Brewster Rogerson, founder of the collection, was first drawn to clematis because of their incredible diversity. While still a professor of English at Kansas State University, he bought four vines in 1971 and ended up spending the rest of his life acquiring varieties and species from all over the world. Over the years he became a leading expert in the genus and was a founding member of the International Clematis Society (1984), for which he wrote 100 “Clematis of the Month” articles.

In search of a climate conducive to growing as many kinds of clematis as possible, Brewster moved to Oregon in 1981. He initially settled in Eugene. Then in 1987, through the generosity of Bob Gutmann, he was able to house the collection at Gutmann Nursery in North Plains, west of Portland.

In 2005, Brewster transferred ownership of the collection to the newly-formed nonprofit Friends of the Rogerson Clematis Collection. When the collection threatened to outgrow its home at Gutmann Nursery, the Friends group was fortunate to find a home with the City of Lake Oswego at Luscher Farm, a farm-park on the outskirts of the city and part of Lake Oswego’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Brewster Rogerson remained actively involved with the collection and the garden until his health began to fail. Brewster passed away at age 94 in May 2015. His dedication and love for clematis created a legacy that is now permanently housed in a beautiful garden for all to visit and enjoy.

In June 2025 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of breaking ground at the Rogerson Clematis Garden with a day-long event featuring workshops, plant sales, a silent auction, and a book sale. The day ended with a cake and ice cream party hosted by Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation.