From Good Friday, every Friday, Sunday and Bank Holiday until the end of August and every Friday in September from 12noon to 5pm Wollerton, Market Drayton TF9 3NA Tel: 01630 685760 www.wollertonoldhallgarden.com
S SE ECCTTIIOON N 1 1 –– Y YO OUUR R S SO OCCIIEETTY Y
From Your Editor, Brian Collingwood
elcome to The Clematis 2015. May I offer my thanks to everyone, home and abroad, who has contributed to this 2015 Edition of our Society’s annual Journal The Clematis. Every single contribution is greatly appreciated and I should like to thank all Authors once again, especially the new ones. I am also indebted to all those who have provided excellent images in support of the articles. Good images are a prerequisite for our Journal – the text alone is fine but we all know that it’s the pictures that really bring the articles to life!
This year’s Journal summarises the affairs of the Society over the past year, followed by a wide range of original articles. Once again we have a broad spread of interesting subject matter, touching on many aspects of the culture and the enjoyment of clematis. Without a doubt many of the best contributions are penned by everyday gardeners or unsung BCS members – it is very important to say that for writing an article, no formal expertise is required. If you have something to say about clematis, please do let me know and I will gladly include as much as possible in these pages. So, to all who read this Edition, whether your particular appreciation is in the culture, breeding, propagation, history or even the more technical aspects of Clematis, I hope you will find something of interest and enjoyment in these pages
It is pleasing to note that we have recently seen a stabilisation in BCS member numbers. Following some tough years it seems that BCS is once again beginning to attract and retain new joiners. Welcome news indeed for the BCS – additional members both increase our strength as an organisation and boost our resources. Before I put my pen away for 2015 I must mention an important technical point: Duncan Donald, the International Clematis Registrar has recently informed me (in Duncan’s words) – I have adopted the recommendation in the 2009 review of Section Atrageneby Yang, Li & Xie that chiisanensisshould be treated as koreanavar. carunculosa… with all the consequent changes that flow from that (e.g.chiisanensis‘Lemon Bells’ becomes koreanavar. carunculosa‘Lemon Bells’ etc).
I hope you enjoy reading this year’s Edition of The Clematis as much as I have enjoyed compiling it. It only remains for me to wish all readers and their loved ones health, happiness and the very best of good fortune for the remainder of 2015, and beyond.
Brian Collingwood
Articles for TheClematis2016:please send to B. Collingwood, by post or email: bcollingwood@ntlworld.com. Hand-written submissions are most welcome. 600 words are suitable for a shorter article. If submitting technical articles, please include explanation that will aid the lay reader.
COPYRIGHT OWNERSHIP OF THE CONTENT OF THIS PUBLICATION RESIDES WITH THE RESPECTIVE AUTHOR OR AUTHORS THE REPRODUCTION OF ANY PART IS FORBIDDEN WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Join Us
The British Clematis Society
Journal, Newsletters, Advisory Service, Seed Exchange, Lectures, Slide Shows, Pruning Demonstrations, Display Gardens, Lists of Clematis Nurseries and Open Gardens, Plant Sales, Tours
Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st
(under 25) Membership £15.00
Application to join should be made to The Membership Secretary, Linda Crowther 11, Norton Mandeville, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 0LN. Tel 01277 822883 email: ljc.1@btinternet.com Cheques payable to ‘The British Clematis Society’ Overseas payments by Eurocheque, Bank Draft, International Money Order (in Sterling), Internet (Paypal) Or simply use your credit card at our Website http://www.britishclematis.org RHS Affiliation No. 10586944 Registered Charity No. 1049107
In addition to leading the committee, Charne is also liaison and advertising coordinator for the BCS Journal. Holds a stock of back copies of the Journal.
Special responsibility, with Annette Stevens, for leading the national events and meetings. (Also issues receipts for these events.)
Hon. Treasurer: Peter Hargreaves, Grafton Cottage. Barr Lane, Barton-underNeedwood, Burton upon Trent, Staffs DE13 8AL Tel: 01283 713639 email: peter.hargreaves@smithcooper.co.uk
Contact for all society finance, with some assistance from Bookkeeper (Alison Booth).
Hon. Secretary: Valerie Nicoll, 36 King William Drive, Charlton Park, Cheltenham, Glos GL53 7RP Tel: 01242 511035 email: valerienicoll96@btinternet.com Arranges committee meetings. Takes and circulates minutes. AGM focal point.
Membership Secretary: Linda Crowther, 11 Norton Mandeville, Ingatestone, Essex CM4 0LN Tel: 01277 822883 email: ljc.1@btinternet.com Deals with new members and renewals. Maintains membership records.
Publicity: Simon Nicoll, 36 King William Drive, Charlton Park, Cheltenham, Glos GL53 7RP Tel: 01242 511035 email: simonnicoll218@btinternet.com
Clematis Trial Grounds at St Albans: Keith Shortland, 3 Elm Grove, Milton-underWychwood, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 6EF Tel: 01993 832927 email: fusilier567@btinternet.com
Victoria Matthews, 13 Chatsworth Close, Market Deeping, Peterborough PE6 8AZ Tel: 01778 380256 email: rhsclemreg@aol.com Former International Clematis Registrar. Member of the panel of proof readers.
Sue Reade, 123 Andover Avenue, Middleton, Manchester M24 1JQ Tel: 0161 643 2985 email: sue.reade@uwclub.net OR readesue@gmail.com Newsletter distribution. Also Northern Group leader (see below).
REGIONAL GROUPS
Northern Group. Leader - Sue Reade. Details as above.
Midlands Group. Leader - Josie Hulbert
Trentham, 56 Haden Park Road, Cradley Heath, W Mids B64 7HE. Tel: 07939 664185 email: jjhulbert1@aol.com
Wessex Group. Leader - Val Le May Neville-Parry By the Way, Lodge Drove, Woodfalls, Salisbury, Wilts SP5 2NH Tel: 01725 511931 email: val@lmnp.co.uk
East Anglia Group. Leader - Martin Tickler Woodlands Cottage, Pixey Green, Stradbroke, Eye, Suffolk IP21 5NH Tel: 01379 586068 email: martintickler789@btinternet.com
South East Group. Leader - Pam Davies 12 Oakway Drive, Frimley, Surrey GU16 8LF Tel: 01276 28630 email: pameladavies42@gmail.com
OTHER SUPPORT ROLES
Journal Editor: Brian Collingwood, 11 Mirfield Drive, Monton, Eccles, Manchester M30 9LH Tel: 0161 950 5329 email: bcollingwood@ntlworld.com
Newsletter: Jack Gittoes, Rosebay, Holly Lane, Bull Hill, Lymington, Hants SO41 5QZ Tel: 01590 677491 email: jgittoes@btinternet.com
BCS Website and Internet Help Desk enquiries: Steve Christmas, 6 Hawthorne Close, Grateley, Hants SP11 8Jl Tel: 01264 889735 email: steve@schristmas.freeserve.co.uk
Panel of proof readers: Mike Brown, Brian Cromie, Glenis Dyer, Victoria Matthews, Val Le May Neville-Parry. Simon Nicoll, Roy Nunn. Contact details from Hon. Secretary.
Sales Table: Sylvia Currie, Little John’s, Muntham, Itchingfield, Barnes Green, W Sussex RH13 0NH Tel: 01403 731513. No email.
Notes from the Chair 2015
Charne Griffiths
TThe year seems to have passed quickly; your Committee has been working hard on trying to reshape the BCS in order to best flourish in an internet dominated plant world. A number of our new members come via the internet and it is a speedy way of communicating, and helps us to fulfil our goals of informing gardeners and generally promoting interest in Clematis.
It became evident to the BCS Executive Committee early in the year that attempts to curb the Society’s financial overspend were working; although there still was a deficit it was much less than the previous year. It will take time to bring in all the changes required to get a balance between income and outgoings, whilst allowing the usual BCS activities to take place. It is important that we continue to have visits and meetings that allow members to get together, and which encourage others to join.
The first meeting in the national calendar was the Spring Meeting and AGM, in April. The organisation of this meeting showed some of the changes Committee are making –a new venue was chosen – much less expensive than previous ones, yet with good facilities for the speakers and easily accommodating the large turn-out. The catering was done in-house, requiring a little more work but coming at a much reduced cost. We had two excellent speakers – Wim Snoeijer shared his vast experience of clematis growing and breeding in a very entertaining talk; in the afternoon Andy Lambie gave us his views about the insects and other creatures of the garden which are (perhaps sometimes unjustly) regarded as being injurious to plants.
