Go for it! I'm certainly a novice gardener, but I've had three clems for some years and enjoy the beauty of the flowers against my gray six-foot high fence in my quite small backyard. Last year I decided I wanted more and bought six more! The good thing is that they don't take up much ground space and I've found they're relatively trouble free. I cut all mine back to the ground last fall and now all are vigorously growing and have sent out multiple shoots with some vines well over six feet long already. I've learned so much from the clematis forum also, so check that out.

I live in Tuscaloosa and I've never had any trouble finding clems around here. Plant Lady, Barton's, Lowe's - last year I found a gorgeous double blue at Lowe's that I'm anxious to see bloom this year. So far it's coming along great. Be sure to get a plant that has as many stems coming up as possible, and it's also helpful to catch one in bloom to see the exact color. OR, check it out on the clematis forum.

I hope your wife enjoys them as much as I do.

Does anyone know where I can get it locally? Preferably seeds because the plants seem expensive.

Sorry, I wasn't aware of where you live.

I did a search on the clematis forum and it seems people do grow from seeds. They get them from their spent blooms on an existing plant, and they sow them in the fall so they can germinate over the winter. I've never seen packets in the stores, but then I haven't looked. But it almost seems more trouble than it's worth unless you're a real clematis aficionado.

I paid between $12 and $15 for that beauty I got at Lowe's last year, but it was later in the season. Yesterday they didn't have any.

Good luck. I think they're beautiful.

They grow beautifully here (Between Birmingham and Tuscaloosa) Remember the old (but so true) thing about perennials..."first year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap!"

I have fifteen or so, and they actually bloomed a little and grew the first year. I have quite a few that I bought last year that were well grown plants (from Silver Star Vinery) and they are four feet long and growing and budded. Go for it! You'll be glad you did.
kay

Y'all may like some knockout roses, if you have room somewhere. They can get HUGE and I've never sprayed ours with anything. In the spring, cut them down to about 12-18 inches & that's about all they would need done to them. Down here they're already blooming & will bloom many times until about Christmas. We have them in pinks, yellows & white.

And roses that aren't knockouts are just plants, and sometimes they die but usually they grow well. I've never had a rose bush die. I've grown different roses in OH and AL and wouldn't consider coddling a plant to the point of spraying chemical stuff on it. I don't know why roses have such a reputation for being difficult plants. I can see if you were insistent upon a particular rose and then it died, but you can have any type of plant die on you. Any healthy-looking roses at a local garden center (not big box store) were probably propagated locally & should grow well in your yard. I find them especially worthwhile since they bloom for such a long time here. Putting fresh-cut roses on your table for Christmas dinner is quite a novelty for someone from OH. What kind of fence are you talking about? There are climbing roses that do well when you tuck the branches into the fence occasionally. You usually don't need to prune this kind except to control it from overgrowing the area.

For some instant WOW and height this year, there's always heavenly blue morning glories... I usually get some good ones when I toss the seeds in the garden.