C is for Clematis
When I think about it, it was in my mother in law’s yard, where I realized my love for gardening. Seeing how happy she was there and the beauty that she created in her little corner of the world was inspiring and I admired her gift of making her home welcoming and warm. If I were to name flowers that bring me back there, the first that pops into my mind is the Clematis. 
Every June her trellis was loaded with purple flowers that enveloped the porch. I always admired their beauty and she would beam about them. I remember her telling me they liked their “feet” cool and their “heads” in the sun. Which translated means, keep their roots in shade but make sure they get enough sun. Good advice ~ I always put them in sunny spots but I keep pachysandra or hostas planted at their base so those roots keep cool.
When we sold her house, I took her clematis that she had been so proud of and brought it to my house. I enjoyed it there for years to spite kids and dogs. Every year when that vine would bloom I would think of her and how pretty that purple waterfall on the side of her porch was. But then one day which I will never forget, my luck ran out in the clematis department.
I was standing on my deck while my son and his friends played in the yard throwing the ball for our dog. Keep in mind that she was obscessed with tennis balls. Relentless chasing of them was her most favorite thing to do in life. As one of the bos threw the ball, like lightening, she quickly retrieved it right underneath my full blooming clematis. Needless to say, her reverse wasn’t quite as graceful as her dive in and she ripped the entire thing out of the ground because she got herself tangled in it. 
I could only watch in horror as she struggled free dragging the vine and it’s flowers in her wake. She never dropped the ball and emerged triumphantly. My husband stood there watching me, thinking he would have to stop me from strangling her. All I could do was cry. Like a crazy person I just started crying.
But then I remembered one of the other pieces of gardening advice Mom had given me….” You can always grow grass and flowers but not children or dogs”. I repeated this over and over until I decided she was right. I gathered the pieces but it was beyond hope. The truth is, she was right, I do miss my dog, Scooter, brat that she was, and I would gladly give a hundred clematis to see her again, but I also miss that vine. 
A lot.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 1:19 am
Your flowers are so lovely, the colors so delightful and wonderful photos! Great post for the day!
Sylvia
February 3rd, 2010 at: 3:11 am
Your Clematis flowers are so dainty and beautiful. Story was interesting.
Joyce M
February 3rd, 2010 at: 6:50 am
I love flowers….but I love dogs too. If you live with both, you gotta ‘give a little’ for each, right?
Beautiful – both the flowers AND the doggie!!
Mine is Footprints in the Sand…
HERE
February 3rd, 2010 at: 1:50 pm
I like what your Mom said about growing kids and dogs. That’s a good thought to keep in mind when I see some of the things that have happened to parts of my yard after they’ve been there.
Clematis sure are beautiful, a real favorite of mine too. I’m glad you at least had the Clematis for awhile and now it reminds you both of your mother in law and your dog.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 3:05 pm
Love the dark pink ones.
Also, On behalf of the ABC team, thanks for participating.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 4:15 pm
Oh my..what a heartfelt post, Teresa. My mother-in-law was a huge influence on my gardening life and gave sound advice sprinkled with humor. I think your mother-in-law gave you wonderful advice, too and she was so right you cannot grow more children or dogs. Lovely post.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 5:03 pm
I love your mother’s words of wisdom regarding children and dogs! Too true. Scooter was a beautiful dog. I too love Clematis and come spring, I plan on adding some to my garden to be. I will remember to keep their feet cool and their heads in the sun!
Thank you for sharing the story and beautiful photos with us today.
~ Tracy
February 3rd, 2010 at: 7:02 pm
Teresa, what a sweet post. Your pictures are amazing and you shared words of wisdom. I will be back again.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 9:01 pm
Oh, sweet dog…well, except for that Clematis episode. I could feel your pain, because there is nothing as wonderful as Clematis.
February 3rd, 2010 at: 9:40 pm
Nice that you received such a gift from from your mom-in-law. Some in-laws don’t get along. Lovely flowers.
February 4th, 2010 at: 12:43 am
Beautiful clematis. When I bought this house a long
time ago there had been some heavy duty cleanup
started. One plant was totally tried out – roots on top of the ground and no leaves. I had no idea what it was, but tucked it back into the ground, watered it and when it bloomed the following summer, I asked someone what it was. Stunned, I learned how difficult they are to grow. Still laughing. It lasted about 20 years more. (should be dried out line 3) Can’t seem to edit this.
February 4th, 2010 at: 3:00 am
very elegant photos of clematis! and i love the perpetuity of the flamingo sign now in yours!
February 4th, 2010 at: 6:31 am
One of my favorite summer flowers. They are simply beautiful.
February 4th, 2010 at: 7:05 am
What beautiful clematis photographs! Lovely compositions!
I can well imagine how upset you were when your mother’s clematis got torn out, but she was right – kids and dogs are far more important than a plant, however sentimentally attached you are. I would have broken down in tears, too, though!
February 4th, 2010 at: 3:21 pm
Love your beautiful clematis! My neighbor grows them in her yard.
February 5th, 2010 at: 1:05 pm
You make me long for spring. My clematis is a clump of sticks right now!