Clematis: Flowering Vines for Partial Shade

Flowering vines are a great addition to any garden, but if you have a shade garden there are very few vines that will do well with minimal light. Clematis is a beautiful flowering vine, that comes in many varieties and does not get the recognition it deserves for being tolerant of so many growing conditions.

Shade gardens that receive at least some sunlight during the day can include a flowering clematis vine, one of the very few flowering vines that will flourish in shade. There are three popular types of clematis that you can find in your local nursery for your garden, and caring for them is relatively easy compared to other flowering vines.

Here are three types of flowering clematis vines that will grow in partial shade.

Clematis Virginiana
Also known as Virgin's Bower, Virginiana is a very popular type of clematis because it grows almost wherever it is planted. A true green thumb pleaser, as well as a not so green thumb pleaser, Virginiana vines bloom for an especially long time starting in mid summer and all the way through to fall.

Plant Virginiana anywhere in your garden where the sun makes an appearance for any portion of the day, even if it is just the slightest bit of sun through your large shade trees. Small white blooms will fill the corner of your garden and leave light green vines well after the last bloom is spent.

Clematis Nelly Moser
Nelly Moser is probably the most photographed and recognized of all the types of clematis. A large pink striped flower fills the vines till there is no more room for a single more. I like this type of clematis because it marks the coming of spring and then returns for another show right before winter arrives.

Nelly Moser does well in the shade but needs a little more sunlight than Virginiana, try to find a spot for it that will get some late afternoon sun for about half the day. Also, a dry shade garden is better than a wet one for Nelly Moser, keep the soil around the crown of the plant as moisture free as possible. Try using rocks and planting in well drained soil for the best results.