quarter-sized, and yes, when you get them into a mass like these, they are sweetly fragrant. You may have to search several independent retail garden centers before you’ll find it, but this planting proves that it’s worth the hunt. It’s much more robust in Texas than the larger-flowering purple, red and white northern varieties.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 01:23:09 +0000
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