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MAY 2011 HERSAM ACORN NEWSPAPERS

HOMESpecial Section to: The Valley Gazette I The Stratford Star I The Milford Mirror I The Amity Observer I The Trumbull Times I Fairfield Sun I The Huntington Herald I The Monroe Courier I The Easton Courier

by Lynn Hyson

Niobe is ambling up my golden evergreen.

Nelly Moser blushes as she scampers up

and over the arbor, while Sweet Autumn

cascades over the deck railing. Its quite a

party!

Clematis (pronounced klem ah tiss) are

known for being sociable plants. They like

to hug and cling to their neighbors and are

agreeable companions. Once you get to

know them, youll want to invite the whole

family into your garden.

That would be quite a scene, though,

because this family of flowering vines is

extensive. Clematis may come dressed in

rich, saturated jewel-tones, soft pastels or

classic whites. Their blossoms offer bold,

expansive flower heads, subtle stars, bright

bells and dangling lanterns. They can wear

pinks, purples, reds, whites, yellows, blues

and lime greens orange is about the only

color they avoid.

And Clematis are (social?) climbers, bring-

ing the drama of an often neglected dimen-

sion: vertical gardening. With so much

diversity, its easy to confuse the individu-

als in this family, and that could ruin your

party. But if you get off on the right foot

with the Clematis of your choice, you will

have a rewarding, convivial relationship.

To start, it pays to remember that, like

hydrangeas, they belong to three different

groups, which dictate pruning and bloom

time. Those that bloom on old wood (known

as type 1) flower in May to June and should

be cut back promptly afterwards. They can

be cut back hard or just pruned for shape

and structure. They will use the rest of the

growing season to prepare for next springs

appearance. Frances Rivis (Clematis alpina)

flaunts four-petaled blue blossoms with

contrasting white centers and can reach

six to 10 feet high. Try her in a container

with a tuteur (a pyramid-shaped lattice). C.

ClematisSome colorful guests for your garden party

Arbors are ideal for displaying the colorful beauty of Clematis, on the left Ville de Lyon and Nelly Moser on

the right.Clematis continued on page 11

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2 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers May 12, 2011

by Lois Alcosser

On Sunday, June 5, from 10 to 4, Terry

Karpens woodland garden in Redding

will have its debut in the Garden

Conservancys Open Days program, a

chance to stroll, enjoy and talk to Terryabout any and all aspects of garden-

ing. Each year, since 1995, the Garden

Conservancys Open Days have been an

opportunity to visit some of Americas

finest private gardens. Its a tremendous

honor to be chosen.

For Terry Karpen, who is not only a garden-

er but also Queen Of Spades, a garden and

landscape designer, June 5 will be an excit-

ing day, though she knows all about the

event because she maintained and hosted

a clients Conservancy Garden in Redding

for two years.

Terry wears many hats. In addition tocreating gardens and landscapes, she can

manage any size property, rejuvenate or

renovate a small section or an entire gar-

den. She is a garden consultant, does

real-estate staging, artistic pruning, deer

fencing, just about anything and everything

that has to do with gardens. Her goal is to

create harmony between house and garden

and between garden and the surrounding

landscape.

Her own garden looks as if the flowers,

plants and trees chose the location them-

selves. There is an immediate sense of

naturalness and spontaneity. Since its a

woodland garden, she says, its a good

example of my belief in placing plants

where they will grow best and most beauti-

fully, not changing nature but embracing

it. Plants flourish according to their inborn

needs.

How does one go about achieving this?

What must a gardener do to create a thriv-

ing garden? Beauty comes first, Terry

says. Thats the main thing, but there has

to be a plan to make it happen.

First, as objectively as possible, look at

the property with new eyes. What already

exists? Where does sun come up, and go

down? Is it mostly shady or sunny? Wet or

dry? What kind of soil do you have clay

or sandy? Before you do anything, get to

know the lay of the land and understand

what you have as opposed to trying to

make it the image of something else.