The 2015 AGM was not subsidised; however, Committee discussions have subsequently led to a decision to continue to support some meetings, as this benefits members directly. Of course, being able to attract knowledgeable and entertaining speakers will always be a positive factor in encouraging new members.
The AGM voted to raise the subscription rates from January of 2016. Single membership will
The 2015 AGM – an excellent venue with good facilities then be £25.00 and joint membership £30.00, with all other types of membership increasing in line with these prices. This was a reluctant recommendation, mooted at the previous AGM. It is hoped that this level of subscription could last for another six years. The rising cost of printing, and of postal charges especially, have had a serious impact on BCS finances.
Honorary Membership Secretary Linda Crowther had some positive news, reporting that membership now seems to have stopped falling, stabilising at about 420 during the last few years.
The Executive Committee was re-elected in their respective rôles; there were no nominations for new members. Happily, later in the meeting, Julian Noble indicated that he would be willing to join the Committee and he was duly co-opted at the July Committee meeting. There is still plenty of room for new Committee members, particularly as some current incumbents will be standing down at the next AGM.
The Trials Ground at the Garden of the Rose is now well established and judges have been making their first year of judging visits. At the AGM a member suggested that trials plants could perhaps be sponsored, either by regional groups or by individuals. This would help to defray costs (in some instances, plants still need to be purchased, notwithstanding the generosity of some growers) Committee decided to adopt this idea and a Notice inviting sponsorship was included with the May Newsletter Later in the year an agreement was reached with Agriframes, who generously decided that they will supply, at no cost, the plant supports needed for 2016.
The proposed visit to Pashley Manor Gardens (to see the tulips) at the end of April was cancelled as a Group meeting, due to lack of support. Any member still wishing to
visit was able to do so, as the Gardens were open to the public on the day. In July there was a successful visit to two gardens in Herefordshire. At ‘The Orchards’ (Bishop’ s Frome) clematis were everywhere, together with many other interesting garden plants. It was truly a clematis feast! Later, we visited Stockton Bury Gardens where there were further interesting plants and many garden areas to explore. The final meeting of the year was at Barnsdale Gardens, on Saturday 10th October. These gardens were made famous by Geoff Hamilton and are now run by his sons. There was an opportunity to look round the gardens as well as listen to the day’s two speakers. David Jewell’s fascinating talk was entitled ‘Hillier’s Garden Through the Year’; Nick Hamilton then entertained us in superb style with a witty discourse on the topic of ‘Climbers for all Aspects’.
The Regional Groups had a busy 2015. This was shown clearly on the very useful National Calendar of Events, put together earlier in the year. Sometimes, a clash of dates cannot be avoided, but having all the dates listed on one single sheet at least allows members to see, at a glance, what visits and meetings are taking place. There is always a good mix of garden visits and indoor meetings on offer. Wessex started the year off in February with a talk given by Everett Leeds; the Midlands Group will end the season (on 25th October) with a slide-show roundup of the visits they have enjoyed in 2015.
The BCS was represented at the Malvern Spring Festival and a delegation of members attended the Wolfheze Festival in Holland, in August, on behalf of the Society. Denise MacDonald organised a clematis Festival at Sunbury at the end of August and the Midlands Group took an information table to Wollerton Old Hall, in July. It is important that we take every opportunity we can to keep BCS in the gardening public’s eye, so to all who organised these events, a big ‘thank you and well done’.
A small group of members spent many months working on the practicalities of sending, by email, the Newsletters to as many members as possible. This culminated in the first edition going out by this method in August and September. There are many glitches to sort out yet, but the work will be ongoing. Please let us know when you change your email address!
Finally, I understand that in 2016 it will be twenty-five years since the creation of the BCS. Committee will be looking into how to celebrate this and will be consulting with interested parties. If you were a founder member or if you have any thoughts about how best to celebrate, please get in touch, as we would very much welcome the widest possible input.
TREASURER’S ANNUAL REPORT
RESULTS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST DECEMBER 2014
TThe society made a surplus of £1495 (2013 deficit £4286). Volunteers still continue to undertake the majority of day-to-day administration of society affairs, which would be expensive to provide, if BCS had to pay for external provision of these services.
The finances of BCS still remain strong and the committee continues to monitor costs. The society is faced with continuing changes and increased reporting requirements in out affairs, in line with our status as a Charity and the Society maintains specific reserves for such purpose. These summarised accounts do not contain sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of the financial affairs of the Society.
Copies of the Trustees’ Annual Report, independent Examiner’s report and Full Accounts can be obtained from the treasurer: Peter Hargreaves, Grafton Cottage, Bar Lane, Barton under Needwood, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 8AL
peter.hargreaves@smithcooper.co.uk
25TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE BRITISH
CLEMATIS SOCIETY ON SATURDAY 11TH APRIL 2015
Venue: Leafield Village Hall, Lower End, Witney, Oxford OX29 9QT
OVERVIEW
TThis was a new venue for a BCS event of any kind. Your Committee elected for the AGM to be held in Oxford again because we get more members attending here than at any other location. However, a recurring theme throughout the day was economy and best value. Another first was the lunch, which was shopped for and plated-up by two people! Lizzie Gibbison and Annette Stevens, and didn’t they do well?
The feedback generally was very good, a few members wandered off track (it was very rural but pretty), adequate parking, plenty to eat and drink, special diets catered for and the usual convivial participation AND two excellent speakers. Your Committee hope that you can see how we listen to your comments and try to give you what you tell us makes a good AGM.
ARRIVAL
From 10am, usual coffee and greetings before settling down to listen to our first speaker, our good friend Wim Snoeijer, as comprehensive and informative as always: ‘Clematis and everything that goes with it’. Along with excellent slides, Wim brought several vases full of cut clematis. Not quite so well known in the UK but very useful for flower arrangements, and very long lasting. Wim kindly gave these for our raffle.
Second speaker of the day was Andy Lambie from Ness Gardens who spoke on ‘Slugs are Not the Enemy’. Highly recommended by the Northern Regional Group, he kept us entertained and informed with a highly interactive presentation.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Our Chairperson, Charne Griffiths, began the meeting, welcoming all.
1. Honorary secretary, Valerie Nicoll, had received 18 apologies, 16 of whom gave their proxy votes to the Chair if required. As is our usual practice these were posted at the hall entrance; plus a further 5 on the day, due to illness.
2. The minutes of the previous AGM on the 6th April 2014, printed in the Journal in November 2014, were received by all our members. Approval of the minutes was proposed by Val Adams and seconded by Annette Ward.
3. The address from the Chairperson, Charne Griffiths, who gave a roundup of the year.
Summation: Thanks to Liz Gibbison and Annette Stevens, the National meetings included a day at Great Dixter Gardens. To look forward to this year are ‘Tulips at Pashley Manor’ and another Summer Garden Visit, planned for July 16th . We do need to seriously think about supporting these visits, if they are to continue. The Autumn Indoor Meeting will be held on 10th October at Barnsdale Gardens, Rutland.
The AGM is under way
The Regional Groups continue with varied programs and Simon Nicoll again produced a calendar listing activity dates and information from the leaders of each group. Last year’s calendar was a success: information provided by the leaders helped to reduce event date clashes.
Brian Collingwood produced the Society’s Journal and Jack Gittoes the Newsletters, all much enjoyed, and Steve Christmas continued as our website manager. Paul Dunstan dealt with seed sales in his characteristically efficient manner.
In August 2014 Sylvia Currie, Denise and Alex MacDonald and Simon and Valerie Nicoll took the BCS Sales Table to The Nursery Garden ‘De Boschhoeve’, Wolfheze, near Arnhem. (In their brochure the BCS stall was described as ‘dazzling’.)
The RHS Malvern Spring Show is the only other show that the BCS attended, thanks largely to the Midlands Group. The Sunbury Festival was cancelled at short notice.
A plea came from Charne that members really need to look deep into themselves and see if they could give a thought to joining the BCS Committee. Several members are already on a second term of office and last year we failed to fill all the vacancies. Please think hard as we move towards the point in the day for the election of Officers.
It came as a shock last year that the society had made a deficit; this was not the first time in BCS history but Charne reminded us that times and habits are changing, and many garden societies are struggling. This past year, your Committee has tried to make economies in every way and this must continue. For the Society to continue doing the best it can for members, we need to embrace social media much more. The Newsletter is our first target. We have to pay to print it but the largest cost is postage. We need to follow other organisations and send it out by email. A subcommittee is working on this but there is resistance. Do consider how helpful this could be and confirm your email
The venue was excellent for purpose – Wim’s talk address to Simon Nicoll. If you really cannot do this, we will maintain a small number of print copies for one year and then reassess the situation.
Richard Barker, our legal advisor, was co-opted onto the Committee mid-year, and was again able to supply his specialist knowledge.
In conclusion Charne thanked the Committee for their support and effort during the year.
4. Finance Report. Honorary Treasurer: Peter Hargreaves. Peter reinforced the remarks made by the Chair that all had worked really hard to reduce the deficit reported in April 2014. The largest cost we need to reduce is postage (referring back to the point about emailing newsletters!)
Peter and Charne Griffiths both opened up their gardens to BCS members and donated the gate money to the Society All BCS event venues (such as today’s AGM) were less expensive, and with in-house catering. We received several donations, particularly from Life Members. A copy of the Statement of Accounts was distributed to all attendees
The Honorary Treasurer’s report was proposed for adoption by Everett Leeds and seconded by Michael Griffiths.
5. At our AGM in 2014 our Chairperson, Charne Griffiths gave notice that this year we would need to ask for an increase in membership fees. Accordingly, she proposed that from January 2016 the annual membership should be increased as follows:-
Single Membership £25 in the UK (£30 in Europe) (£35 outside Europe)
Sue Reade (Northern Group leader) introduces Andy Lambie
Joint Membership £30 in the UK (£35 in Europe) (£40 outside Europe)
A single Life member £300 Joint Life members £350 – UK only
A special New Membership at £15.00, aimed at horticultural colleges, was proposed, to encourage young students (under 25).
There were no objections from the floor and the proposal was made by Paul Dunstan and seconded by Mike Adams.
6. Membership secretary, Linda Crowther. As of the 10/05/2015 numbers were
Honorary & life members - 56 single plus 11 joint = total 67
Members paying by standing order - 100 single plus 18 joint = total 118
General members - 203 single plus 41 joint = total 244
Grand total of 429 members. There were 8 members who failed to continue standing orders and did not re-join, and 51 general members failed to renew their subscriptions.
Linda gave the figures with optimism: she has chased all the members hard (in accordance with our constitution) and the final figures are an improvement on the previous year. Linda feels this is particularly down to our web site and in particular the Facebook page set up by Brian Collingwood.
7. This was a suitable moment in the meeting to give Honorary Membership to Brian Collingwood for lifting the profile of the BCS principally by editing the Journal and setting up and managing the Facebook page. The certificate was presented by Charne Griffiths.
8. Trial Grounds Report.
Keith Shortland manages the care of our Clematis Trial Grounds and liaises with the Rose Society. He visits the site regularly and organises the judging panel of member volunteers. At the time of the AGM, the plants for 2015 were just being delivered. The Rose Society are most generous – the trial ground has been made available to the BCS at no cost and we also get some gardening/maintenance from them. In acknowledgement of this, and also to improve the public perception of clematis, additional plants, with a good range of colours, were added. These plants were donated by true friends of the Society – Wim Snoeijer, John Richards, Richard Hodson, Charles Pridham and Martin Gibbison.
There was a suggestion from the floor that the Committee might consider asking for sponsorship of plants by members or regional groups, with appropriate signage
9. And 10: Election of Honorary Officers, conducted by Everett Leeds to begin with, as our Chair is one of the 4 Officers requiring annual election, according to our Constitution. There was no election – no other volunteers came forward; the existing Officers agreed to serve one further year.
Chair. Charne Griffiths, Proposed by Glenis Dyer, seconded by Jack Gittoes
Hon Sec. Valerie Nicoll. Proposed by Annette Ward, seconded by Brian Cromie. Hon Treasurer. Peter Hargreaves. Proposed by Iris Clarke seconded by Pam Davies
Membership Sec. Linda Crowther, unchanged, Vice Chair Lizzie Gibbison, unchanged.
The Committee was voted-in en block, no further nominations. Alison Booth, Simon Nicoll, Keith Shortland, Annette Stevens, Victoria Matthews, Sue Reade and Richard Barker.
11. The Chair gratefully accepted the offer from Messrs Smith Cooper to continue as Independent Examiner, gratis, to the BCS.
12. At the close of the meeting our Chair encouraged further volunteers to come forward, if, on reflection, they would be willing to join the Committee. Everett Leeds thanked the Committee on behalf of members.
The meeting closed with a resounding round of applause.
‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’
Kathy Pickles
BCS AGM 2015
Brian Collingwood UK bcollingwood@ntlworld.com
Well, I have just driven back home from the (25th) BCS AGM, in Leafield, Witney, Oxford, where we had two guest speakers, the AGM, and Taylors Clematis, of Doncaster (Chelsea Gold Medal again, in 2015!) in attendance.
As usual at the AGM meet, it was a greatly enjoyable day – although I did arrive slightly late, due to putting the wrong postcode into my satnav (got the last two digits the wrong way round) which deposited me in a tiny village, some four miles east of where I was supposed to be! I asked two separate local people where I should head for – the first said it was 'four miles in this direction', the second said 'No, no! It’s three miles in that direction'. Then I had a brainwave (duhh) and put the correct postcode into the satnavand got there, at last, only missing the first ten minutes or so. (The first chap was correct.) The venue was excellent for purpose and the turnout was very impressive - it was great to see lots of old friends, and some new faces too. Must say though, from now on, I may go back to driving down the day before, and staying overnight, instead of motoring down 'on the morning'.
Taylors Clematis, in the form of Chris and Suzy Cocks (who attended our AGM in 2014 also) once again provided a wide selection of super-healthy plants, for sale to members. I hope they sold plenty, as they certainly undertook a long trip to be with us! You can find them on Facebook; their catalogue, featuring hundreds and hundreds of species and cultivars, makes for excellent browsing. In fact, any of the many plants they propagate can be bought online and delivered to your door by mail order. The plants I saw today were, as usual, superb healthy specimens, ready to go straight into the garden.
Our speaker for the morning session was Wim Snoeijer, the well-known breeder and expert on Clematis, from the Netherlands. Wim has been a long term supporter of the BCS and has contributed to the Society greatly over the years. He gave us an interesting talk, covering many aspects of clematis culture. He also made some points in connection with clematis botany. Wim illustrated his session with lots of slides, featuring a diverse range of plants and touched on many varied clematis linked topics – the audience was greatly entertained, judging by the applause which followed his concluding remarks.
Wim Snoeijer
The AGM was sandwiched in between the two speakers. The Society business was dealt with to the satisfaction of all. Our membership is now gradually increasing again, and our finances remain reasonably strong, despite the disappearance of many other specialist Plant Societies since the recession first began to bite some years ago. BCS will once again have a very busy year with attendances at several shows up and down the country; we will also put on a great number of Regional Events - there is something planned in YOUR area, all through the season. They are always very enjoyable days, either in meetings or, more often, visiting gardens or other places of interest. Charne Griffiths, our Chair, made an appeal for new Committee members, so, if you want to get a little more involved with the Society, now is your chance! You DO NOT have to be an expert on Clematis – we are just looking for members who will serve the Society in various administrative roles, and so take us forward. Committee then completed the final matters and the meeting formally closed, with a resounding round of applause.
Following lunch, Andy Lambie, of Ness Botanic Gardens, gave us a highly informative, entertaining and most amusing talk entitled 'Garden Friends and FoesSlugs are not the Enemy!’ Normally, a lecture about pests and diseases might be a little dry; however, I have to say that Andy's talk turned out to be extremely interesting, and I, personally, learned much. He dispelled many myths about various garden bugs and soil creatures and gave us all some new perspectives and helpful ideas. He sprinkled in various humorous anecdotes and witticisms along the way – all in all, it was a really splendid talk that had all of us thinking (and chuckling also) all the way through.
After the final announcements (and the raffle, of course) the meeting then formally closed; many people stayed on for some time, though, to chat further and have tea and coffee. It was the end of another great BCS Clematis AGM day. Don’t miss 2016!
Andy Lambie of Ness
My Clematis Journey
Alison Smith UK alisonvsmith123@gmail.com
IIn 2002, with very little gardening or building experience, I started work on a Grade 2 listed cottage (mentioned in the Domesday book). It was, previously, the much loved home of my grandparents, but the house was now derelict and the garden –completely overgrown and abandoned. What a project for a single woman! Up to that moment, my project was the ‘doing up’ of a Morris 1000 – it was soon sold!
