Trees and Vines at Digging Dog
Including Clematis, Hydrangea, & Schizophragma
If gardens are outdoor rooms, designed to create a sense of enclosure, then trees are the pillars or columns that support the walls and ceiling. No wonder there are so many tree worshipers.
Trees are permanent legacies to the future; even if your plot of ground isn’t an estate, you can leave something of enduring beauty behind. Use them to block unsightly views or to frame and emphasize outstanding ones. Only trees can give a garden that certain satisfying sense of permanence and maturity. Their shade and dappled light create microclimates beneath.
Plant trees singly as a starring role specimen, use three or five to create a grove, or get carried away and plant a French allée with double or multiple rows paralleling a central corridor. If your property is blessed with some ancient specimens, remember that they won’t last forever, and plant a new generation with that in mind. However you decide to use them, do plan your garden around trees.
Vines are amazing in their ability to lend an air of maturity to the garden; trained on fence, arbor, pergola or house, they can frame a distant vista or intimate view. Vines can be used to “ground” any structure to the earth, and are perfect for harmonizing architectural forms with the environment; they can visually soften stone walls and fences, even camoußage an unsightly feature. Select a vine for its delicacy of pattern and leaf shape, or choose a veritable cascade of blossom.
Acer
Maple
Paperbark Maple
With a dignified, rounded form, dramatically flaking mahogany-colored bark that peels to expose the cinnamon hues beneath, and rich green trifoliate leaves that blaze to a brilliant red each fall, China’s Paperbark Maple is a splendid specimen for just about any place in your garden. This Maple requires well drained soil, and will tolerate sun, shade or wind, but never drought. Unparalleled for its winter beauty, Acer griseum grows slowly to its full size. Large Band.
Size: 20'–30' high x 15'–20' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Acer griseum (t-0028)
Each $19.00
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Actinidia
Hardy Male KiwiWith a name that sounds like a magical chant, this deciduous climbing vine extends the Kiwi’s hardiness range into the Northern U.S. and Canada. Its 3 to 5 in. heart-shaped leaves are painted with creamy white, green and pink. In summer, it bears small white flowers without fruiting.
Give this charmer well drained soil and watch it ramble up a pergola, fence or wall. Grant up to 2 to 3 years for the striking variegation to appear. Grows rapidly. Large Band.
Blooms June. Size: 15' high wide; hardy to zone 4.
Actinidia kolomikta ‘Arctic Beauty’ (T-0003)
Each $13.00
Add to Cart Ampelopsis
Porcelain Berry
Variegated Porcelain Berry
If you want to cover a wall or a fence quickly and dramatically, this is the vine for you. Originating in the Far East, this elegant, self-clinging, deciduous vine is densely covered with small leaves delicately splashed with pink and white, and young pink shoots. In the autumn, as the foliage turns light yellow, the porcelain-colored berries darken to steel blue. Large Band.
Size: 12'–15' high & spreading; hardy to zone 5.
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata ‘Elegans’ (T-0125)
Each $13.00
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Aristolochia
Dutchman’s Pipe Vine
Manchurian Pipe VineThe tropical-looking, densely cloaked screen generated by this deciduous climber’s mature flush of heart-shaped, overlapping foliage will dampen street noise and shield you from the neighbors. With exceptional vigor and cold tolerance, glossy, dark green leaves soften any prospect and provide an outstanding backdrop on which to paint your garden color.
Not quite hidden by the large handsome greenery that grows up to a foot across, captivating 2 in. long, mahogany and creamy yellow tubular blooms flare into 3 lobes, resembling a Dutchman’s pipe. A quick growing, deer resistant Chinese native, Aristolochia manshuriensis requires adequate space and a strong structure to clamber upon. Medium Band.
Blooms May – June. Size: 15' high & spreading; hardy to zone 5.
Aristolochia manshuriensis (T-0264)
Each $12.00
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Trumpet Creeper
Robust, rich and rampant, this eastern American native provides a living screen festooned each summer with richly colored blossoms that resemble flaring trumpets. A beacon to hummingbirds, Campsis are tolerant of almost any conditions, but flourish in sunny spots with moist, well drained soil. To encourage a lavish show and control its shape, prune hard in wintertime.
Medium Band.
Yellow Trumpet CreeperThe pendulous clusters of 3 in. long, richly yellow trumpets, each extruding prominent curved stamens, shine against lustrous, dark green compound leaves defined by seven to eleven coarsely toothed leaflets. When the weather cools, foliage mellows to yellow-green and blooms give way to podlike capsules of winged seeds.
Easily ascending by self-clinging aerial roots, ‘Flava’ casts its cheerful accents upon fences, pergolas or walls.
