Clematis

In answer to Aunt Rilla's comment I must sadly admit that the blooms on this clematis are totally undeserved. I have done nothing to help it along other that cut it back in the fall and tie it up in the spring. It is planted in the no–man's–land of my garden. This area is totally overrun with irises. In fact you can barely see soil between the tubers. I'm not sure how the clematis manage to do so well under the circumstances. People keep telling me I need to thin out the irises, but they keep getting better each year. Perhaps both plants thrive on adversity.