International
Clematis
SocietyWelcome to all Clematis Lovers
In Memoriam
Sadly I have to report the deaths of three Society members, Vicki Matthews, Cavan Hulbert and Maureen Hudson. Maureen died less than two weeks ago (as I write this). The other two were last year but it was only recently that we learnt of them.
Vicki Matthews - 1941 to 2024
I am sad to report the death, on 20th October 2024 of at Vicki Matthews. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease several years ago. She was the International Clematis Registrar for many years but is probably best known by members of this Society as the person who compiled the very first register of Clematis, "The International Clematis Register and Checklist 2002", as well as the first two supplements. The first register contained details of some 2500 cultivars and 250 species. She had worked at various horticultural institutions including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh and Denver Botanic Gardens. She wrote several books on different aspects of horticulture and was editor of various horticultural magazines and journals. She had great attention to details, in particular for correct grammar, and I remember her talking quite often about the books and articles she was always being asked to proof read. She was a member of the Society for many years and attended several events, sometimes being called upon to assist in plant identification. In 2008, she was awarded a Golden Clematis Award by the Society for her services to the Clematis world. The Society sends it's deepest sympathy to her family and friends.
Cavan Hulbert - 1946 to 2024
More sad news about another Society member, Cavan Hulbert, married to Josie Hulbert, who passed on 14th November 2024. Whilst his health had not been good for several years, this was quite unexpected. He died of Sepsis after being in hospital for 6 days. Cavan was a plumber and heating engineer by trade. He was also interested in cars. He and I had a conversation once about the Porsche 944 he owned. It was one of the very first brought into the UK and he exhibited it at many events. Whilst Josie was the Clematarian of the family, Cavan joined her, along with daughter, Vanessa, on the many Society events they attended. He said he enjoyed the many countries the Society visited, the other members, and always thought it was lovely and amazing that the love of one plant could bring together people of so many different countries and languages. The Society sends it's deepest sympathy to Josie, Vanessa and all their family and friends.
Maureen Hudson - 1934 to 2025
The final name is Maureen Hudson, who died on 18th January 2025, aged 90. Maureen partner was John, who passed away in January 2017. There is an entry for John on our In Memoriam page, click here to read. Maureen, along with John until he died, was a member of the Society for nearly 20 years. With John, they held the British National Collection of Clematis texensis. Maureen was a skilled and experienced plantsperson, not just with Clematis but many other genus as well. With John, they attended several Society events, including Poland, the Netherlands, Republic of Ireland and Japan for which she wrote reports for the journal. In 2023, I published an article she wrote about Clematis afoliata, which they had in their magnificent garden at the Old Mill, Cannington, UK for many years. The Society sends it's deepest sympathy to her family and friends.
Webinar News
January has been a busy month for webinars."A Photographer's Journey" Webinar
The first to be held, on 22nd January and for members only, was "A Photographer's Journey", an illustrated talk about the Society Meeting and Event in the Loire Valley, France, in 2024, given by Mike Warren, UK, Society member for many years and a professional photographer, albeit now retired. It attracted nearly 20% of the membership.Constitutional General Meeting Webinar
The second webinar to be held in January was our Constitutional General Meeting (C.G.M.) on Tuesday 28th January 2025. This was also for Members only. Several important topics relating to the administration of the Society were discussed. As well as the C.G.M., there were a couple of videos, the first by Raymond Evison, celebrating 40 years of the Society. The second was from a Chinese member and looked at Clematis acerifolia, where it grows, how it grows, and many other aspects of this connundrum clematis. I'm pleased to announce that both these webinars are now available to view on the Society special "Members Only" web page. Please note that it will take me a little longer to update the Council Officers and Council Members pages.Future Webinars
The Basics of Clematis Care - Linda Beutler, US, and Ken Black, UK, for members and the public. They will discuss all aspects of caring for clematis including when and how to plant them, where to put them, fertilization, pruning, mulching and more. This talk is suitable for beginners and more experienced clematarians, who perhaps would like to do a little better. To be held on Sunday 2nd March 2025 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.
You can find full details of the webinar, including the Zoom link, in 250302webinarinfo.pdf. Eastern US Native Clematis Research Gardens - Sarah Wellman, US, for Society members only. Sarah is a volunteer at the Southeastern Grassland Institute, U.S.A. She is the chief steward for the native clematis research garden. She will describe this garden, with photos and details of some new species within the Clematis viorna group. She'll also talk about the challenges of maintaining rare and valuable species within uncontrolled natural settings. To be held on Friday March 14th at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.
Clematis Weekend in Germany in September 2025
I am very pleased to inform you that Benedikt Herian, Brigitte Niemela and Wim Snoeijer are organising a weekend meeting in Unterliezheim, Germany in September 2025. Please note, this is completely independent of this Society, although they are all members. You'll find more information in the first information sheet they have produced, please click on Clematis Meeting Unterliezheim 2025 - Information Sheet 1.
Members Seed Exchange 2024 - 25
By now you should have submitted your requests for seeds from our Clematis Seed Exchange as the closing date for submissions was 1st January 2025. However, the List of Available Seeds can still be found at Seeds 2024-25, or by visiting our Seed Exchange page. If you haven't submitted a request yet, please do so (but quickly), depending on demand, you may still be lucky to at least receive some of what you want. Seed distribution started in early January 2025. It is worth keeping an eye on the List of Available Seeds as even when the deadline for seed requests has passed, quite often more seeds will arrive. The List will then be updated. Finally, a huge "Thank You" to the three Seed Exchange Administrators who have worked hard over the last two years to make this happen - Mike Miller (USA/Canada), Ingrid Kastell (EU-Sweden), and Guy Opie (Great Britain).