She suggests finding out as much as you

can about the region, its history, culture,

ecology, because all these factors form the

recipe for what you can do or choose to

do. For example, she says, suppose you

have lots more shade than sun. Youre not

going to cut down trees to change it to a

sunny garden. Instead, learn about all the

shade-loving plants that can give you the

color, the look you want.

Lets say youd love to have a rose bush. But

GARDEN CONSERVANCY OPEN DAY

A visit with

the QueenOf Spades

The cheerful yellow flowers of Corydalis lutea are a nice blend with the soft green of spring.

Jackie Perry, editorBryan Haeffele, designer

Thomas B. Nash, publisher

For advertising information

call 203-926-2080

Special Section to:

The Valley Gazette The Stratford Star The Milford Mirror

The Amity Observer The Trumbull Times Fairfield Sun

The Huntington Herald The Monroe Courier

The Easton Courier1000 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484

203-926-2080

Copyright 2011, Hersam Acorn Newspapers, LLC

HOMEMAY 2011 VOL V, ISSUE 5


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May 12, 2011 HOME Hersam Acorn Newspapers 3

if your land is wet and shady, no matter

how hard you try, you wont have roses. Its

a case of the right plants in the right place,

not wishful thinking. When you go to a

garden that has all the elements it should,

there is the same satisfaction as viewing a

work of art.

Terry is often asked what pesticides to use

on a lawn. Her answer is, Your children,

your pets are going to play on that lawn.

Youre bound to bring in some soil on the

soles of your shoes or on your clothes. Do

you really want to use chemical pesticides?

After all, gardeners are stewards of the

earth.

Before she became Queen Of Spades, Terry

was a chef. As Queen Of Hearts, she baked

specialty cakes, like wedding cakes. But

someone told me they all looked like land-

scapes, she said, smiling. For 25 years,

she had a career as a catering service. Just

as beauty comes first in gardening, taste

came first in running a restaurant and

catering, and that meant the finest qual-

ity ingredients. But cakes are my former

world, she says.

The path to gardening started when she

worked at the Bartlett Arboretum in

Stamford, and then took the Landscape

Design course at the New York Botanical

Garden and the University of Connecticuts

Master Gardener Program.

Terry is a follower of the Arts & Crafts

Movement, which isnt about making pot-

tery but is a reaction to the Industrial

Revolution and its assembly-belt produc-

tion. We believe in simplicity, not artificial

gimmicks. Natural ingredients. Artisan-

made, not mass-produced. Respect for

the individuality of peoples different

backgrounds.

Her newest adventure is her quarterly

newspaper column in The Redding Pilot.

Theres a community volunteer garden

in Redding called the Parade Path. Im just

trying to get the word out.

As a gardener, she emphasizes, you

keep learning all the time. Perhaps, when

you want a shrub with bright yellow flow-

ers, you think of forsythia. But there are

10 other interesting choices. There are at

least 200 choices besides daffodils. One

of Terrys favorites is hellebore, an early

blooming perennial, shade tolerant, deer

resistant, beautiful flowers, comes in differ-

ent colors. Its blooms last for months, and

the leaves stay green all winter.

The idea is to create a unique sanctuary to

restore us. My mother knew this. I remem-

ber wed plant seeds together. My brother

had his own strawberry patch. When I was

five years old, Id go out by myself intonature. Being out in the woods as a child

are my happiest memories. I guess garden-

ing is what Im supposed to be doing.

For directions to Terry Karpens garden

at 69 Dayton Road in Redding, see the

Conservancy Web site or call her at 203-

938-0684. Reservations or advance tickets

not necessary. The $5 requested to view

a garden goes right back to the Garden

Conservancy to fulfill its mission of nurtur-

ing and preserving Americas gardens.

Hellebore orientalis, which appear in early spring, are prized for their beauty, vigor and deer resistance.


