Clematis

Clematis must surely be one of the best climbing plants anyone could wish to grow, there are numerous colours and shades which make these gorgeous climbers one of the most popular plants known in Britain today. The word Clematis is derived from the Greek word Klema which means branch or vine like. First introduced to Britain in 1569 was Clematis viticella which was brought from Spain, over the ensuing years other species were brought from Europe where they were used in various hybridising programmes to produce new varieties. It wasn't until the 19th century that the large flowered varieties which are so admired today were introduced from China and were hugely popular with Victorian gardeners. These beautiful climbing plants have showy, colourful flowers and are mainly found in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Clematis are not just summer flowers, there are early flowering varieties, mid season and late flowering varieties, so you could have clematis flowering most of the year.

Clematis fall into three groups, which flower at different times and therefore require different pruning. Group 1 flower in early spring from buds produced on the previous seasons growth. Prune these back as soon as possible after bloom, around June/July, this allows time for new growth to produce flower buds for the next season. Varieties of these include Montana, Alpina, evergreen Armandii and Macropetala.

Group 2 are large flowered and hybrid clematis which bloom in mid May to June on short stems from last seasons growth and often again in late summer on new growth. Prune February or March by removing dead and weak stems then cut back the remaining stems to the topmost pair of large, plump green buds. Examples of group 2 clematis are Nelly Moser, Niobe and The President.

Group 3 clematis flower on the last 2-3 foot of the current seasons growth. In February or March cut back to a height of about 2 to 3 feet or a good pair of strong green buds. Some examples are Ernest Markham, Jackmanii and Viticella varieties.

Clematis should be planted at least 12" (30cm) away from the wall or fence up which it will climb and the base of the plant should preferably be in the shade, however, if this is not possible, apply a layer of gravel over the root zone.

If you're short on space in the garden there are a few varieties of clematis that can be grown in pots such as Nelly Moser, Jackmanii or Vyvian Pennel. The pot should be at least 18" (24cm) deep and 15" (37cm) wide and a layer of gravel placed in the bottom of the pot for drainage. There is now a wide range of new patio varieties available which are ideal for pots and containers.

All clematis need some form of support to make them climb, which can either be in the form of wooden or plastic trellis or a wire framework. If growing in pots a tripod of bamboo canes can be used. Clematis can be also be trained to grow through trees and shrubs which gives added interest by flowering when the host plant is not.

As with most plants clematis can be suseptiable to problems, the major one of which is clematis wilt. The symptoms of this is a rapid collapse and browning of the leaves and stems. The problem is confined to the ariel parts only, allowing any buds below ground level to regrow but this can take several weeks. If this happens the affected parts of the plant should be pruned and destroyed and the soil around it to be treated, it takes around 6-8 weeks for recovery but generally the plant will grow back.