pairing clematis with proper partners, with linda beutler of rogerson clematis collection

IN THEIR NATIVE HABITATS, Clematis don’t have that post holding up your mailbox to support them, or a piece of wooden trellis. In nature, they scramble and climb through other plants, which offers us a hint of just how versatile and willing they are, and the many ways to use them in the garden.

Linda Beutler is author of three books about clematis, president of the International Clematis Society, and curator of the Rogerson Clematis Garden collection in the Pacific Northwest, just outside Portland, Oregon. Suffice it to say, Linda knows from clematis.

In a recent conversation, Linda shared tips on matching the right clematis to the right support, and what to look for (not flowers!) when buying nursery plants, and why following the traditional rules on pruning without applying some common sense as well isn’t the way to go. Plus: Enter to win Linda’s “The Plant Lover’s Guide to Clematis” by commenting at the very bottom of the page. (That’s Linda, below, in the wild with Clematis spooneri, a close cousin ofC. montana.; photo by Ken Woolfenden.)

Read along as you listen to the March 12, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

clematis q&a with linda beutler

Q. I was interested to read, I believe you’re the first American president of the International Clematis Society? Is it usually all Brits, or what? [Laughter.]

A. We do have a lot of British members. Lots of German members. We’ve had presidents from Sweden and Poland, and we have lots of members in Japan, where clematis are quite widely bred. So yes, we’re pretty far-flung.

Q. Truly international.

A. You bet.

Q. Well, congratulations on being