If you are looking for a clematis in a soft lavender-blue to knit your garden's companion plants together, you need look no further than Clematis 'Dominika'. Although capable of getting quite large (up to 4m), our experience with it at the Rogerson Clematis Garden suggests that rather than spreading to full height, it is happier wandering over low shrubs — it annually drapes over a clipped variegated boxwood — and herbaceous perennials. When offered a sculpture to climb, it has been satisfied to decorate its base. The heritage of C. 'Dominika' is unknown, but it looks and behaves as if there is some "viticella blood" influence. It is a Brother Stefan Franczak introduction from 1980, and so is the elder of C. 'Błękitny Anioł' BLUE ANGEL and could be a parent of it. Regardless of knowing the parentage, treating C. 'Dominika' as one does the viticella group (hard pruning in late winter) yields excellent results, with flowers beginning in mid−June and continuing for several weeks. It is also amenable to a second chop in mid−late July if your growing season allows. If hard pruned again in July, look for new flowers on shorter stems in early September. Of the clematis cultivars linked even distantly to C. viticella, this one tolerates, and even seeks, more shade than most, especially protection from hot afternoon sun. At my home garden, before we removed our Gravenstein Apple, C. 'Dominka' spread throughout it, usually reaching 3m. Two of the specimens at the Rogerson Clematis Garden may use a Hubbardston Nonesuch Apple, but they have yet to reach up into it. One cavorts with Salvia yangii 'Little Spire' (formerly in the genus Perovskia, recently demoted to a subgenus within Salvia), which is likely still found in the American trade as perovskia atriplicifolia 'Little Spire'. This Russian sage stays shorter (0.5−0.6m), does not become invasive, and does not stink. The other C. 'Dominika' lolls on the variegated boxwood placed to assist both plants into the apple, or joins with large-flowered C. 'Mikolaj Kopernik' (also bred by Franczak) to decorate the base of our A Friendly Wind sculpture by Joe Henderson. The two make a cool, serene color harmony. C. 'Dominika' in 2019
Our third C. 'Dominika' occupies a Cornus alba 'Gouchaultii', one of the golden variegated dogwoods that is tasked with holding up several clematis of Polish extraction in Bed 20. The soft lavender blue of the clematis has the same color saturation as the gold in the dogwood, yielding a pleasing color contrast. This is a vigorous shrub that must be severely pruned from time to time, but C. 'Dominka' does not seem to mind if we protect the crown from being trampled.
C. 'Dominika' with dwarf perovskia
C. 'Dominika' with C. 'Mikolaj Kopernik' around a wind sculpture by Joe Henderson
The name, Dominika, could refer to a Polish girl's name or it might refer to a river in the Mazury Lakes region of northeast Poland. There does not seem to be a connection to the name in Polish history or culture, as is so often the case with Franczak clematis names, but if anyone knows of such a connection, please do let this author know. [Editor's note: You may have noticed a significant colour variation in some of the above photos. I queried this with Linda Beutler, author, and she replied:- "Let’s say whatever Clematis on the Web says for color. Relative blueness, as is so often the case with clematis, depends on the age of the flower and light exposure. Blues look more blue in shaded light, and on freshly opening blossoms. In the sun, the color rapidly becomes similar to C. 'Błękitny Anioł' BLUE ANGEL."
C. 'Dominika' with dwarf perovskia
C. 'Dominika' with a lilium 'Oh Henry' hat
Clematis on the Web describes C. 'Dominika' as "Large, pale mauve-blue flowers edged in deeper mauve. The tepals are deeply grooved with deep mauve veining. Anthers are creamy white to greenish yellow."]
Linda Beutler, Curator, Rogerson Clematis Garden
