People don’t care anymore when they buy a clematis if it dies at the end of summer. They just want to have good flower impact on their patio, balcony or deck for a few months.
After, they don’t care what happens to the vine.
This according to Rob Wein, one of the owners of Clearview Horticultural, the biggest grower of clematis in Western Canada.
At one time, people would only buy clematis that was super hardy, meaning it was tough as nails and could survive the cold and wet of winter and bounce back in spring.
That thinking has changed, according to Rob.
Tender clematis is selling just as well as regular hardy clematis. And tender vines, such as jasmine and some varieties of passion vine, are also selling well.
People aren’t bothered if they have to throw them away in October.
“As long as they get plenty of flowers and a good looking vine for for few months in summer, they don’t much care if it dies after that – they will just buy another one next year,” he says.
This attitude has opened up an entirely new market for more tender varieties of clematis and other exotic vines, such as Silly Cow passion vine.
At Chelsea, this year, new clematis were introduced: Green Passion, an all-green petaled clematis, and Taiga, a beautiful purple-green multi-petaled clematis. Both are said to be hardy but the jury is still out on Taiga.
But what does it matter. The new trend is to stick clematis in a pot and grow it up a trellis for as long as it looks good and then throw it out. The new generation of gardeners don’t care if they spend $15 on a vine and get three months pleasure out of it: they see that as great value.
Meanwhile, back in Langley, Rob Wein and his company have expanded their Home of Clematis Shop to include a wide assortment of other plants and garden products, everything from huge hanging baskets and pots of summer colour plants to decorative items, tools and other garden accessories.
Located at the entrance to the nursery at 5343 264 St, Langley, the shop is inside one of the large greenhouses. Click here to go to the website.
Visitors find they have lots of room to move around as well as a wide selection of plants – including, of course, the best and most diverse assortment of clematis and vines – to choose from.
