I’m finding that even though I can’t grow many of the species I see on BBC’s Gardener’s World, I’m still enjoying watching. I pick up small, practical things — a better way to deadhead, a reminder about pruning timing — the kind of universal advice that translates across climates. But I also love the home‑garden videos viewers send in. They range from London flats overflowing with houseplants to tidy allotments to gardens from around the world.
One of them has stayed with me: a gardener in Ukraine. Her small cottage garden was lovely on its own terms — the kind of space anyone would consider a triumph — but it was also a sanctuary for her in the middle of a war zone. It reminded me of how useful gardening can be when dealing with whatever anxieties I’m facing.
“And the peace of the garden fell upon his heart.”
-Alfred, Lord Tennyson
She spoke about tending her clematis while hearing distant bombings. When asked her favorite, she showed a clematis with cup‑shaped flowers, somewhere between a tulip and a lily, red with white edging. It was enchanting.
I’ve only tried clematis once before, back when I lived in the Northeast, and it didn’t go well. So I wasn’t optimistic when I started researching whether I could grow one in Phoenix. But I learned that while most clematis would struggle here, there is one group with a fighting chance: Clematis texensis.
As the name suggests, it comes from Texas — specifically west‑central Texas — where it grows in heat, dry air, rocky soil, and intense sun (as long as the roots stay shaded). That makes it one of the few clematis with a realistic shot at surviving a Phoenix summer. The classic large‑flowered varieties simply can’t.
I planted mine much later than ideal, but I’ve done everything I can to set it up for success. I mixed a custom potting blend using coconut coir, perlite, and pea gravel:
60% coconut coir • 25% perlite • 15% pea gravel (give or take — it’s in that ballpark)
I placed it where it gets a brief bit of morning sun and then shade for the rest of the day, added a trellis, and mulched heavily to keep the roots cool. If radiant heat becomes an issue, I can shift the pot. We’ve already hit triple digits and will likely stay there awhile. I ordered this little lady weeks ago, and she arrived now, so planting her wasn’t optional — only protecting her was.
I don’t expect flowers or much growth this year. My best‑case scenario is simple: survive the summer. If Princess Kate manages that, I think she’ll become a long‑term resident of the garden. And who knows — maybe other Clematis texensis varieties will join her. Like the gardener in Ukraine, I can imagine this becoming a favorite.
As for Humphrey’s role this week: he remains the “Chief Inspector of Gardens,” though I’m not sure he interprets the title quite the way I intended. He’s never allowed in the front (the Hygge Garden) unsupervised, but he does have a dog door to the back. Because of that, we’re much more cautious about what we plant there. Gardening with a puppy is always an adventure — but he’s so worth it.
Once more unto the breach,
🌿 Ruby
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