Here you see a happy occasion at our house: the joyful “birth” of the first little bloom on a pair of clematis plants that Barbara put in this summer at the base of a deck trellis. They were treated with plenty of TLC in the hope that they would “take,” which they have done . Here’s an enhanced image:
The new raspberry-sherbet-colored clematises were put on either side of a well-established blue clematis that climbs full and tall every year. They replaced climbing roses that, sadly, could not survive the vicissitudes of Maine weather and/or that location.
The plant reportedly was named after the Greek word "klematis" (or klēmatis) which means "climbing plant" or "vine." Depending on location, clematises are known as either the “kings” or “queens” of vines due to their fast-climbing ability and great variety of colors. They have a relatively long flowering period that is helpful to hungry pollinators and admiring people.
(Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on August 14, 2025.)