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which not only results in comfortable liv-

ing but also promotes good health for the

homeowners/occupants.

For rectifications, Marianne strategically

places energy-correction devices such as

keystones, copper tubes, specific yantras

(the Sanskrit word for instrument or

machine) and sound to create harmo-

ny and balance within the space.

A Calming Influence

Diane Roth, owner of LArmoire in New

Canaan, is one of Mariannes very satis-

fied clients. Ive always been a believ-

er in aligning the environment, and

when my shop was going through some

upheaval and emotional turmoil, I hired

Marianne, who is an old friend, to per-

form a rectification, Diane says.

Diane, who wanted a more positive

feeling and rhythm for her customers,

felt that Mariannes rectification had an

immediate impact on the business. Its

all about getting in tune with your envi-

ronment, and since Marianne worked hermagic on my store, there is now a calm-

ing influence that prevails, she says.

What role do color, pattern, texture and

placement play in the Vastu experience?

According to Marianne, a great deal.

These all come into practice during

the interior-design phase, she explains.

Their interaction affects the visual and

tactile senses and awareness of the occu-

pants. [Using these elements], I work

with the client to create an environment

akin to a superb bottle of wine ... blend-

ing flavors specific to the family, partners

or organization that will encourage their

sensory experience to align with the goals

they initially set forth in the design.

For example, in residential design, there

is a distinct difference in the effect of

window treatments constructed from a

Jim Thompson Thai silk, a Christopher

Hyland silk or a Gretchen Bellinger linen,

Marianne says. Not only will the colors

reflect differently based on the manufac-

turer but also on the texture of the base

material how it captures and reflects

light in proportion to the space we are

designing.

Some of Mariannes other projects

include the Warren Tricomi Salon in

New York City, Ananda Yoga and Healing

Center in New Canaan, a rectification for

a rocket scientist in Denver and even for

a lake in Westchester a recification

that required Marianne getting into a

kayak with all of her tools and covering

every inch of water and shoreline.

Brown, Harris, Stevens, a firm on NewYorks Park Avenue, was also a particu-

larly memorable and challenging proj-

ect. Not only was the office situated in

the wrong corner of the building, the

desks were poorly placed and couldnt be

changed. The view, however, was superb,

and it was interesting to bring the

impact of the view, the outdoor move-

ment and electricity into the balance of

the Vastu, Marianne says.

For more information, contact: mari-

annedenniston.com.

To incorporate Vastu principles into interior design, Marianne Denniston works with clients to determine

what the desired environment might look like in relation to their image of happiness for their family.

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Many mixologists and chefs, as well as

home cooks, enjoy incorporating the pow-

erful medicinal elements of ginger into

their creations. Beneath that gnarly, knot-

ted, root exterior lies a magical source

that when peeled, pressed, crystallized,

candied, sliced, slivered, juiced, pickled

or powdered, reveals a mighty origin of

natural healing.

Ginger has been found to effectively quell

stomach distress. A natural tonic for morn-ing sickness, motion sickness, seasickness

and diarrhea, ginger is also an excellent

digestive aid. Ginger helps regulate high

sugar levels that may disrupt the digestion

process, while simultaneously soothing the

stomach and restoring its regular rhythm.

Ginger may also be especially effective at

boosting bone health and relieving joint

pain. Ginger may even be an aphrodisiac,

with its unique scent and blood circulation

enhancement.

Ginger may also act as an anti-inflammato-

ry agent, which can help ward off disease.

If one has contracted the flu, ginger may

be effective at inducing a healthy sweat

and releasing toxins from the body. Ginger

is a good source of magnesium, potassium,

copper, manganese and vitamin B6.

As compelling as the healthy attributes

of ginger may be, its the vast range of

culinary capabilities of this rhizome that

are truly captivating. Through the years,

cooks have discovered that the amazing

fragrance and zestiness of ginger add an

irresistible aura to their dishes. In fact,

Queen Elizabeth I of England, a reputed

ginger fan herself, is credited with invent-

ing the gingerbread man cookie in the late

16th Century.

