I just bought mine in September, so I can't tell you much. I was about 4 feet tall in a one gallon pot. So topheavy that she couldn't stand up by herself. I put the gallon pot inside a larger pot for a few days until I had the time to repot her, and let her sprawl over a 4 ft fence made of a brass headboard. I am hoping that when she starts growing this year I can train her to do it again with a minimum of tying.

The pictures aren't very good, She is to the right of the scroll trellis in pic 5, but about 5 feet closer to the road.

I believe that Mrs RB is suposed to be a sprawler rather than a climber. My favorite nursery has theirs growing down a banking that can't be more than 6 foot high and she has covered a lot of ground. Not sure how old she is though.

I was intregued by the large leaves also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mrs RB, pic 2,3 & 5

Heracleifolias are shrubby clematis that have self supporting stems although when the plants are laden with flowers the stems can droop somewhat. Make sure you plant it in full sun since shade makes the heracleifolias droop even more. The hyacinth shaped flowers are typically fragrant in most cultivars but I don't grow the specific one you are growing so can't say for sure about its fragrance.

Marie, I had the same idea that you did, I planted her on a 4 ft fence and I'm hoping she will cascade/sprawl to her hearts content. I planted her a couple of weeks ago and she has already topped the fence. Thank you for the photo's of her blooms, I like them. I also enjoyed reading the thread about your shopping spree for clematis! You remind me of myself. I liked your new trellis and I love the idea of the brass headboard.

Nckvilledudes, I did plant her in full sun. I don't think that this one is supposed to be fragrant. I would love to have a fragrant clematis. Could you recommend one that you particularly like? Thank you for the information.

Carol

Carol, try Betty Corning or triternata rubromarginata for fragrance.

Oh, I have a Betty Corning sitting out there covered with blooms. I am going to go stick my nose in a bloom right now and I will be looking for triternata rubromarginata. Thank you! You are so helpful!

Carol

Oh my gosh, you are right. Betty Corning has a wonderful sweet fragrance! What an awesome clematis! Beautiful and smells good too.

Carol

Carol, I typically pick bunches of Betty Corning flowers to bring into the house just for the fragrance. I have done so previously this year but right now I am attempting to cross a multitude of other clematis with BC hoping to get a more intense color and the fragrance of BC.

Another one to consider is Aromatica. I have had it for two years going on three now and this year for the first time I can detect a fragrance to the flowers. It is not as noticeable as BC and you have to get up close to actually smell the fragrance on it though.

Miguel, thank you for the recommendations. Of course both of the clematis you mentioned are sold out everywhere I have checked but I have made note of them and will try to find them next spring. I would be interested to know how your crosses turn out. Do you do a lot of hybridizing?

Carol

Carol I have grown a few clematis from seed that others have given me, unfortunately my first seedlings were from the atragene group and after growing them out, they didn't like my summer weather conditions and eventually died out after flowering for the first time.

Growing clematis from seed is not for the impatient although some are quicker to grow from seed than others. I have definitely decided that growing from seed is not for me but I like the idea of trying to mix the genes from various clematis to see what comes out. Debbie at Silver Star Vinery and I have decided to form a partnership and try to have babies together! LOL--me crossing stuff and her growing them out to see what might develop. I still may dabble a bit growing from seed but it definitely is something that is not for the impatient which is me to a tee!

Miguel, I can say with assurance that I do not have the patience to grow clematis from seed. I love the fact that you are interested in mixing genes from different clematis to see what comes out and a partnership with Debbie will be a lot of fun! I can't wait to see some of the "babies" that the two of you produce :-)

Carol

It should be interesting but to be quite honest, most crosses result in flowers that are only somewhat different from the parent plants, if not inferior to the parents. However, once in a while something good comes out of it and results in a potentially new clematis suitable for commercial production. So, I am hopeful but also realistic in my expectations!