Clematis International 2025
I am about to start work on our next journal, Clematis International 2025, but there is still time to send me articles, along with photos is you have any. Remember, it is you articles that make the journal interesting and relevant to all our members. Please note, the journals of the few members who failed to receive their copies have now been resent by alternate means.The International Clematis Register and Checklist 2002 - Seventh Supplement
This latest supplement, and all previous supplements as well as The International Clematis Register and Checklist 2002, are available online. In line with the continued expansion of internet usage and with an eye to reducing paper usage and cost, it is suggested that you download it for free from the RHS website, just visit https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plantsmanship/plant-registration/clematis-registration/clematis
International Clematis Society on Social Media
The Society has a presence on the social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram. On both of these you will find updates on what's happening in our garden in the UK as well as clematis news from other members. All you need do is click on either of the two logos below.
The International Clematis Registrar, and the International Clematis Register and Checklist
The International Clematis Register and Checklist 2002, which went out of print some time ago, is available in electronic format. One benefit of this is that it allows text searching. Details for The Register and all seven supplements can be found via the RHS website at https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plantsmanship/plant-registration/Clematis-registration/Clematis. However because of the file size of the Register itself, approximately 25 Mbytes, it cannot be downloaded from the RHS web site in the same way that the supplements can. To help the RHS and reduce their workload, Society members wanting a copy should email Ken Woolfenden, I.Cl.S. Webperson and Editor, at icls editor, who will return a download link. The Society fully endorses the work of the International Clematis Registrar, The International Clematis Register and Checklist 2002 and the six supplements published so far. We recommend all clematis lovers use the standards they describe. There is, of course, still a need for all Clematis breeders, both professionals and amateurs, to register your Clematis cultivars with the Registrar to continue to keep the International Clematis Register up to date. If you want a copy of the form, information about it is available at the Clematis Registration Form.
Recommended Clematis
The Society's Clematis for Beginners List is now Recommended Clematis, reflecting the wider usefulness of this set of clematis cultivars for all clematis growers around the world. It was reviewed and revised during our meeting in Devon and Cornwall in 2015. It is available online and also as a downloadable version from our Recommended Clematis section, in Dutch, English, French, German and Swedish. All the clematis on the list are easy to grow, easy to look after and resistant to common pests and diseases, and whilst there are no absolute guarantees where gardening is concerned, most people should have success with all of these. Because space is not so much of a problem, the online version of the list now contains more information about each clematis featured within it, along with a simple menu bar to let you see each group and then pick the clematis you're interested in. The downloadable version (no illustrations as yet, I'm afraid) is very suitable for taking with you when you visit your local nursery or garden centre!
Journal Index of Clematis References
A reminder of a facility which I'm sure many of you will find most useful - an index of references to all the clematis mentioned in the journals of the Society, both in the text and as pictures. I am indebted to Ton Hannink for all the work he has put into producing the first issue of this index. The index currently covers the years 2005 - 2014 inclusive. Further years will be added as they are completed. Whilst it is quite a large document, some 29 pages, it is not a particularly large file to download should you wish, just under 220 Kbytes. You can find it by visiting the Previous Journals page.
RHS Clematis Catalogue Collection
The Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain holds a collection of Nursery Catalogues and have been keen to add to it. A number of years ago the Society was asked to canvas our members for any Clematis Nursery catalogues which they had and would donate to the collection, which we did. Quite a few have been donated so far. Whilst he was the International Clematis Registrar, Duncan Donald extracted a list of catalogues from Clematis Specialists which are currently within the collection and a list of catalogues which feature clematis, but under such headings as "climbing plants" or "climbers". You can find them at RHS Clematis Catalogue Collection and RHS Climbers and Climbing Plant Catalogue Collection. Links to both these files can also be found via the "Information, Answers and Questions" link on the left of this page. The Society has asked where further donated catalogues should be sent. As soon as we have this information it will be publish here.
Nursery Membership
The Society offers a second category of membership - Nursery Membership. So far we have been very pleased with the support that many nurseries have given by renewing as Nursery Members. We thank them all. These Nursery Members can be found on a special Nursery Members page on this website. The Society hopes you will recognize that, as members of this Society, these Nursery Members have a particular interest, knowledge and love of clematis and can be expected to provide a range and quality of plants, and informed knowledge, not usually available in non-specialist outlets. Please check this page regularly for additions. Whilst it is now too late for your nursery details to be included in Clematis International 2011, any further Nursery Memberships will be published on this website as they are received and also in the List of Members when it is reissued at the beginning of next year.
Trialing New Clematis
An example of a Clematis Trial contract, mentioned in the article in Clematis International 2008 about trialing new clematis by well-known clematis breeder, Wim Snoeijer, can be downloaded by visiting the A.O.B. (Any Other Business) page accessible from our Information, Answers and Questions section.
General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR
This Regulation applies to all organizations, large and small, that store personal data of EU and UK citizens electronically. A draft Privacy Policy was drawn up and discussed at a previous Council Meeting. We are still working on modifications and amendments. Once completed and the resulting document is agreed by your Council, it will be released to all members and posted in this website. The Society is committed to complying with this regulation. Should any member have any questions or concerns regarding it, please contact our designated Data Controller, Ken Woolfenden.
And finally ....
The ethos of the Internet is to be an open forum for ideas, views and opinions. Sites should encourage visitors to link to other sites, it's a two-way process. So if you've got a few moments, why not look at our Clematis Links page and follow up one or two. You may find a lot more than you were expecting!For any non-members visiting this site, have you considered joining the Society? With plans for some very interesting meetings over the next few years there couldn't be a better time. For details, visit our How to Join page.
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All information contained at this site is personal to Ken Woolfenden and
does not represent the official view of the International Clematis Society.
@K.L.Woolfenden