Miguel, your socialis is beautiful, and the flowers are bigger than I had expected.
I like the leaves too I think we all need one !!!!

Wow, this is a very special clematis! The leaves almost look like bamboo. It's on my wish list!

What kind of growing media are you using? Is that gravel?

Helen, will try and collect seeds from it later in the year. The first few blooms I will pinch off after they bloom to allow the plant to use its energy to develop a stronger root system versus seeds. Did the same thing to the flower on the crispa I got from Brushwood.

Peppa, I have two clematis scottis and a fremontii in the pot with socialis. It is regular potting mix that I put a lot of chicken grit in to help out with drainage as I have had less than stellar results with fremontii in my regular garden soil. I top dressed the pot with what they call small pink granite around here. Why it is called pink granite I am unsure since there is white and gray stones mixed in with the pink. I used it and a larger coarser version of it in various areas of my garden.

Here are some pictures:

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Thanks Miguel that would be great if you can get a few.
Your garden looks fantastic, I would love to wander around asking what's that what's this and what's that.
Btw, what is the tree in the middle of the round bed in the first pic?
Your little ginko tree looks good, hope it's not a female.
The Japanese maple is gorgeous.
How old is your garden?

Helen, that is a Green Vase Zelkova. The gingko is a male since I didn't want the smelly fruit on the female trees!
We had the house built in 1998-moved in on Halloween day and night! There was nothing in the backyard when we moved in.

Oh my, your garden is spectacular, what is the name of that plant/bush in the second photo, the one with all the lavendar and white flowers? It's beautiful! It's looks like a type of veronica speedwell.

Linda

Linda that is salvia leucantha. It returned three years in a row but last spring we had a terrible cold spell with several days in the 20s right around Easter and this was after having a very early and warm spell right before the cold weather. The freaky weather unfortunately killed the plant. Last year I never got around to replacing it but this year it will be replaced. It is a great bush that flowers in the fall.

What a beautiful garden you have! I am so envious of all your space. I had Mexican Sage (Salvia Leucantha) years ago. It was just too big for my little yard.

Julie

Thanks very much for the information about your growing media!

The pink granite really looks pretty in your garden, and the way you did the landscaping with the pond and the Japanese maple is very attractive!

I also have bird baths and feeders in my garden like you do. Although I guess you get different kinds of birds than we get here in the Pacific Northwest...

Miguel, I haven't heard of that tree before it's gorgeous.
Do you prune it to shape?

Helen, no pruning is required. That is the normal shape of the tree. It tends to be used along streets since it tends to grow upright with no low hanging branches.

Thanks all. The garden tends to look its best in early to mid-spring and then in fall. Summers here are murder with heat, humidity, and spotty rain. That is one of the reasons I use the granite-can't stand the look of browned out grass! LOL

Love the yard nckvilledudes and pat yourself on the back for being a good gardener. My motto is no turf grass forever. It uses to much water and lawnmower pollutes much more than a car and I'll bet you have less water run than the lawn would have.

I do love your garden. It is so beautiful! Socialis is a pretty thing!

Carol

Good Lord, do you ever have a beautiful yard. Looks like a slice of heaven. Anyone have source online I could go to purchase the Socialis in any form? Really. I'm rather interested in endangered species and these are just incredible.

One of the best online mail order clematis nurseries carries it - Joy Creek.

And unfortunately, Miguel (nckvilledudes), the owner of that beautiful garden, is no longer with us. He passed away a few years ago but was a valuable contributor to this forum and is greatly missed.