Blooms July–September. Size: 25'–35' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Campsis radicans ‘Flava’ (T-0229)
Each $12.00
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Hornbeam
European Hornbeam
The deciduous European Hornbeam, with its handsome, densely arranged foliage, is renowned for making hedges. Also known for the hardness of its fine grained wood, it’s used to manufacture the inner moving parts of pianos. Glistening, toothed and oval-shaped, the deep forest green leaves transmute to yellow in the fall against smooth gray bark inscribed by muscular, vertically aligned undulations. If clipping isn’t your forté, don’t worry because Carpinus naturally grows in a dense, pyramidal to rounded shape.
Aside from the classic elegance of the pleated foliage, Hornbeam also exhibits an overall hardiness, capable of withstanding wind, shearing, heavy pruning and clay soil. Try it as a hedge, windbreak, single specimen, or get wild and plant an allée, pleached or not. Deep Large Band. 10 feet in 10 years.
Blooms March. Size: 40'–60' high x 20'–30' wide; hardy to zone 5.
AVAILABLE SPRING 2012
Carpinus betulus (T-0004)
Each $17.00
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Japanese Hornbeam
This stellar medium-sized Hornbeam promises to delight all year round. Hallmarking spring and summer, a winsome bevy of small, oval-shaped dark green serrated foliage sport prominent veins, soft yellow-green undersides and slender pointed tips. Long, pendent, bright green and red-tinged fruiting keys accompanied by cozy yellow and red foliage make attractive autumn features, while winter showcases pendulous branches and smooth pale patterned bark.
A rarely offered Japanese native introduced in 1914, the versatile Carpinus laxiflora can be grown as a landscape specimen or serves as an ideal bonsai candidate. 10' in 10 years. Large Band.
Blooms March. Size: 30' high x 20'–25' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carpinus laxiflora (T-0260)
Each $15.50
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Katsura Tree
When Japanese philosopher Toshitsuna said that trees “bring the magnificence of heaven to the human realm,” he must have been contemplating a Katsura Tree. The graceful foliage is rounded, almost heart-shaped, announcing spring in purple and bronze, then maturing to a sprightly medium green. In fall, it keeps us guessing with its variable autumn colors: pale or brilliant, yellow or orange, red, pink, or mauve, while the leaves mysteriously exude the distinct scent of fresh strawberries. Give it rich, slightly acid soil and adequate moisture.
Katsura Tree
Perhaps Japan’s largest shade tree, normally multi-
trunked Katsura manifests a gracious symmetry; trained to a single trunk it provides a narrower, almost columnar shape. Its dappled shade is a cordial host for Corylopsis. Grows moderately to rapidly.
Large Band.
Blooms March–April. Size: 60' high x 30' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Cercidiphyllum japonicum (T-0005)
Each $17.00
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Fringe Tree
Chinese Fringe Tree
Named for its clustered, snow-white fleecy flowers, the broadly spreading Chinese Fringe Tree casts light shade with rounded leathery leaves. This deciduous Olive family member is a captivating, four season specimen displaying blue, egg-shaped summer fruit, warm yellow autumn foliage and peeling gray-brown bark in winter. Well sized for a lawn or small yard, it’s easily cultivated in moist, loamy soil. Grows slowly. Large Band.
Blooms June. Size: 20' high x 15' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Chionanthus retusus (T-0008)
Each $14.75
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American Fringe Tree
With ample cream-colored, lacy blossoms and blue, egg-shaped fruit, the American Fringe tree is one of the most beautiful of all North American trees. Native to the eastern United States, it appears quite elegant near water, where its openly branching limbs and glossy green leaves can be reflected in the afternoon light.
Growing into small trees or occasionally multistemmed large shrubs, Chionanthus are easy to cultivate in moist, loamy soil and are well sized for a lawn or small yard. Grows slowly to its full size.
Large Band.
Blooms late June – mid-July. Size: 15' high x 20' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Chionanthus virginicus (T-0034)
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Simple and beautiful, Clematis includes over 300 named cultivars and even more wild species than the rose. Our selections offer opulent blossoms, attractive, carefree foliage, and ornamental seed heads, in exchange for a minimum of attention. Use them to cover just about every stump and dead tree, as well as on trellises, arbors, pergolas, walls and tall shrubs. They prefer to be planted slightly deep in cool,
well drained soil, with mulch or a ground cover to shade their feet; provide a support and let them climb.
Medium Band.