While working on the house, the garden became like a reward for good behaviour –two hours of demolition, half an hour in the garden! Though neglected over recent years, in prior times my grandfather had grown prize vegetables and his plot was immaculately tended – lots of straight rows! He was also a huge advocate of manure: he would go off to work at the farm, regularly coming home at meal times with a wheelbarrow of manure. If it was for his brassica patch, especially cauliflowers, then it would be chicken manure. For other areas it would be cow manure. But there were few flowers and they were not deserving of the manure treatment! So, once the jungle was cleared, underneath I knew I had a gem Every year I dealt with a bit of ground and planted something, often something totally inappropriate, but it usually grew. Thanks Grandad, you set me up well.
A generous friend gave me ‘Ville de Lyon’ – however in this garden the plant has always been called ‘Gwen’ (for the friend). So a structure (arbour) was built but Gwen was all on her lonesome. Off to Malvern I went and bought six clematis for £10 and a little note book from the BCS stand, to record my plantings. I had caught the clematis bug! My journey with Clematis had begun!
That original arbour is now a source of annoyance and patience-testing, but it serves to remind me of my total lack of knowledge, back then. Today, as I write, red rose ‘Ena Harkness’ is coming over the top of it, along with ‘Jackmanii Alba’ and ‘Daniel Deronda’
Clematis 2015
(which look lovely from the side). Merging at the top with ‘Ville de Lyon’, are BLUE ANGEL (‘Błękitny Anioł’), ‘Hagley Hybrid’ and ANNA LOUISE (‘Evithree’). Oh, and a honeysuckle – what a muddle and colour clash, Group 2s and 3s mixed – definitely a ‘how not to do it’. Part of me that would like to rip it all out and start again, but then I think ‘Oh well, it might be a hard winter, and it does all look healthy, and they can't live forever!’
‘General Sikorski’ with rose ‘Tess of the d'Urbervilles’ on the arch
There have been times over the years when I have been despondent about clematis – this goes back to buying tiny plants and putting them straight in the ground. Two of those original six went on to perform really well, but if they don’t die, they usually stay very small and do not grow, let alone flower. I eventually dug up the survivors and put them in pots for a year or more, then re-planted them, with much greater success. I read, in one of the many books I have bought (from 1p up, from Amazon – some, very old) that if you have not spent half an hour preparing your planting hole then you have not made adequate effort! I have followed this advice religiously, adding plenty of well-rotted manure, compost and bone meal. It seems to have paid off. Some people say clematis can be very finicky but I have found them to be very forgiving – some have been moved four times! One plant looked very sick so I dug it up to find that all the roots had been gnawed by rats. I cut the damaged parts off and potted it up again; in due course it produced new roots. So, with trial and error and lots of moving around, I am learning. My clematis journey has been assisted and encouraged by three strands of support. Firstly, fortuitously, Ben the builder came into my life in 2009 – too late to aid with the cottage renovation but, nevertheless, the owner of a welding kit, digger, dumper truck and a good pointed hole-digging shovel – and provider of endless encouragement. A perfect combination for a clematis nutcase. On two occasions last year the dumper truck arrived home carrying 6 tonnes of manure, much easier, of course, with the aid of
‘H F Young’
with
an
early
honeysuckle
a big digger! The saying ‘as happy as a pig in muck’ could have been applied to me! (We offended some friends last year by not having their manure…which they insisted was far superior to ours, as theirs was horse and alpaca! So perhaps this year we will have to try it?)
‘Mrs N Thompson’ with ‘Natascha’
Having admired and photographed an arch at Hampton Court Flower show, a project for Ben to duplicate it came to fruition after much amusement. The difficulty was in finding the space and strength needed to
Rose ‘Ena Harkness’ with ‘Jackmanii Alba’ bend the 1” tubing, which was 6m long! We ended up ‘doing it in the road’, the van parked on the curved template, with a man either side laying on the ground pulling the tube around and attaching ratchet straps. By the time we had finished, quite an audience had gathered.
Secondly, two years ago I called at the BCS stand at the Malvern Show and met Josie Hulbert. Josie’s enthusiasm and knowledge were awe inspiring. I came away (having joined the BCS) with a pile of information and a free Clematis marmoraria, thinking ‘what a lovely friendly bunch of people they all are’. Later that year I joined the BCS Midlands
‘Jackmanii’ with rose ‘Albertine’
The Clematis 2015
Group. On my first outing with them I met Rosemarie and Bernard Allen; sadly it was to be the only time I met Bernard. I remember him so well – he offered me coffee from their flask and I was rather taken aback by this kind gesture. In May this year I was with some of the Midlands Group on the BCS stand at Malvern, helping out, in the background.
‘Warszawska Nike’ However, at a given moment when everyone else was busy, a lady stopped by and opened a conversation with ‘I am no good with them, they always die!’ It transpired that she had purchased tiny young plants and planted them directly into the ground, as I myself used to do. So I was able to advise very well. Ahh, I have arrived, what a great feeling!
Thirdly, the books I have accumulated –from Clematis by Christopher Lloyd (1977) up to current day publications – have really kept me motivated. So, to the present – the cottage is finished and a garden studio (that will provide exciting new planting opportunities) is about to be built. The garden now hosts around one hundred and twenty clematis. For the last couple of years I have been purchasing from Marcel Floyd (at Chippenham) and the Walled Garden Nursery (Brinkworth), both of whom have been very generous with their knowledge and advice.
‘Josephine’
Earlier this year Josie and Rosemarie visited my garden, with the very patient Cavan and Vanessa, on their way home from the International Clematis Society conference week. I was even more nervous about their visit, knowing they had just spent a week looking at professional, proper gardens! When I heard the car pull up I went out to meet them, but there were only three people in the car – the passenger seat was empty – no Josie! She had, evidently, disembarked even before they had parked, had gone through the side gate, over a pile of builder’s rubble and was already in the garden – like a whippet, springs to mind! Well, they were all enthusiastic and complimentary about the garden, but there was still a niggling doubt in my mind – could they really mean it?
Within an hour of leaving I received a text from Josie, asking ‘could she write an article for the BCS annual Journal, about our garden?’ Wow! She really had liked it. She used the expression ‘unmanicured’, which made me feel much more comfortable. What an emotional moment that was.
Some of the planting combinations that are working well at Daneway Cottage:
‘H F Young’ with an early honeysuckle
BLUE ANGEL (‘Błękitny Anioł’), ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ and ‘Purpurea Plena Elegans’
PRINCESS KATE (‘Zoprika’) with Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' (Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Black Lace' (purple elder)
‘Mrs N Thompson’ with ‘Natascha’ ‘Warszawska Nike’ with ‘Fond Memories’
MIENIE BELLE (‘Zomibel) with a Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Robusta'
SUNNY SKY (‘Zosusk’) with a Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Robusta'
‘Prince Charles’ with rose ‘Tess of the d'Urbervilles’
‘Vyvyan Pennell’ with rose ‘The Generous Gardener’
‘Marie Boisselot’ and ‘Mrs Cholmondeley’ with ‘Shikoo’ (‘Shikō’)
MON AMOUR (‘Zomoa’) with rose 'Madame Isaac Péreire'
‘Jackmanii’ with rose ‘Albertine’
‘Special Occasion’ with rose ‘Gertrude Jekyll’
‘John Paul II’ (‘Jan Pawel II’) with ‘Gipsy Queen’
‘Dutch Sky’ with (unidentified) large pink rose
‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ with ‘Kermesina' and ‘Perle d'Azur’
Some planting combinations for which I have great expectations, but which have yet to fully establish – time will tell!
Rosa rugosa with ‘Minuet’
Prunus lusitanica (Portugal laurel) with ‘Betty Corning’
Prunus lusitanica with ‘Hågelby Pink’
Prunus lusitanica with ‘Alba Luxurians’
Prunus lusitanica with ‘Caroline’
Ceanothus with ‘Alionushka’
Ceanothus with ‘Rooguchi’
Ceanothus with BLUE RIVER (‘Zoblueriver’)
Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus with ‘Duchess of Albany’
‘Dr Ruppel’ with ‘Multi Blue’ ‘The President’ with ‘Nelly Moser’
Bibliography
Lloyd, Christopher
Clematis Garden Book Club Ltd, London 1964
ISBN 9781111111113
‘Josephine’ and ‘H F Young’ images by Suzanne Lawrence. All others by Alison Smith.