Modern cooks will love ginger, as it adds

fantastic flavor to fruit salads, a savory

spark to sauted vegetables, sizzle to salad

dressings, and it intensely invigorates tea

and lemonade. Grated ginger adds a

spicy depth to coleslaw and fabulous

flair to fruit smoothies.

Ginger is a key component of many

sweet recipes, including cakes, breads,

scones, cookies and cheesecakes. A

holiday pumpkin pie would be rather

bland without an invigorating dash of

powdered ginger. Gingersnap cookies are

a classic example of cooking with ginger.

Try adding a bit of powdered, candied or

freshly grated ginger for cookies with epic

ginger flavor.

Synonymous with Asian cooking, ginger is

delectable in stir fries, spring rolls, soups

and many savory sauces. Adventuresome

and exotic dishes, such as sesame baked

fish with hot ginger marinade, baked crab

with scallions and ginger, beef strips with

orange and ginger, gingered chicken noo-

dles and straw noodle shrimp in a sweet

ginger dip are just a few dishes to try

when working with ginger. Pickled ginger

is served as an accompaniment to many

Japanese dishes and is a refreshing palate

cleanser after consuming fiery wasabi.

There is a company that is so inspired

by gingers possibilities they have built a

thriving business of fantastic, all natural

ginger products. The Ginger People are

passionate about all things ginger and offer

a superb line of products, including baked

goods such as crispy gingersnaps and rich

ginger anzacs and shortbread. Beverages

include a ginger beer, brisk with just the

right amount of bite while lightly sweet.

A lemon ginger beer has a bright lemony

twist, and a ginger smoother, a mixture of

prized Chinese ginger, honey, lemon and

natural flavor, is purported to promote

harmony and offer superior antioxidant

protection.

The Ginger People carry a variety of gin-

ger chews spicy yet slightly sugary

nuggets of goodness that can easily

be found in many markets locally,

including FoodWorks in Monroe.

Ginger chews are excellent to have

on hand for a soothing, upliftingpick-me-up. Coffee lovers may quickly

become attached to the hot coffee vari-

ety, a luxurious layering of coffee and gin-

ger that somehow works perfectly.

The Ginger People offers cooking sauces

that will elevate even an occasional cook

to chef status. Ginger lemon grass would

be exquisite with seafood, Thai green curry

sauce will add sparkle to noodle dishes,

sweet ginger chili sauce is the perfect

accompaniment to cool, crunchy summer

rolls, and chicken bathed in hot ginger jala-

peno sauce, then grilled, will have guests

swooning.

See their Web site for a wealth of ginger

suggestions and information at ginger-

people.com. For recipes using ginger, visit

epicurious.com or your local library or

bookstore. The Ultimate Chinese Cookbook

edited by Linda Doeser is excellent.

Robin Glowa is a freelance writer and pas-

sionate food professional. Read more about

her food adventures at confessionsofacon-

sciouscook.blogspot.com or theconscious-

cook.net.

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by Joanne Greco Rochman

Recently, two people that I know well made major

moves from one city or town to another. At the same

time, I was starting my spring cleaning. However, after

listening to their methods for packing and cleaning, I

realized that I needed a new approach to my task. I

needed a system, an orderly plan.

In the past, I would clean out part of a closet one day

and when the mood came around again, Id clean out

another closet or drawer. My attic is a cedar attic, so

every spring, I have to lug the winter clothes out of

my closets yes thats plural, because my clothes are

also in the guest room closet and my husbands officecloset. Women have a way of taking over closet space,

which is why my husband has his own closet from

which I am prohibited.

After I get them all up there, I have to take all the sum-

mer clothes down. So I found myself vacuuming and

polishing three closets over several days before I even

started washing windows or taking out the rugs to be

cleaned. My random spring cleaning sometimes took

me back and forth from one room to another, instead

of doing one room completely and being done with it.