Honored with the same name as the musical luminary Jacqueline du Pré, this Clematis harmoniously orchestrates bright green deciduous leaves arranged in threes, maroon-tinged stems and large, freely borne rosy mauve flowers. Suspended from long stalks, pointed dusky mulberry-hued buds reveal light-centered, semipendent blooms composed of four separate, out curving tepals with pale-blushed margins and darker orchid shades on the exterior.
A shimmering overture announcing spring’s arrival, the dainty floral display garnishes a vigorous, cold hardy vine, acquiescing to both cool, shady northern spots and sunny, more exposed locations.
Blooms April – May. Size: 8'–10' high & spreading; hardy to zone 3.
Clematis alpina ‘Jacqueline du Pré’ (T-0241)
Each $16.75
Add to Cart Hats off to British Columbia’s University Botanical Garden for selecting this long blooming, citrus-hued gem from a group of South Korean seedlings. Wine-colored stems and sturdy, trifoliate deciduous foliage host masses of pastel yellow bells described by thick, ribbed tepals, burgundy bases and slender, pointed tips that turn outward.
Arising mostly from the previous season’s wood, its fairylike flowers welcome in summer, while ethereal fluffy seed heads extend the enchanting composition.
Blooms May–June. Size: 6-1/2'–10' high & spreading; hardy to zone 6.
Clematis chiisanensis ‘Lemon Bells’ (t-0240)
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Email me when this plant is available Also known as Clematis spooneri.
An avalanche of white blossoms smothers the deep green rounded foliage, like a heavy spring snowfall in the mountains. Amid 3-lobed deciduous leaflets that are downy on both sides and purple-tinged when young, broad, widely spaced tepals embellish each illuminated flower. This splendid climber bears some semblance to Clematis montana, though its vigorous form is more refined and somewhat less rambunctious, rendering it more suited to a terrace or smaller garden.
Blooms April – early June. Size: 15'–20' high & spreading; hardy to zone 6.
Clematis chrysocoma var. sericea (T-0265)
Each $16.75
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(Vancouver ™)
So smitten with his new introduction, Fred Wein Sr. of Clearview Horticultural Nursery, a leading North American Clematis grower, named it after his darling granddaughter. Overlapping vibrant purple-blue tepals with carmine-tinged central bars and rich red-tipped stamens distinguish ‘Danielle’s large shapely blooms.
Superb as a cut flower and as a container focal point, due to its compact stature, this celebrated Clematis’ richly hued blossoms will festoon your garden in late spring and again in early autumn.
Blooms June & September. Size: 6'–8' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘Danielle’ (T-0261)
Each $16.75
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The dexterous hands of an Argentine doctor raised this fabulous free flowering Clematis. Boasting wavy edges and a sensuous satiny luster, each large single blossom is composed of 6 to 8 overlapping rose pink tepals, which encompass candent yellow-brown anthers. Dark fuchsia-colored central brush strokes and tapered points define the tepals. A medium-sized, moderately vigorous stature renders it well-suited for container culture or a garden arch.
Coveted by floral arrangers and hummingbirds alike, ‘Doctor Ruppel’ charms gardeners with repeat bloom periods, curly tailed spherical seed heads and a mettle tough enough to endure strong sunlight.
Blooms May – June & September. Size: 8'–10' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘Doctor Ruppel’ (T-0262)
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Let ‘Durandii’ twine its way through the branches of your favorite shrub. This semi-herbaceous Clematis is coveted by floral arrangers and gardeners alike for its choice 3-½ to 4 in. flowers and sturdy, nonclinging stems. With centers of creamy white stamens and deeply ribbed tepals, these richly colored indigo-blue flowers will bring an exquisite splash of color to your garden or an arrangement.
Blooms June–September. Size: 3-1/2'–5' high & spreading; hardy to zone 5.
Clematis durandii (T-0109)
Each $16.75
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Gold soaked frilly centers heighten the lavish and lengthy showing of large, well rounded mauve-blue flowers, which span some 6 in. across. Gracing lance-shaped deciduous leaflets, long narrow tapered buds herald the marvelous blooms, each described by 6 or 8 broadly overlapping tepals with subtly notched margins and red-tinged bases.
An award winning, compact Polish cultivar whose blossoms and fluffy seed clusters make first-class additions to cut arrangements, the robust ‘General Sikorski’ can be trained up an obelisk or pergola alongside climbing roses, or sited in a container as a colorful summertime specimen.
Blooms June – September. Size: 6'–8' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘General Sikorski’ (T-0248)
Each $16.75
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Legions of big, beautiful, blue single flowers highlighted by contrasting cream-colored stamens dress this hardy, RHS award winning Clematis. Between 6 to 8 round-edged tepals extend over one another, emphasizing pointed tips and mauvish blue flipsides, each with a subtle greenish white central zone.
