I've got buds but nothing blooming not even the alpinas and evergreens.

Very nice hoovb! Can't wait until I have some blooms here way up North. I have lots of daffodils going right now and some forget-me-nots.
The Clematis are all budding out nicely, can't wait!

Wonderful looking. If you want even earlier blooms next year, try growing the montanas or cirrhosas. Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles' just finished up blooming in my zone 7a garden a week ago.

Beautiful! No blooms here but the growth is amazing. It seems like they grow inches every day.

Carol

Happy Spring to you to, HoovB! What a nice beginning.

I have some huge buds on a couple of mine, but nothing open yet. I can hardly wait!

wanda

Just Beautiful..I am happy to report I have blooms starting to open on "Pink Champagne","Ruby Glow" and "Daniel Deronda"...and zillion of buds forming everywhere..it's gonna be a truly exciting year!!!..yeaaaaaa.for Clematis !!..Jeanne

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Congrats on your early blooms Jeanne.

Woo hoo! Yay spring!

I have buds, but it's looking to be a while before I have any blooms. Jealousy? Yes, I has it!

Me too! Me too! It's actually my first clematis bloom ever! I bought 4 last Fall, and this one is one of the early bloom varieties, Proteus. The others I will just have to wait a little longer for. I got a Mini Seelik, and 2 Alabast too.

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pretty stephanotis!

I planted Proteus last Fall too. When it's a few years older and has previous year's vines left, it will have double flowers!

I agree! Beautiful. Just realize that Proteus not only requires old wood to produce double flowers, but it also needs a certain amount of winter chill to do so. Not sure exactly what the exact requirements are as far as length of cold and how cold but I have seen this and it is documented in Edith Malek's book "Simply Clematis".

Double Blooms.
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oh my goodness, those double blooms are simply swoon-worthy!

Gorgeous! Even if my Proteus only gives me single blooms, I am so excited that I didn't kill it over the winter, and it threw out even one bloom at all, it's worth it for me. Brown thumb here!

I have blooms, too.
Can someone ID it?

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:578588}}

Looks like a Ramona to me.

I want to be happy for all you zone 8 and 9 folks...
but I only feel envy.

OK. OK. It is beautiful Hoovb.

I concur with Miguel..looks like "Ramona" to me too!!

I can only see tiny sprouts and buds on my Clematis here in Maryland.
But at least we have this "winter chill" for doubles on Proteus :-) Thanks for the hint Miguel!

You are welcome Alina.

this probably isn't what you meant, but this has been blooming for several weeks while overwintering - LOL

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Oh cool, a Vienetta. I got one bareroot from Van Bourgondien and it is already putting up shoots. Mine is going to be planted outside though. I think the cats would use it as a snack inside.

wow, wendyb, I just looked through your picasa album. You take some wonderful pictures! thank you so much for sharing. I loved it!

I wanted yall to see this Bloom on Clematis "Mrs. Cholmondeley"!!..She has to be about 8 inches wide...HUGE..the biggest I've seen on her yet...Jeanne

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Mercy, that is a big beautiful bloom, Jeanne! I finally ordered Kakio because you keep tempting me with those gorgeous photo's of yours.

Lovely Proteus, Miguel.

Carol

Why must you taunt me?? It will probably be at least another TWO MONTHS before my clems start growing, let alone flower!! *sigh* I must get my joy vicariously through pictures! POST MORE!!

Lovely and quite huge flower there Jeanne.

Thanks Carol. Proteus is a pink that I like especially with the double flowers. It is one that has never wilted in my garden. It can turn brown in mid-summer, but I just whack it back. Don't know if I will get any doubles this spring since it and Piilu who it is planted together with were both hacked back severely this winter. Time will tell.

I am so jealous to see all these clematis' blooming already but then again, I am in zone 5 and still have a little snow on the ground.

On a good note, my tulips are starting to push through the soil but no signs yet on whether or not all those clematis' I planted in the fall made it through the harsh winter we had. The real test will be the montana rubens, my fingers are crossed!

Linda