Yes, it was time to implement that one-room-at-a-time

plan.

When moving or spring cleaningORGANIZATION IS KEY


9/12


When Linda Janos moved from Ansonia to

Shelton, she hired a local moving company

to move the big furniture. Her daughter

and some friends helped her pack all the

other personal and household items. They

were organized and did it one room at a

time.

I lived in Ansonia for 15 years, she said,

but Im not a hoarder. If I dont need

something or havent used something in

a while, out it goes, she said matter of

factly. So packing wasnt too difficult for

me. One of my friends brought different

colored magic markers with her, so we

color-coded and labeled every box. We also

made sure the boxes werent too heavy.

Listening to her made me realize that I

should get rid of a lot of things that I not

only havent used in years, I havent even

seen them for years. Theyre packed away

in hat and shoe boxes and big plastic bags.

I also wished I had labeled all the things

Ive stored here, there and everywhere. Ive

got some flower arranging equipment in

the basement, some in the attic and some

in my pantry.

I thought to myself, Its time. Im going

to throw out or donate what I dont use

and get some boxes and markers and

get things cleaned out and organized.

The very thought of ever moving from

my home where Ive lived and collected

assorted items for more than 20 years sent

a cold shiver up my spine. One dear friend

of mine made me promise that if anything

should ever happen to her, I was to go

immediately to her bureau and straighten

things out.

For Linda, the most trying thing about the

move was worrying about her cat, Minnie.I rescued this poor cat and she had a hard

time adjusting, so I was worried about how

she would take to the move and the new

place. Happily, Minnie was just as happy

as Linda with her new, sunny location.

The second most worrisome thing about

the move was Lindas concern about the

movers. I was worried that they wouldnt

show up on time, or that they would dam-

age the furniture. I was so happy that I

went with All My Sons Moving. Theyre

local, reputable movers. They arrived right

on time and took such great care with my

furniture and televisions that I would rec-

ommend them to anyone. When Linda

arrived at her new home, it was easy to

find everything that she needed because

she took the time to label everything prop-

erly.

My son Noel, who lives in the North End of

Boston, just moved from his ultra-modern

ninth-floor condominium (72 stairs, no

elevator) to an apartment, while he waits

for his new town house to be built. All I

can say is that its a good thing that Noel

is physically fit and has a great sense of

humor because he decided to do the move

himself with the help of some friends. He

is also known as Mr. Organization, so the

problem was not in packing carefully and

labeling, which he did.

Everything had to be labeled as to wheth-

er it was going to the storage facility or

the temporary apartment. It was a com-

plicated move. I purchased some medium-

size boxes from Home Depot so I wouldnt

over-pack and end up with overly heavyboxes, he said.

Fortunately, when he moved in, he designed

a hoist that went straight down the middle

of the endless stairway, so most of the

boxes went down via hoist. When it came

to his 50-inch plasma television, which he

figured was about 150 pounds, and his

bureaus and couches and tables, he and

three friends tied rope around the middle

of the big items and then using the hoist

guided the furniture down. This way the

hoist bore most of the weight.

We only had one casualty, said my

son with a laugh. A small wooden chestslipped off the hoist and dropped three

stories before it crashed and smashed into

a million pieces.

Since I doubt those three friends will be in

town when Noel moves into his new home,

hell most likely hire professional movers.

As for me, Im going to clean this house

one room at a time. Im going to label and

store things properly and pray I never have

to move.

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by Tim Murphy

Thin Mints are the Girl Scouts most popu-

lar cookie, accounting for 25 percent of

sales. Cookie comes from the Dutch word

koekje, which means little cake.

I learned those tidbits earlier today, not

from a proud pack leader or Wikipedia but

rather PumpTop TV, which was playing at a

local gas station as I filled the tank, a cap-

tive audience of one.