Death and Resurrection of a Dearest Darling
Geoffrey Marsh UK geoffreymarsh25@yahoo.co.uk
For the most part, this Journal is full of beautiful pictures of successfully grown mature clematis. I find it somewhat depressing! Is no-one out there like me –scores of clematis and dozens of disappointments and deaths?
Clematis are not easy – they can be fickle, capricious, totally unreliable even – and are quite capable of popping their metaphorical clogs at any stage in their development. This little piece describes how even the gardener himself (ie ‘ me ’), can imperil the life of a plant. It may strike a chord: the picture above shows a pretty desultory but common-enough border in any suburban garden – a poor thing, but mine own! It emphasizes two of the most common mistakes in amateur gardening – it's too narrow, and it's not deep enough – but I digress! In this picture you can see, on the top of the fence, next door's Cotoneaster hanging over. Why is it that 'people next door' who are definitely ‘not gardeners’ seem to have such vigorous results?
But back to my plot (excuse the play on words). Last summer, this bit of the border was aflame with the most horrible egg-yolk yellow Alstroemeria. It had migrated from next door's shade to my sunshine (an occasional event in County Durham – the sunshine, not the migration). Why is it that invaders from next door are usually pretty dire? But again, I digress. Despite loving all other colours of alstroemeria, the egg-yolk one is an eyesore, and was crying out to be replaced by prettier hues. The books say that alstroemeria is difficult to exterminate once established – virtually impossible to dig out, because of its myriad of spaghetti-like roots. So, to work: clematarians who are enthusiastic eco-friendly gardeners should cease reading now and proceed to the next article in this Journal. The books say that only by using Weedol Rootkill Plus (paraquat and
glyphosate in deadly combination) on all the foliage ensures such weed-like plants are fully eliminated; and no damage to the soil either (so they say, anyway). The joy of it is that the paraquat content turns the foliage brown fairly quickly, so you know where you've sprayed; any leafy green survivors were given a second dose. Death stalked this part of the border (again please excuse play on words).
But to return to clematis. Growing up in July and August, in the midst of the alstroemeria is (or rather, was – usual for me), a very successful clematis by the delightful Italian-sounding name of ‘Charissima’ (phonetically : ‘a’ as in ‘cat’; ‘riss’ as in ‘rissole’ and ‘i’ as in ‘intimate’). Actually, the Italians would spell it as ‘Carissima’ – for reasons unknown to me they abominate the letter 'H' – hence, 'Horrible' becomes 'orribile', 'Hospital' becomes 'ospedale' and 'Hernia' becomes 'ernia' etc). I speak three languages – English and Geordie – fluently, and Italian (the latter poorly spoken and even less well comprehended). To the Italians and even me, the word ‘carissima’ means ‘dearest darling’. I suspect that was what the nominators had in mind when it was named, in 1974, for a long serving employee of the Pennell Nursery, of clematis fame? The image shows reasonably accurately its brightly blushing cerise colour with a deeper pink bar and veins, splayed back sepals and red anthers. All of which (yet again, I digress – the unfortunate wont of the octogenarian clematarian) might intimate that this eponymic little darling was a perfect joy in the nursery. The single sturdy stem of the plant was happily growing amidst the forest of alstroemeria stalks and its leaves and flowers, high above the deathly spray, twined happily through the over-hanging cotoneaster: a lovely summer sight – the site ostentatiously visible to my neighbours, strolling by.
Believing, after a few weeks, that the Weedol would by now have done to death the roots of the culled alstroemeria, I decided to cut off all its dead stalks. To my dismay I immediately noticed that the beautiful clematis flowers in the cotoneaster were wilting and dying, before my very eyes! In my enthusiastic surgical execution I had also guillotined the solitary clematis stem. ‘Charissima’ had been effectively done to death; this was wilt of the worst order! Fortunately the original small bamboo wigwam marked approximately where the stem had been. I can tell you that differentiating between a two inch high dead clematis stem, and a two inch high alstroemeria stem, was nigh on
impossible. I sadly removed the dying flowers, stems and foliage and then wept in my garden shed, the place of many previous garden sobbings.
The books say to cut down Group 3 clematis in February. I had done it in early August –surely she must indeed be done for! The bamboo frame was serving as a memorial to a lost love; also as a marker, in the remotest eventuality that she ← might rise from the dead. (And, by the way, for those readers remotely interested in anything other than clematis, you will note that I am growing replacement pink and lavender alstroemeria in bottomless pots; anything remotely resembling alstroemeria coming up between the pots is presumed to be of the 'chukky-egg’ colour, and gets a dose of the deadly spray.)
From August, when the devastating execution had been perpetrated, nothing emerged in this chemicalised bit of the border until March, when, at last, something began to stir. Take a close look at the above picture – ignore the green Erythronium – and
rejoice with me at the couple of purply coloured 'buds' that could indeed be the clematis. Great jubilation! Even the wife was invited to see! I rewarded them with a dose of good old fashioned phostrogen every couple of weeks, for a month or two.
The next images shows the now copious, healthy stems romping away, eventually reaching next door's cotoneaster once again. My final image would have shown the little darling in full flower, but the deadline for the submission of Journal contributions precluded that! Well, fingers crossed, anyway!
So the actual moral of this somewhat rambling piece – never give up on a clematis,
even if you treat it despicably – once in a while it will try to keep on loving you and become your ‘Dearest Darling’ or, as our Italians friends would have it, in their wonderfully melodious tongue – ‘un piccolo miracolo’!
The Joys of Clematis
Josie Hulbert UK jjhulbert@aol.com
IIfirst met Alison Smith at The Malvern Show, when she visited the British Clematis Society stand. She was obviously fond of clematis, so I suggested that she might join the Society – which she did. Since then, Alison has given valued support and assistance to the BCS Midlands Group, and become an active member of the Society as a whole. Her enthusiasm for the Genus abounds; she threw out an open invitation for anyone within the Midlands BCS group, passing near her Gloucestershire home, to call in and visit her garden.
Recently, while returning from holiday, I had the opportunity to do just that. I called on Alison with my husband, Cavan and daughter Vanessa, along with my good friend, Rosemarie Allen.
‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ with ‘Prince Charles’ and ‘General Sikorski’, on an arch
Alison and Ben’s home is a bastion of privacy; it nestles in a quiet Gloucestershire valley, off the beaten track. The satnav got us reasonably close, but not to the exact house. Looking around for house names on the
buildings, with little success, I eventually reached a charming stone cottage with a truly delightful garden, just a few yards ahead. Could this be Alison’s garden? Edging slowly
closer, with fingers crossed, I saw the house name – yes, sure enough, this was Alison’s home. I couldn’t wait for my husband to park up – I was straight out the car and heading for the clematis! ‘Like a kid in a sweet shop’ doesn’t even come close to how I felt! Alison was her usual happy, smiling self. After brief and cordial ‘greetings’ had been exchanged, I quickly made my way into the garden, to find myself instantly surrounded by a stunning display of colour – roses, clematis, poppies, geraniums, lavender, foxgloves and much, much more – no doubt you get the picture!
‘Ena Harkness’ with ‘Jackmanii Alba’
Alison’s patch is, to be accurate about it, a very beautiful cottage garden. The whole plot, including the cottage, amounts to around a third of an acre and the garden surrounds three sides of their (listed) cottage. Arches, pots, benches, little paths, tables and chairs – all enhance the charm and character of the grounds. Adding to the magic, Alison and Ben also grow vegetables; they were deftly woven among and between the tapestries of flowers. It looked like a little slice of heaven to me. Alison, however, told me that ‘heaven ’ was not what she first thought, when she originally took ownership. The cottage was almost derelict, and the garden had become grossly overgrown – ‘hell’ might have been the more appropriate term!
Back to the clematis, which grow everywhere – about one hundred and twenty plants, ranging from old favourites such as ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ and ‘Marie Boisselot’, to
new varieties I had never seen before. Two, in particular, really caught my eye –‘Dutch Sky’ and MON AMOUR (‘Zomoa’). Alison has cleverly coordinated or colour matched her roses and clematis combinations, such as ‘Ena Harkness’ with ‘Jackmanii Alba’, and ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’ with ‘Prince Charles’ and ‘General Sikorski’, and many more combinations, every one looking thrillingly perfect.
Alison is extremely modest about her garden; in point of fact it was an absolute joy to be surrounded by banks of fantastic variations of colour, with such diversity of planting, not at all manicured, just, simply, the complete floral delight. The clematis certainly take their rightful place as ‘Queen of the Climbers’ in this garden and the roses are the perfect companions.