Not as rambunctious as many cultivars, ‘H. F. Young’ sprouts paired, widely spaced deciduous leaves that can drape a pergola, large trellis or an obelisk in a mixed border.
Blooms May – June & September. Size: 7'–9' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘H. F. Young’ (T-0263)
Each $16.75
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Prized for its sweetly scented, Hyacinth-like flowers, this pretty semiherbaceous perennial was collected by Pére David near Beijing in 1863. Luminous tight-knit clusters of powdery blue-lavender flowers with curled-back petals are borne at both the leaf axils and stem tips. Medium green and good-sized, the serrated foliage and strong stems form an arresting textural mass that emits a pleasant woodsy aroma when autumn arrives.
Spreading by underground rhizomes, Clematis var. davidiana is certain to spark attention as it rambles around Deutzia setchuenensis var. corymbiflora in a mixed grouping.
Blooms late July–September. Size: 3' high & spreading; hardy to zone 5.
Clematis heracleifolia var. davidiana (T-0220)
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Email me when this plant is available Bred nearly 100 years ago in France, ‘Huldine’ faithfully delivers copious pearly white, cup-shaped blooms all summer long. Amid plump pointed buds, dark stems and handsome, strong growing deciduous greenery, the perfect-for-cutting, 3 to 4 in. luminous flowers are held upright while uniting 6 translucent nonoverlapping tepals around a cluster of greenish yellow anthers.
This sophisticated hardy Clematis features recurving tips and slightly incurved, mauve-blushed margins. It is best grown over a large trellis, arch or pergola—anywhere the lovely undersides, which glow with 3 pinkish mauve central bars per tepal, are easily relished.
Blooms July – October. Size: 10'–15' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘Huldine’ (T-0249)
Each $16.75
Add to Cart Embroidered by decorative clusters of burgundy-tipped white anthers, giant 5 in. wide blossoms are a florist’s dream and a gardener’s boon. Prolific bicolored blooms manifest ever-changing hues as they mature and fool you into thinking two different Clematis are twined together. Newly unfurling pink tepals are boldly striped in plush ruby red shades and later the bands develop orchid-tinted borders and brilliant fuchsia hues, which mellow to a pronounced pink, while the background eventually adopts a warm lavender cast.
With its unique summer-long floral display, handsome deciduous greenery and relatively small stature, this phenomenal Clematis is tailor-made for containers or intimate spaces in a front and center patio position.
Blooms June – September. Size: 8'–10' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘Kilian Donahue’ (T-0266)
Each $16.75
Add to Cart We especially like this vigorous deciduous cultivar for its smoky silver seed heads. But nodding violet-blue flowers with inner petals of cream also combine with young red stems and coarsely toothed medium green leaves to make this species a colorful favorite.
Blooms June–September. Size: 15' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis macropetala ‘Blue Bird’ (T-0037)
Each $16.75
Add to Cart Claiming the British Clematis Society’s 1998 Certificate of Merit award, this renowned “star” was named after a local parish by the English couple who bred it. Each 2-½ in. semidouble flower is the color of crushed strawberries and features a distinctive inner ring of tepals, luxuriously staged against bronzy green deciduous foliage. For a far-reaching display of enticing blooms aplenty, let ‘Broughton Star’s vigorous stems weave their way amid the Dove Tree’s heart-shaped leaves.
Blooms May–June. Size: 15'–20' high & spreading; hardy to zone 5.
Clematis montana ‘Broughton Star’ (T-0232)
Each $16.75
Add to Cart This deliciously vanilla-scented cultivar boasts masses of tenderly pink, 2-¼ in. blooms, each with a satiny sheen, rounded tepals and a spiky yellow center. Young deciduous stems are tinged burgundy, and new purple-tinted trifoliate leaves age to a handsome green bronze as the flowers melt away.
Blooms May – June. Size: 25'–30' high & spreading; hardy to zone 6.
Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’ (T-0043)
Each $16.75
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Ample, soft pink and ruffled edged, the 7 to 9 in. flowers of this new Clearview Nursery introduction achieve a decidedly feminine visage. Central hubs defined by white filaments with yellow anthers, slightly darker pink midribs and hot pink edges augment an elegant presentation that spans 3 seasons.
Originating from a cross between ‘Souvenir du Capitaine Thuilleaux’ and ‘Kathleen Wheeler’, ‘Morning Mist’ fashions attractive green deciduous foliage, grows vigorously into a well-branched, small-sized vine, and looks stylish in a glossy black vessel.
Blooms May – June & September. Size: 6'–8' high & spreading; hardy to zone 4.
Clematis ‘Morning Mist’ (T-0267)
Each $16.75
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