For years following their breakthrough in

the late 1940s, televisions were confined

to living rooms. But the way families struc-tured seating arrangements around the TV,

in effect giving it a shrine-like status, was a

harbinger. The medium was going to be not

only the message, but also the ruler with

viewers as its loyal subjects.

As incomes rose and purchase prices

declined, televisions spread to other parts

of the house bedrooms, kitchens, base-

ments. A telling stat was the number of TVs

per household, which drew annual attention

because of its s teady rise. Eventually, though,

there was no more room for televisions,

and they had to expand beyond the house,

like a grown child heading out in the world.

By now, encountering televisions in differ-

ent, sometimes unexpected public places, is

nothing new. In 2010 its possible to watch

TV in airports, planes, bars, banks, bath-

rooms, restaurants, waiting rooms, gyms,

lobbies, stores and cabs. People used to

kill time on crowded elevators by staring at

their shoes; now they dont mind missing

their floor if a good Seinfeld episode is on.

If the trend itself is no longer trendy, the

sheer magnitude of the numbers of televi-

sions in public areas is startling. Perhaps it is

a case of one vice replacing another. While

smoking has been banned in most public

places, televisions have thrived, offering a

nicotine patch and the latest headlines

to the country.

Much of the expansion, naturally, is fueled

by advertising possibilities. Placing TVs in

places where people have no other view-

ing options and no access to the remote

is a mouthwatering lure for networks

and advertisers.

Its also understandable why many of the

businesses installing televisions would want

to do so. Sports bars hope to drum up busi-

ness by offering as many live games as

possible; gyms want an incentive to attract

new members; Jet Blue wants to get repeat

flyers by putting screens on the back of

seats. Other places where there might be

a wait involved banks, doctors offices,

car repair shops want to keep custom-

ers pacified and not complaining about the

wait.

In some instances, the gesture is appreci-

ated. A trip to the department of motor

vehicles doesnt seem as torturous now

knowing that CNN is available, and if my

dentist were to show Sports Center while

fixing cavities I might actually return every

six months.

But a potential pitfall and one that some

businesses seem oblivious to is how

their channel selections might backfire.

As a default, most places tune their TVs

to all-news channels. On the surface, its a

safe move since there wont be swearing

or nudity. Consider, though, a fast-food res-

taurant in which people standing in line are

treated to a report on the outlandish num-

ber of calories in one of the establishments

new custom sandwiches? Or a segment on

overworked physicians making inaccurate

diagnoses being broadcast in a doctors

waiting room? From a public relations

standpoint, nudity and swearing might be

preferable.

Another possible snag is one that a friend

witnessed on a recent visit to his bank

branch. While he was waiting for a teller,

two other customers in line started argu-

ing over the journalistic objectivity (or lack

thereof) on Fox News, which the bank was

broadcasting. An employee then had to

come over and tell the men to stop misbe-

having. My friend is betting the Weather

Channel will be on the next time he goes

to the bank.

Ironically, while that disagreement raises

one concern, it also lessens another: The

belief that the curve of modern technology

bends unwaveringly toward self-absorptionat the expense of interpersonal communi-

cation.

When televisions first started appearing in

restaurants and other social places, critics

contended that it was an intrusion into the

art of conversation. Instead of talking, cou-

ples would now go to dinner and stay silent,

staring lovingly into the TV screen. But

maybe having televisions in public places

will inspire strangers to converse with each

other, even if it is only to complain about

what is being shown.

As technology continues to advance, its

possible that televisions will sprout in moreunlikely places. With screens getting small-

er while still retaining clarity, a diner may

soon be able to watch the Food Network

on the spoon he or she is also using for

gazpacho.

In the meantime, I will continue to frequent

the gas station with the TV screens on top

of each pump. Not because the prices are

lower, but because I want to see what Justin

Bieber did on his recent vacation to Hawaii.

I had filled the tank before that segment

aired.

