I use Bluestone a lot. I love their new coir pots and they have seriously improved their shipping transport boxes, all their plants have grown in quite healthy and stable.

I forgot one other one I got from them, Rebecca which is also thriving here this year.

I also ordered Anemones last year and they were shipped in the coir pots and the new packaging along with the replacement clematis. I haven't seen the Anemones I got come up yet.

Julia

I also purchased anemones from Bluestone and have two growing in, they were planted last year. They're a little slow but coming along nicely. My favorite from Bluestone are the Aquilegia, they're absolutely gorgeous and I have just put in an order for several more. I also love the Heuchera Pretty Polly.

Juliany,
How have you incorporated such a variety of clematis into your beds? I only have one currently in the foundation bed at the back of my house. I would like to perhaps add one to the east side and possibly the west side foundation beds. I am attacted to durandii, Wayside Gardens has it. Do you have it in your collection?

jilljohn: I will upload some photos when I'm able to but I do plant mine with other perennials. I don't have durandi.

Julia

I have Durandii, it does not climb. It has very stiff awkward stems. I'm not a fan. In fact I shovel pruned it and have it in a pot as I don't know what to do with it. It is in the Integrifolia group. There are better performers with similar color. It is not true blue but their pic isn't too far off. Does not bloom all summer. Juuli has more flexible stems and is a bloom monster. Petite Faucon is more purple but also a bloom monster.

I do not recommend Wayside either, they are expensive for little plants and half my order was dead including both Clematis and the replacements were too. Clematis should not be bare root.

JillJohn - I also have Durandii. I grow it in a relatively fine-wire cage and really like it so far. I'm a sucker for the deep blue-purple flowers.

I would not recommend Wayside either. I've gotten dormant bare root plants from them that were growing mold and never sprouted when I planted them. There are other, excellent sources of mail order clematis that will send you larger and healthier plants. Brushwood is one, Silver Star and Hummingbird Farm are two others. Bluestone's clematis are small and will need attention, but I have never lost one of their clematis except one to voles over winter when it was several years old. My largest frustration with Bluestone is the limited varieties with an emphasis in the type 2 prune, large-flowered plants which aren't my favorite.

nhbabs, buyorsell, juliqany, thank you for your thoughts. I am looking for a blue and thot the durandii looked interesting. I did read where it's not a great climber, more of a creeper. I'll have to check out the suggestions for other mail order companies. It's been a while since I ordered from Wayside or Bluestone. I know the plants are usually pretty puney and take several years to take off. I only have one clematis, and am looking to add some more as the one I have has been long lived, reliable, and low maintenance. Unfortunately, I don't know it's name - purchased at K-Mart years ago. It blooms early, single flowered, wine/burgundy color. Will check out Juuli. Hope it's hardy in my zone.

Juuli is one of the clematis bred by the Kivistiks in Estonia, so it will be fully hardy for you. Another really nice blue is Arabella, also a nonclimber like Juuli and Durandii.

I have 2 Durandii that I planted underneath bleeding hearts that are next to the gate to our backyard. The bleeding hearts look awful by late summer, so my intent was the have the clematis there to take their place by midsummer. The clematis are very shaded, so haven't taken off completely, but I like how they twine through the fence and they do bloom for me even in the shade. I think their blooms are really pretty and would work twining through small/medium shrubs or scrambling through a perennial bed or mixed border. They are bigger and less dark (at least in my garden) than the blooms of Petit Faucon. I got a Petit Faucon at Costco once because it was only $6, and last fall it become the only clematis I've ever shovel pruned. I just never really liked the dark blooms and skinny petals. I'm sure it would look great in the right context, just not my cup of tea.

I ordered several of the clematis from this sale. They are rather small plants. Would you advise repotting now, and waiting to plant in the ground until fall?

Yes!

I potted mine that I got from Bluestone only because I did not have the garden ready to plant in. However, the replacements they sent in the fall were planted right in the ground and they are doing just fine this year. No losses.

Which ones did you get?

Julia

I ordered 8 of these on sale and I could not have been more pleased. I had to leave them in the box on the porch and trust my son to water them for a few days while on vaca, but they looked great. I should have potted a few of them for the summer and planted in the fall, but I did not want to have to water constantly. All are doing great, except 2, I am still waiting to fill in the soil while the stems harden on a few, and the curious pups have broken two of them off(now fenced off). This is only my second year to grow clems, but they are so rewarding even if they are alot of work. I know I will be well rewarded by the third year. Last years Jackmani and Ernest Markham have bloomed profusly, after dead heading. It is a learning experience, but one so fun I can't wait to order more next year. I never thought I would be able to grow these so well, but digging the big hole and even adding gravel in the bottom in my clay soil has been worth the work. I purchased 4 Sweet Autumn (don't care, I love them) LOL, a Venosa Villacea, a Dutchess of Edinburg, Montana Mayleen, and Dutches of Albany. I also have a Nellie Moser and Elsa Spath from last year. I will definitely buy from Bluestone again. I am in the Texas Panhandle where is is hot, dry clay soil, but with the correct amendments these are really rewarding plants. Any suggestions for other varieties that would do good in my zone 6-7?