Perfect Partners

A sunny day, plus a visit from my garden guru, this woman knows how to create garden paradises that truely make you feel you died and went to heaven, has me outdoors this afternoon. Nothing like a garden friend to inspire. The task at hand is mundane, an old arbor, one of the smaller of eight in our garden, recently repaired and now waiting for a good rub down with Purex water. This, to remove the green mold. When this is finished the white paint underneath will look new again, at least I hope so. On either side of this arbor are two plants of Rosa 'Veilchenblau,' often referred to as the as the blue rose. It's often found in old gardens, such as mine, as it was used as an under stock rose. I am quite fond of the pair of them. When we moved to our present home, we found it on the ground in two huge humps. I could not bare to remove it, as it was in the way of a projected path so my husband built an arbor for them to arch over. About eight years ago I planted Clematis, 'Etoile Violette,' one of the wonderful viticella clematis, at the foot of one rose. Only one is needed as it will leap over the arbor to clothe it completly. It's deep velvety, purple blooms break open just as the violet to grey-blue flowers of Veilchenblau fade. 'Etoile Violette' makes a perfect partner to grow through roses because you can whack it way back. This frees up the rose for easy pruning in winter or spring, and you're minus ugly, dead looking Clematis foliage. Oh yes, the best part? 'Veilchenblau' is nearly thornless and has very pliable canes that bend easily over an arbor.