CLEMATIS - THE GARDENER'S FRIEND

Among the climbing plants, clematis is a firm favourite. In the nineteenth century exciting specimens, new to the West, were brought to this country by the Victorian plant collectors. They soon gained popularity and caught the imagination of the gardeners of the day. Today, there are so many to choose from, each offering different characteristics. Sometimes categorised into early, mid and late flowering species, the species and varieties on offer at nurseries and garden centres all produce beautiful displays of flowers.

Here are a few examples to consider in your garden. Clematis montana is an early flowering species with a wide choice of varieties. All are very vigorous. They bear masses of flowers in late spring or early summer. ‘Grandiflora’ produces white flowers, 8-10cm across and dark green leaves. Those of ‘Pink Perfection’ are 5-7cm across, rounded, fragrant and pink,. The mid-season clematis produce bigger flowers. ‘Bees’ Jubilee’ bears pink flowers which are 10-12cm across. This plant is quite compact, achieving a maximum height of 2.5m and will do better in partial shade. ‘Nelly Moser’ is loved by many gardeners. The pinkish-mauve flowers are a delight and make a real impression at 12-16cm across. For a profuse show of smaller flowers in mid-late summer, consider the species that are classified as late flowering. Examples include ‘Perle d’Azur’, which produces beautiful blue flowers in abundance, or ‘Alba Luxurians’ with its delicate, green-tipped white flowers, 5-7cm across.

Because of their very vigorous growth habit, the early flowering clematis are particularly well-suited for growing over unsightly garden features. Some form of support is necessary for clematis to enable them to climb. Use either a wire framework or a wooden trellis. They need fertile, humus rich soils with good drainage. Semi-shade or full sun suits them; ideally the base of the plant and its roots should be in shade. Many clematis encountered in this country are fully hardy, but do check this, especially if you are in a frost prone area.

Clematis has earned a place in our hearts as a classic garden plant. The choice of species and varieties is so wide that it would be great fun to establish your own collection at home. With their space-saving growth habit and knack of covering things you’d rather not look at, there’s no good reason not to!

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