At the rear of the house, the garden backs on to a field, where horses were grazing contentedly; the backdrop to the field being formed of the lush, rolling green hills of the valley beyond. It was a truly idyllic setting and, had it not started to rain, I think I would have taken a seat and stayed there, until someone brought me back to reality!
A garden with a view
When I asked why the clematis were so large, and the plants so healthy, Alison explained. The house had belonged to her grandparents, and her grandfather, who had a farm nearby, brought home a barrow load of manure each night, to put around the vegetables he grew. He, apparently, thought flowers were a waste of good food-growing space! So, readers, here and now is your answer as to how to grow great clematis – a barrow load of manure every night, then leave the ground for a good few years, then add your clematis! Oh, if only we all could! Alison also mentioned that she has never experienced clematis wilt in any of her plants.
Some people have the knack of ‘capturing their own character’ in their garden. I think Alison has done this; her plot is totally alive, filled to overflowing with vibrant colour and, certainly, a great joy to experience. Going forward, I can say it is a garden that I hope to visit again and again. I know that every time I do, it will always make me smile, and make me want to sit on that bench and just wallow in its glory.
Sun Seeking Clematis?
Brian Cromie UK briancromie29@btinternet.com
WWe are often told that clematis tend to seek the sun and that, if they are planted on the shady side of a shrub, they will grow through or round it, to find the sun.
However, I am constantly finding that my neighbour, who lives on the north side of a fence in my garden, seems to get a better display of flowers than I do. I do not really begrudge her the benefits of all our hard work, but it did make me wonder if this story about clematis seeking the sun is always true.
Moving to another part of the garden, we have a further trellis fence running almost directly east to west, so that there is a border on one side facing due south, and a border on the other side facing due north. In every other respect the borders are similar, getting the same amount of watering and attention, or lack of it. Once again, the floral display, from the clematis planted along the base of the fence, appeared to be more luxurious on the north side than that facing south.
Accordingly, I photographed both sides, one evening, and herewith are the pictures as evidence. The first image, showing much more wooden fence, is the south facing one, while the one where you can only just see the round knobs on top of the main support posts, shows the north facing display.
This was not a strictly controlled comparative study, of course, but it does suggest that the supposed rule about ‘sun seeking’ clematis might not actually apply as much as is generally thought.
CLEMATIS FOR SHADE
Dr Elayne Coakes UK elayne.coakes@btinternet.com
hilst I am not a particular expert on Clematis, I am a great lover of the Genus, with many different cultivars in our own garden…as a consequence I often get asked about clematis for other people’s gardens. What might suit? ‘We only have a very small space/patio’. ‘What can I fit in, here?’ ‘All the ones that I plant die’. Well, that last one is so common of many plants, not just clematis; it is usually caused by putting the wrong plant in a particular spot or, alternatively, you choose what turns out to be just the wrong place for a particular plant you have wanted to grow. We lost around two thirds of the plants we put into our ‘gravel garden’, in our previous house, despite the manure and the mushroom and garden compost that we
Some of the pots, lined up, waiting to be replanted, some eight years ago. The acer is now 7’ high and the cordyline at the back is now 12’, having outgrown its space.
lovingly layered on deeply, every year. This was mainly because we had not yet been to visit the gravel garden at Beth Chatto’s magnificent plot, and thus had no understanding of what we were really up against!
In our defence, it was the first time we had attempted to garden seriously. Previously, it had all been about swings and climbing frames, and even in our latest garden we were hampered in our attempts, by cricket matches and a golf course – complete with holes (admittedly only three or four) that our son had dug! Eventually we gave up, and started to plant more or less everything in pots. In time, we accumulated so many of them that we needed to hire a separate van to transport them all, when we moved to a new home.
This is the first of a short series of articles I am writing, aimed at the clematis novice, looking at some different types of clematis, and where they can be grown.
Henry Van Dyke wrote: ‘One should learn also to enjoy the neighbour’s garden, however small, the roses straggling over the fence, the scent of lilacs drifting across the road.’ I would replace the roses, though, with clematis – as, so often, they flower in our neighbour’s garden better than they do in our own; or up at the top of that dratted tree where we can’t see them. Or they decide that it’s better to climb a different shrub than the one we intended, and thus they don’t provide us with that pleasing combination of colours and forms that was planned in advance. They are contrary creatures! Or are they? Have you noticed how trees bend towards the light when the sun is obscured by other trees’ foliage? Or how those amaryllis grow too tall, and bend over, if they are not placed in direct light? Well, clematis, too, will find a good sunny place to flower, wherever they can find it, if they are not too keen on the place where you planted them!
‘Primrose Star’
So how do we choose which clematis to put where? The shows on TV always say ‘read the label’. But so often that label can actually be quite uninformative. They carry those cute sun/shade symbols, and other icons which indicate eventual height and width, but they often go on to state ‘will tolerate sun/shade’. So, where does
that leave us? According to the RHS, there are four definitions of shade: Light shade: A site that is open to the sky, but screened from direct sunlight by an obstacle, such as a high wall or group of trees. Partial shade: A site receiving sunlight for two or three hours either in early morning or late evening. Midday sun supplies considerably more light. Moderate shade: Mainly reflected or diffused light, for example through tree canopies. Deep shade: Usually under dense deciduous trees, e.g. beech, conifer hedges, or overgrown shrubberies.
I distinctly remember, as does my husband, the Clematis montana (standard pale pink) that we had at our last house – oh boy, was that a vigorous plant! It was in full shade, planted into our foundations. No, not even into the soil! We dug a small hole through the concrete by the back wall and set it off. My husband then endured many years of climbing into our loft to cut off the vines that had sneaked through the roof tiles! We also did what you should never do, that is, take a pair of shears to it and cut it all flat back to the wall every other year…and it flourished. So, if you only have a small space, never plant a vigorous Clematis montana cultivar, as they can grow to be real monsters! However, if you have a piece of rocky ground, or an old shed or something hideous that you want covered, then they are the clematis for you! They also flower beautifully and in great profusion – fantastic for disguising anything you don’t want to see. This is, in fact, the only clematis Group that the RHS recommend for full shade planting.
With great reluctance my husband consented to my planting another montana, in our front garden. But this was a very different version – ‘Primrose Star’ – which flowers in
It still grows to 20-30 feet, but is happy in the shade; we have set it to climb our blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica var. glauca). As a host, this cedar can cope with a very vigorous grower; plus, the clematis won’t mind at all if it gets a quick prune every few years. (We get the cedar pruned regularly, as it is a condition of the house insurance.) (Glauca Group are large evergreen conifers, at first conical, later developing a broad crown, with spreading branches bearing silvery blue-green needles.)
We have also planted a blue clematis, C. macropetala ‘Wesselton’, to join in the tree climb: she is happy to start life in the shade, too. ‘Wesselton’ has 2” flowers, like a full petticoat. This is one of the earliest of the C. macropetala cultivars to flower, and will grow up to 8ft. ‘Wesselton’ was the final introduction of the great Jim Fisk (b.1912 d.2004), and was named after the village in Suffolk where his clematis nursery was located.
Fisk was also a famous Clematis author; his best known book was ‘Clematis: The Queen of Climbers’ (which I have recently bought – available online from Amazon). Fisk is credited with having made clematis a staple in most gardens, mainly due to his breeding and introductions of many new plants, and, of course, he won many Chelsea medals.
To my chagrin I wasn’t fully aware of Fisk’s work before, even though we do have a lovely plant of ‘Wesselton’ in our garden! In 1997 Fisk was honoured with an MBE for his contribution to the gardening world. (‘If there were royalty in the world of clematis’ said one of his admirers, ‘Jim Fisk would be king.’) Fisk says in his book that any spring or early summer flowering clematis can be planted in shaded areas, and also against north facing walls. Christopher Lloyd adds ‘beware of wind and severe frost when planting clematis in the shade’. He points out that C. cirrhosa var. balearica, whilst very happy in shade, needs protection against such winter vexations if they are to do well. Indeed, any white flowering clematis, says Lloyd, would look excellent in the shade: he suggests ‘Marie Boisselot’ (I’m not familiar with this one), which the RHS describes as ‘a vigorous, medium-sized, deciduous, climbing, large-flowered hybrid clematis cultivar’.
