I would buy them if they are not very common. Common varieties are often can be found for less at Lowe's and HD.

I would in a heartbeat at that price and size if they were something I didn't have and wanted..Jeanne

Ditto to what Jeanne said. I would check the root systems out prior to purchasing by tipping the plants out of their pots and doing a visual exam. If they looked good, I would buy them if they are varieties you want.

I would and I have. I usually look for the pot that has the highest number of living vines coming out of the soil. Sometimes there will be several dead ones, which make it look like a better plant than it really is. I like to have at least two healthy vines, but the more the better, just in case I accidentally break one.

Absolutely.

Okay. I am enabled. There was a burgundy colored viticella that caught my eye.

Just one? lol

I had to reread this post several times, as I though it a rather odd question (no offense!!).

Local nurseries are where the majority of my clematis originated. It was only last month that I mail ordered my first of the 60 or so clematis I grow :-) Selection at a retail nursery or garden center may be limited - but not necessarily - and end of season "deals" may look a little ragged but with the proper care, typically turn out to be fine. I would never hesitate to buy from a local nursery, provided the plant appeared to be in reasonably good shape. I just purchased 'Negritianka' yesterday from my own nursery, as I couldn't resist the dark, smoky color of the blossoms :-)

Gardengal, I had to read it again too!

Why the heck not buy a 10" Clematis for $10???

All but one of over 50 Clematis were purchased locally.

I always make sure there are as many living stems as possible. I choose based on stems not on top growth or flowers which I cut off when I plant anyway.

I have bought many on sale or marked down for whatever reason too.

Gardengal and BOS..yall are so lucky in where you live...rarely do I find any nursery except "Lowe's" and "Walmart" to carry clematis and they are limited..I think alot of people in Texas think that clematis don't do well here or something..so I am destined to have to order online!!..we get those liner clematis that are from Roseville and that is all!!..I envy yall so much...Jeanne

BOS, my favorite trick is toting home those clems at the nursery that have been returned or can't be sold because of wilt. All they need is some time and TLC and virtually every single one has sprung back to life. A good percentage of my clematis collection was acquired that way :-) Of course it helps alot to work at a nursery and have access to all the free "rejects"!

Jeanne, I can sympathize - I think! LOL!! We are extremely fortunate to have the selection of nurseries we have so readily at hand, including several that are well known for mail order. I can't imagine how awkward it would be to have to rely solely on mail order sources. I think I might not spend so much on plants though, if that was the case. It is all those impulse buys that get me, plus all the latest and newest things that come in that I simply must have!

I understand that many of you have to buy mail order to get much, I just didn't understand why the OP was concerned about buying locally, especially for such a great price.

I know I'm lucky to have loads of nurseries locally. I am also lucky in that I worked in horticulture for over twenty years and was able to bring home hundreds of unsaleable plants over the years. Including Clematis.

I'm just sad that now that I finally have a greenhouse, I don't work in horticulture so I have to pay for tropicals that I previously threw away when they were done blooming.....

Clematis is a new adventure for me. I asked because there might be some reason that a plant might not fare well after a full season sitting around the nursery.

I have four clems which are in their 2nd season. Betty Corning is the best performer of the group. That made me look for other viticella types.

I found two viticellas which had healthy new growth and lots of roots:

Venosa Violacea

Royal Velours

What can you tell me about these two?

To be honest...the ones that are bought at the end of the year seem better to me as they've had time to really grow some nice rootsystems...THAT IS IF the people at the nursery have tended to them properly...Do as mentioned earlier and tip 'em out of the pot to check the rootsystem..that is key....I have both...VV is awesome!!..So much so that I have two of them....Royal Velours was slower to get established for me...you'll like 'em both...Jeanne

VV is spectacular

{{gwi:624597}}

Great picture Buyorsell. How big do these blooms get?

Jeanne,
Both pots were packed with roots. This nursery is small and they keep everything watered. I'm looking forward to some blooms next summer.

Thanks to everyone for their comments.

I concur about VV. It is one gorgeous clematis. I have Royal Velours but just got it this fall from Donahues. It is growing out in a one gallon pot for planting next spring.

Being of the Viticellas they are small about 2 inches across but what they lack in size always make up in zillions of blooms..hard prune 3's
Here are some of mine!

Harry, every year I go to the nurseries specifically to look for the clematis that are left at the end of the season. I have found some gallons for 5 dollars that had the most wonderful root systems and they take off the next year. It's getting harder to find any that I don't have now but I still look.

Carol

Me too, go looking for left overs. They often have bigger roots and more stems. I buy bulbs that are done blooming and half off and scraggly perennials too.