Amateur Gardening – 20 July 2019

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F you want to cover a wall or fence, or
add interest to a pergola or arbour,
it’s likely that clematis will be among
the climbers you consider. Easy to
train and happy to scramble over pretty
much anything, they’re a safe bet. But
with hundreds of species and thousands
of different varieties to choose from, they
are a lot more versatile than you might think.
The fabulous range of colours and
styles, from large, open flowers to frilly
doubles, tiny star-like blooms and
nodding bells, means there’s a clematis
for every garden – and every gardener.
Vigorous clematis like the montanas
put on an incredible amount of growth

and, given sturdy supports, they are

ideal for camouflaging an unsightly

building. But if you don’t have space

for one of those, there are varieties

that grow to 10-13ft (3-4m) and are

much easier to keep under control.

And in recent years breeding has

focused on creating compact clematis

that won’t reach much higher than

3ft (1m); tailor-made for small spaces

and container growing.

Perfect pairing

You can also use clematis to scramble

up and through mature trees and shrubs

such as lilac, which have a short season

of interest. That way, you’ll maximise the

petal power of your garden. Just be sure

to match the vigour of the clematis to the

vigour of the host plant: a mature tree

will need a clematis with enough oomph

to compete with the tree’s roots and to

find its way up into the canopy, whereas

a shorter shrub, such as a rose or

hydrangea, should be paired with a

daintier clematis that won’t swamp it.

If you want to add some scent, there

are clematis that will oblige; for year-

round foliage there are evergreen types

and it’s possible, with a bit of room and

planning, to have clematis in bloom

virtually all year round by combining

spring, summer, autumn and winter

flowering types. There are even options

without tendrils, which don’t climb and

grow more like a herbaceous perennial.

So what are you waiting for? With our

handy guide, it’s easy to pick the perfect

clematis for your needs and taste. Just

don’t be surprised if you find yourself

tempted by more than one!

Clematis come in all shapes and sizes;

with its big blooms and unfussy nature

(happy in sun or shade and in borders or

pots), ‘Blue Eyes’ is a great all-rounder

32 AMATEUR GARDENING 20 JULY 2019

Need a climber to cover a boring wall, or a compact plant to grow in a pot or even to

provide bountiful blooms for the house? There’s a clematis for that, says Louise Curley

Clematis for all gardens

Where to buy

Hawthornes Nursery hawthornes-nursery.co.uk 01772 812379

Priorswood Clematis priorswoodclematis.co.uk 01920 461543

Thorncroft Clematis thorncroftclematis.co.uk 01953 850407

Taylors Clematis taylorsclematis.co.uk 01302 700716

Clematis are loved for their

colourful flowers; but unlike

most blooms, these are not

made up of petals but of

sepals, modified leaves that

usually protect flowers

when they are in bud.