In considering clematis for shade and more difficult places, it is always well worth a visit to my favourite nursery – Taylors. Their website is really good for filtering various characteristics you might want in a particular plant or plants, such as flowering times, shade tolerance, fragrance etc. However, Taylors do, on many of the plant descriptions mention ‘will tolerate shade’ – this is not quite the same as ‘will flourish in shade’! I looked all through their entire catalogue to check whether I could find any clematis which positively enjoy shade... and didn’t find any. Most of the plants are listed as ‘will tolerate’ and many others state ‘any aspect’ which, as we all know, is taking a slightly optimistic view of things
In terms of shade tolerance, one plant I should mention enthusiastically is C. macropetala ‘Purple Spider’, which climbs our back fence (I have two plants, together, in fact). These plants are growing in the full shade of a fig tree and several other shrubs, but they are flourishing! The benefits are also bestowed on our neighbours – on their side, ‘Purple Spider’ romps away to escape the shade, so they too get a fantastic profusion of flowers. More or less than us on our side, I can’t say!
‘Black Prince’ twines through our ‘Purple Spider’; she, it seems, is also very happy there – the descriptions, though, usually state ‘part shade only’ for this plant. Clearly, it’s a case of ‘just try it out’ – and don’t put too much faith in what the label says!
In many countries outside the UK you would, in choosing your clematis, also have to take into account your climatic zone. US based clematis websites almost always point this out and stress that clematis are sun loving plants which need five to six hours of sunlight per day; further detailed information on this specific topic is available on the British Clematis Society website.
I will be returning to the topic of ‘America and Clematis’ in another article, and am hoping to see more of them myself over the coming few years: my BCS ‘American hybrids mix’ seeds have now germinated; the seedlings are small, as yet, but growing fast!
Bibliography
Clematis: The Queen of Climbers Fisk, J.; Cassell Publishers, London, 1994, ISBN 0 304 34327 7 (paperback).
Desert Island Clematis
Maureen Hudson UK
WWith apologies to the BBC’s Desert Island Discs. Why don’t you try and play this little game? When stuck for hours at an airport, or wide awake in the middle of the night, try to make a list of the ten Desert Island Clematis plants you just could not do without?
It concentrates the mind… and you can never, ever, finalise your list!
Today, my list is:
C. ‘Broughton Star’ (Montana Group)
C. ‘Piilu’
C. ‘Semu’
C. ‘Mrs Cholmondeley’
C. ‘Madame Julia Correvon’
C. ‘Huldine’
C. AVANT-GARDE (‘Evipo033’)
C. ‘Princess Diana’
C. ‘Ekstra’
C. ‘Marmori’
Or is it?
What would I do without
‘Royal Velours’, ‘Étoile Violette’, ‘Juuli’, ‘Jan Fopma’ , ‘Alionushka’ , ‘Purpurea Plena Elegans’ , ‘Abundance’ , ‘Prince Charles’, ‘Lady Northcliffe’ , or ‘Madame Grangé? Which of these would I take, in case of losing one of my top ten? Make your own list, and send it to our Editor! If it turns out to be an interesting list, it might even get published here!
Edward J. Gilbert Thunder Bay, Canada edwardgilbert@shaw.ca
TThe growing of Clematis in our family garden, in Ontario, Canada is something that was started by my father, Douglas Edward Gilbert (1916-2009) and carried on by me, at my home in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
My father was born in Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. On June 25th of this year I set off with my travelling companion, Susan Prince, on a three week vacation to England, to visit Tunbridge Wells and its environs.
Upon our arrival at the ←Victorian B&B at 22, Lansdowne Road, Tunbridge Wells (a historic Victorian style home, built in the 1860s) I was pleasantly
surprised to find that the house had a wonderful garden. It was filled to bursting with a profusion of flowers and shrubs, among which was a selection of clematis, in which I took a particular interest! In my Canadian garden, the natural soil is a heavy dark clay which drains only poorly. I improve it by adding peat moss, compost, black earth and a rich topsoil – my clematis thrive. At the B&B, however, I was surprised to find that the proprietor (Harold Brown) had great success growing his clematis in a light grey clay, which dried like concrete – and which he improved only by the addition of farm manure. ‘How’, I thought to myself, ‘can he have so much success, in (what appeared to me) such poor soil conditions?’ Perhaps the ability of clematis to flourish in such a wide range of soil conditions is testament to their adaptability?
Before leaving Canada on our trip, my own clematis were not yet in bloom, however, in Tunbridge Wells, the plants were already well developed, and rambling up into the trelliswork, in full bloom. Because of our harsh Canadian winters, we have to protect the roots, by covering the base of the plants with a thick layer of leaves or straw. In Tunbridge Wells, Harold explained, the winters are very mild, with little snow, and there is no need to protect the plants at all.
While strolling through his garden, something I did every day, I took many photos, some of which I shall refer to here. Not being an expert on plant identification myself, it was indeed fortunate that most (but not all) of the clematis still had their tags attached, making identification possible. The first to catch my eye was a pale blue, with a tag that read ICE BLUE (‘Evipo033’) and which was growing in a large clay pot, climbing up a
The Clematis 2015
trellised wall. This plant had a pleasing appearance, with a nuance of white in the sepals: it was obviously very happy in its east facing location, receiving the sun until late noon,
ICE BLUE (‘Evipo033’)
with partial shade in the afternoon. The ICE BLUE plant description read: ‘A stunningly beautiful large-flowered clematis with flowers 6-7" (15-18cm) in diameter. An ideal cut flower clematis for the home. One of the earliest and one of the latest clematis to flower, a strong but compact plant. Equally at home when grown in a garden setting, or in a container for the deck garden, patio or outdoor dining area. Looks outstanding when grown against a dark background, and ideal for a north-facing location. Launched at the 2006 Chelsea Flower Show and now ranked as the best of the modern, large-flowered hybrid clematis, ICE BLUE flowers from late spring to late autumn and grows to 6’ in height. Any aspect is suitable, but in full sun the blue colouring fades. The plant should be pruned down by one third in late winter or early spring to reduce the top growth. Its hardiness is H5 in the UK.’ Behind ICE BLUE I could see a pink clematis, on the other side of the trellis.
I also noted a plant of Clematis armandii in the garden, but, unfortunately, this plant was not in bloom at the time. Clematis armandii is sometimes called the ‘evergreen
clematis’. It is a large, impressive, vigorous evergreen climber with leathery, dark glossy green trifoliate leaves up to 15cm long. In flower it produces single, fragrant, creamy-white flowers 56cm across, with creamy stamens; of course, being June, we had long since missed the clusters of flowers of early to mid spring.
The third clematis I came across was a purple variety, bearing a tag that read ← KINGFISHER (‘Evipo 037’). This plant grows in a south facing part of the garden, rambling up a trellis wall. KINGFISHER is a new Evison/Poulsen cultivar that is exceptionally free-flowering, with huge 6-7 inch flowers, from late spring through to early summer. The intense deep blue to purple sepals are breathtaking and are nicely contrasted by the creamy yellow anthers. This exceptional new cultivar also reblooms heavily in late summer, with slightly smaller flowers, giving an extended season of colour.
The last of the four B&B plants was labelled REBECCA → (‘Evipo016’). Raymond Evison, who is well known for introducing new clematis cultivars, gives the following description for REBECCA: ‘An outstanding red clematis, introduced in 2008 and named after my eldest daughter, Rebecca. Can be grown in any location and holds its colour well in full sun; this is a good plant to grow through other plants, and also performs well when grown in a container’.
An unlabelled red clematis was growing up and over the trellis arch surrounding the back door to the B&B. It was weaving its way through a red climbing rose. I wasn’t sure, but this red clematis on the arch looked like another plant of Evison’s REBECCA to me.
Although I could see only four cultivars in the garden, there were several copies of each plant, and, when combined with the large selection of roses (climbing, shrub, and tree varieties) in red, pink and white, as well as a host of other identifiable (and some unidentifiable) flowers and flowering shrubs, it presented a pleasing view, which was well suited to the Victorian theme of the B&B.
During my holiday I travelled throughout the town and visited many of its fine public gardens and parks. When it came to finding clematis, I was not disappointed.
While visiting The Grove, we took a walk along a long narrow path called BirdCageWalkand, part
The Clematis 2015
way along, I spotted and photographed two unidentified clematis. Both of these plants, one maroon in colour and the other, light blue (I wasn’t sure of either of their IDs) were in abundant bloom and had climbed to the top of a high, south facing fence.
July 5th saw us venturing further afield, when we paid a visit to Groombridge Place, just a few miles west of Tunbridge Wells. Here, it was possible to tour the grounds of the old mansion. There were many fine gardens and I spotted and photographed several other lovely clematis.
