The Asao looks awfully attractive! But I will restrain myself... In addition to the swag, last summer I added clematises to just about everything I thought could take them. I was just out whacking back asters and noticed that the Odoriba that I planted with 'The Swan' hydrangea is going nuts! Since it's going to take The Swan (planted last spring) a few years to get a substantial size, the clematis is too big for it in the shortterm. Any advice on what to do in the shortterm gb? If I keep the clematis cut back, will it hurt it in the longterm? I thought about maybe putting in a temporary bamboo tripod but I'm not sure whether that might shade the hydrangea or otherwise cramp its growth. My preference would be to keep some of the excess growth of the vine trimmed back. Will that work?

Woody, you're dealing with a pruning group 3 vine, so trimming it back a bit after blooming shouldn't harm it too much. Personally, I wouldn't want to discourage it from growing, and would do the tripod (or 5-pod) trick. You prune it back a good deal each early spring anyway. Fertilize your hydrangea and give it a serious talk! ;) They may have to fight it out eventually!

Since the hydrangea is the type you can cut back each spring quite hard, I figure the clematis will get cut back when I trim the shrub. But I've probably got three years before the shrub gets up to starting to have a decent size. I will acquire some tall bamboo poles - we just put our two 8' bamboo tripods in the pots for the climbing beans, so I need to get more poles...

Clematis Cassis is a nice color Bug and I like Siverado too.

Woody I think the tripod is a good idea.

Lovely pics of lovely flowers Bug. Your Asao looks to be a paler color than the one I have here. Also, I've never seen a double blossom on mine.

A few more from between thunderstorms today...

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Viburnum behind barn
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More gorgeous pics bug, that first iris is fabulous

I want a poppy like that.

I want at least one of each!!!!