Clematis vines are popular in the gardening world, but did you know that we have our very own native clematis species? (We have several, actually.) This lovely plant is a vine, and in the wild it grows up the stems of shrubs and small trees where its delicate pale blue flowers look like ornaments. Fuzzy seedheads in the late summer and fall keep this vine looking interesting year-round.
 
 
 
In the garden blue clematis is just as happy growing up a trellis or fence, although it may need some assistance at first (it's not as 'grippy' as many vines). It prefers bright shade, but will tolerate sunny spots as long as the base of the plant is in a nice moist and shaded environment. Plant it on the north side of a fence or beneath a shrub, for example, and let it climb to reach the sun. This species takes a few seasons to really get going, so be patient! It is not at all aggressive.