STATION NATION:

TVs find second home in public places


11/12


Montana Tetrarose gets tall (up to 15 feet)

with purple-tinged leaves and soft pink pet-

als.

Type 2 Clematis flower on new wood and

will bloom from July to October. Prune

when they are dormant from late fall

to early spring. Dont worry about cutting

too much, they can re-grow a full plantand still bloom that season. Type 2 plants

tend to grow six to 10, even 12 feet tall.

C. Henrii is well known for his bold white

face, and C. florida Flore pleno parades

double chartreuse blooms. C. Nellie Moser

is a favorite thanks to her six-inch pale pink

flowers with darker midribs and the spec-

tacular seed heads she leaves behind. This

drama queen actually prefers light shade. C.

Niobes blossoms of rich, wine red can flow

through the summer season.

The third type blooms in May to June on

old wood and can rebloom in midsummer

to early fall on new wood, but they dont

flower as generously as their relatives. Theycan be trimmed lightly up till the middle

of summer. Or, if overgrown, cut back to

within two feet in early spring and wait for

a vigorous flowering in late summer. The

deservedly popular purple C. Jackmanii and

rich violet-rose Ville de Lyon are 10-footers

and can be the life of the party from June to

fall. And lets not neglect C. tangutica, with

her small yellow bells, or C. Huldine, whose

pearly white petals arch back gracefully.

Other type 3s that deserve attention are

two native Americans with petite nodding

bells: C. crispas are pale lavender and C.

Betty Cornings come in blue and lavender-

pink. Though their blossoms are subtle,

these are no wallflowers. They will carry on

all summer long. Betty Corning belongs to

the viticella branch of the family, offering

resistance to mildew and Clematis wilt.

While one of its tiny, star-shaped white

blooms might not impress, Sweet Autumn

(C. terniflora, also Type 3) produces thou-

sands of them from August to frost, when

many of her contemporaries are spent. This

is an enthusiastic climber up to 20 feet

ideal for an archway or blank wall with a

fragrance that lives up to her name.

Believe it or not, Ive only introduced you to

a small contingent of the Clematis family.

Once you get past the differences in their

appearance and pruning temperaments,

all will benefit from similar growing condi-

tions. Plant them with their crowns two to

three inches below soil level in a sunny spot

with a mildly acidic soil, pH 6.5. (Name tags

will identify the few that like some shade,

such as Sweet Autumn.) The deep planting

encourages bushy growth and helps protect

the vine from damage by such threats

as lawn mowers and weed whackers, as

well as by the rot and wilt. If the vine is

compromised, the subterranean crown can

send up new growth.

It is said that Clematis prefer cool, shaded

roots with hot, sunny heads. I like to plant

them on the shady side of a support or

place a low-growing plant like a hosta in

front. Clematis are long-lived, but slow to

establish. Buying large pots with 2-year-old

plants will give them a head start. As might

be expected of such show-offs, Clematis

expect to be well fed. Compost and a

monthly serving of organic plant food like

Plant-Tone will keep them going strong.

One final ingredient will ensure a happy

guest: Clematis must have support. At plant-

ing time, make sure supports are in place

so the vine can attach and grow. Clematis

cling by curling their leaf stems around

something slender such as twine, bird net-

ting, twigs or narrow iron work. They often

twine around their own stalks and the

branches of neighbors. Broad surfaces such

as wood lattice, fencing or mailbox postswill let them down unless covered with a

finer mesh or netting. Newcomers may

need to be tied to get them started climb-

ing. Then the skys the limit!

With all the choices in size, shape, color and

season, there is sure to be an ideal Clematis

(or three) for your garden party. Success is

just a matter of being a considerate host.

Lynn Hyson is a master gardener and an

active member of the Redding Garden Club.

Visit her new Website, gardenphile.net.

Clematiscontinued from page 1

Clematis prefer cool, shaded roots, hot, sunny heads and good support.

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