Clematis in Seattle

This is Part 2 of a four-part description of my experiences at the International Clematis Society’s Conference in Southern Germany this past summer, including a pre-trip to Heidelberg and a post-trip to Holland. If you haven’t already read Part 1, you might want to go back and read that first (check category:  International Clematis Conference).

Würzburg

On our third day in the charming clematis village of Erlabrunn, we spent the morning walking around the village and enjoying all the beautiful clematis planted everywhere for our enjoyment. In the afternoon, we were off on a little river cruise to nearby Würzburg where we saw the Fortress Marienberg, with a beautiful view of Würzburg and its surroundings. On view were innumerable steep fields full of grape vines growing in neat rows – this area is afterall in the heart of Germany’s wine country. Then we visited the Würzburg Residence, a sumptuous palace built for a bishop in the 1700s. The central main hall of the residence is large enough for carriages with teams of six horses to drive into so the elite passengers would not have to disembark outside in the elements!

The Wurzburg Residence

In the evening we were treated to a wine tasting in the Würzburg Residence wine cellar – very healthy tastes of six delicious local wines. The wine cellar still shows off casks that are hundreds of years old, but of course they use newer ones to make today’s wines. Afterwards, the chatty giggly group boarded a bus to head back to Erlabrunn.

The Wine Cellar

The Village of Uettingen

The next morning, we packed up to head for Ludwigsburg near Stuttgart. On the way we made a little detour to the village of Uettingen, where we were enchanted by two lovely gardens, each one very different from the other.

Garden of Corinna Seubert-Korhman

Garden Dreams, the garden of Corinna Seubert-Kohrman, is beautifully laid out into garden rooms with carefully orchestrated color schemes and embellished with Corinna’s garden accessories. Views from one garden to another lead the eye through complex layers of texture and color, often to one of the many focal points that grace the garden. Corinna and her husband Frank purchased the run-down property twenty years ago and have transformed it into a showpiece, with Frank restoring the house and other buildings and Corinna establishing the garden. Corinna loves to use a wide range of garden accessories, planters, trellises, and outdoor furniture of extraordinary style in her gardens and offers many of these items for sale in her showroom.

Deft Use of Color & Texture

A View from One Garden Room into Others

Garden Accessories

Our group of clematarians (aka clemaniacs) included several clematis hybridizers. Two of them, Manfred Westphal of Clematisculturen Westphal in Germany and Szczepan Marczynski of Clematis-Container Nursery in Poland, spent several minutes standing before a large clematis loaded with pale blue blossoms discussing whether the plant could be Clematis Prince Charles or not. They finally concluded that the plant was a C. Prince Charles look-alike, not the real thing.   Unfortunately, the bright sunny day made getting good photos a bit difficult.

Faux C. Prince Charles in Question

Manfred and Szczepan discussing the authenticity of C. Prince Charles

 The Garden of Marianne and Peter Kraus

The second garden in Uettingen, the creation of Marianne and Peter Kraus, also is made up of a series of garden rooms, each one with its own aura and all chock full of wonderful perennials, annuals, climbing roses, and clematis, many of them rare or unusual. My Russian friend Valentina, a rosarian as well as a clematarian, was in heaven! She was particularly delighted to see the antique blue-toned rambler Rosa Vielchenblau in full bloom. Only when it was nearly time to go did I discover that I had seen only half of the garden! It was on a double lot with a tall clipped hedge separating (or in my case – hiding) the second garden from the first. I had very little time to take in all there was to see on the other side of the hedge!

Gardener Marianne with Lothar (Germany), Iris (England), and Klaus Korber (Erlabrunn)

The Dusky and Alluring Clematis Romantika

Clematis Pamiat Serdtsa (I think)

Clematis durundii

Clematis The President

Attendees Carol (England) and Crystal (Germany) resting in the shade

Klaus Kölle

Next stop on our way to Ludwigsburg was the Gartencenter Kölle in Heilbronn (one of several upscale and very successful Kölle garden centers around Germany). Owner Klaus Kölle was there to greet us and offer us an outstanding outdoor luncheon, after which we were all treated to tours of the bowels of the nursery business – way in the back where all the plants are grown for market. Then off we went to the large and gorgeous home garden of Klaus Kölle and his wife – auf dem Äckerle (which means On the Little Farm). This garden was utterly unbelievable. Huge with a lawn down the middle and deep deep borders all around, loaded with gorgeous plants, including many beautiful clematis, and showcasing vistas into the valleys and hills beyond.  An absolutely jaw-dropping stunning garden. And we had the great honor of being able to lounge about in it imbibing cool drinks and taking in the atmosphere.

Klaus Kolle and Daughter Welcoming the International Clematis Society

Just a portion (maybe 1/3) of the beautiful Kolle garden.

Eye-Catching Unknown Clematis

Clematis Justa

Purple Clematis with Yellow Rose — Wonderful Combination!

Clematis Julii?

 Ludwigsburg

In Ludwigsburg we had yet another palace to see.  I chose, instead, to go with two friends across the street to spend the day checking out  Ludwigsburg’s shops and cafes.

The Garden of Elke and Friedrich Schmid

In the afternoon we traveled a short way by bus to the garden of Elke and Friedrich Schmid. This garden had loads of clematis in bloom, many of them held up by interesting natural supports. Though the weather was damp, we were undeterred. I think each one of us checked out every clematis on the property, plus many other interesting plants. Herr Schmid’s grandchildren, who have lived in the US for several years, were on hand to translate for their grandfather to those of us who speak English better than German.

Clematis on a Tripod Made of Natural Materials

Clematis Rooguchi

Clematis Royal Velours

Clematis Tie Dye

Clematis Nelly Moser (or a look alike) Gracing a Dark-Leaved Maple Tree

Clematis Blue Angel Adorning a Conifer

Unknown Red Clematis

The Ever-Beautiful Clematis Venosa Violacea

That evening we were treated to another wonderful wine tasting, this time with nine wines, at the Bottwartaler Vinery – a much newer and more modern winery that the one in Wurzburg.  We were able to purchase wines there, and a couple of bottles flew home with me to the US.

Clematis in Germany and Holland, Parts 3 and 4, Still to Come  

Hmm, looks like I’ll have to report on my clematis activities in Europe this summer in four parts instead of two or three.  Part 3 will describe more activities in Germany, including another display garden, two more clematis gardens, and a clematis and rose festival in Unterleitzheim that occurs only once every three years.  Part 4 will cover the time I spent in Holland with wonderful friends who have a beautiful garden. I will also describe a visit to Ton Hannick’s propagation greenhouse and a trip to Boskoop to see two nurseries specializing in clematis.  So be sure to check back!