On July 6th, we once again journeyed further afield, this time, south of Tunbridge: on this occasion we visited lovely ← Hever Castle, where we came upon what was, perhaps,
At Penshurst Place I saw a blue clematis growing beside a lovely yellow daisy
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the most spectacular garden of the whole trip. While there, I spotted and photographed four clematis: a pale blue variety, growing vertically up a brick post which formed part of the garden architectural features; a red cultivar growing in a large pot, supported by stakes and twine (a younger plant, by the look of it); another blue variety was scaling a wall, and the fourth was a very attractive pale pink cultivar, clambering its way up a sturdy arbour.
On July 7th we visited the gardens at Penshurst Place: what a spectacular view awaited us. Among the numerous areas of gardens I saw a blue clematis growing beside a lovely yellow daisy; the plants were growing against a wall, supported by wires.
Anyone wanting to see some spectacular gardens, within which are to be found numerous clematis, should pay a visit to the many public and private gardens in Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area. You will not be disappointed!
At Hever Castle, left to right: Susan Prince, of Thunder Bay, who made the trip with me to England. She and her husband have been good friends and neighbours of mine for over twenty years and, due to my health, which prevents me from travelling alone, she made all the arrangements for the trip, and came with me. In the middle, wearing the IloveRoyal TunbridgeWellsT-shirt, is me. In blue, my second cousin, Christine Harrison of Tunbridge Wells who, with husband Alan, drove us to Hever Castle.
Harry and Denny Caddick UK denny.caddick@hotmail.co.uk
IIn the early part of the year, Denny and I were wandering through Dobbies Garden Centre, in Liverpool. Naturally, Denny’s first port of call was the ‘reduced’ plants section, to see what bargains she could find. I joined her and was puzzled to find a clematis (the only one there and in dire need of some TLC) with a colour picture label attached, the name on which appeared to be ‘Lord Nerschell’. Surely, we said to ourselves, it should read ‘Lord Herschell’ – so, obviously, a misprinted label.
The average customer may not have known any difference, but I did! I had read about this variety in Barry Fretwell’s book Clematis as Companion Plants but had never seen it for sale anywhere, and certainly not in a general garden centre. I decided to give the
‘Lord Herschell’ plant the benefit of the doubt and bought it – after all, £4.99 (sale price) wasn’t going to break the bank if it turned out to be a mediocre plant. So, in the basket it went, and on to the checkout counter. The cashier scanned it through the till and said ‘that will be £1.00 please’. I snapped it up! Talk about the last of the big spenders!
What a little gem this plant has turned out to be. Growing to a height of just 2-3’, numerous stems form a bushy, extremely free flowering plant. The flowers are a rich
‘Lord Herschell’ purple with a velvety texture, the shape of which is reminiscent of the texensis form. It started flowering in June and, judging by the amount of buds still to flower, it will continue into the autumn.
I have now acquired a specimen of ‘Heather Herschell’ (Clematis × diversifolia ‘Heather Herschell’) so lady and gent will eventually sit in close companionship and harmony – I hope! The lesson I have learned from this is: when visiting garden centres listen to the wife when she heads off to the bargain basement. You never know what you may find.
Summer sensations
I planted ‘Lord Herschell’ in a border in front of a 3-4’ high fence in my front garden. After the explosions of the spring large-flowered clematis (growing in large tubs throughout the rest of my garden) this area has always been relatively devoid of colour and interest, come July. So, to combat this I attached two rows of horizontal wires, eighteen inches apart, along the said fence and planted in the border some excellent varieties of viticellas and integrifolias. These would grow and be trained along the length of the wires. Some varieties are very familiar – ‘Étoile Violette’ and ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ , C. × durandii, ‘Rosea’ (Integrifolia Group) but others are wonderful discoveries I have made over a number of years. Principally, the variety JOHN HOWELLS (‘Zojohnhowells’), named for a man I knew and admired very much, and a greatly loved member of the BCS until his death. The vibrant rich red colour of this plant is so eye catching in its own right, but, teamed with the contrasting colours and forms of other less well known varieties, such as ‘Hanna’1 , ‘Chatsworth’ (these two by courtesy of Hawthornes Nursery at Hesketh Bank), INSPIRATION (‘Zoin’), ‘Sweetheart’, and ‘Fascination’ all make for a very colourful and interesting hedge between us and the neighbours, blooming continuously throughout the whole of the summer.
The Clematis 2015
At right angles to this fence is another boundary fence of similar proportions, over which grows a very old cotoneaster. Perfect for hosting the combination planting of ‘Helios’ and ‘Perle d’Azur’. If you are not familiar with ‘Helios’, it is a yellow clematis, similar in flower to ‘Bill MacKenzie’, but could be termed its baby brother, growing only to a height of around 7’. The plant is very easy to manage, yet produces incredibly copious masses of flowers, from top to bottom, over an indeterminate length of time! And, of course, as with the other plants of this group the beautiful seedheads prolong the interest into late autumn.
To contrast my array of ‘summer sensations’ I have (growing at the opposite end to ‘Helios’ and ‘Perle d’Azur’, but over the same cotoneaster) the combination of two of the best (in my opinion!) summer flowering varieties that have appeared on the scene in the last few years. There has been a lack of prolific summer flowering white clematis to my mind – but then along came FOREVER FRIENDS (‘Zofofri’). I urge clematis lovers to seek this plant out. Strong growing, with an abundance of flowers that begin in June and continue well into September, it is a joy to own. But pair this up with the exotic-looking
‘Helios’
‘Tie Dye’, a rich purple-blue colour with white flashes over the sepals, and you have a winning combination that will stop passers-by in their tracks! These four clematis growing over a thirty five years old cotoneaster would not survive if they were planted in the ground near the cotoneaster – there would be too much competition for the clematis to thrive. So they are planted using my favourite method of growing clematis – in large tubs, in extremely rich compost. In fact, I use this method wherever there is no scope in my garden for planting clematis in the ground, and obtain very good results.
I hope you like my idea of summer sensations – now if I could just have a little more sunshine to accompany this so-called summer, I would be a very happy man.
Bibliography
Clematis as Companion Plants Fretwell, Barry: Cassell, London, 1995, ISBN 0304344249/9780304344246
YYou know what it’s like, in spring and early summer, when you can be beguiled in the garden centre by beautiful flowers on the early large-flowered hybrids (ELFH), which have probably been grown under glass or polythene! You can walk along, admiring the blooms: the bonus is that if you decide to buy something, you know you’re definitely getting the right plant; also, you can enjoy the flowers for two or three weeks, perhaps even longer if there are buds on the plant as well.
Of course, it’s not so easy to get them to flower this well in your garden! My local nursery went one stage further with the blooms this year. They had several plants in larger pots, sporting absolutely huge flowers – they must have easily been at least ten inches across. It was strange to see familiar varieties like ‘Nelly Moser’ , ‘Daniel Deronda’ , ‘Mrs N. Thompson’ and ‘Fireworks’ with these enormous blossoms! Upon asking the lady at the nursery how this was achieved, she was a bit coy but finally admitted to being a bit ‘Gung Ho’ with the fertilizer. So this begs the question – how much fertilizer do the plants actually need, to flower so well? Most books describe clematis as greedy feeders, and some say that established plants don’t need feeding. Whilst such information may be helpful, it is no substitute for understanding how to grow a plant well in the first place.
As an amateur gardener, it is difficult to figure out objective scientific experiments that demonstrate how to grow clematis better. I’ve tried a few things this season. For example, earlier this year, I was walking around Coton Manor Gardens (Coton Manor, Coton, Northampton NN6 8RQ), admiring their magnificent clematis; I noticed that around the base of many of the plants there was an upturned flowerpot, with the bottom cut out. Asking why this was done, I was told by the owner that it was to stop mice nibbling the new shoots. At a wildlife talk, sometime after, the danger was underlined –mice are everywhere – I have often seen them in my own garden. Has this idea made a difference? Possibly. I also saw one of my own best garden performers, ANNA LOUISE (‘Evithree’). I noticed that some slabs/large stones had been placed near the base of the
Clematis 2015
plant – originally, to deter weeds. I’ve therefore put some bits of slab round several of my home plants, to see if this helps.
Stefan Buczacki recommends giving plants sequestered iron, in spring. This may seem illogical, as clematis are supposed to prefer alkaline soil; however, plants do sometimes produce yellowy leaves, so it does seem to make some sense. Others recommend boosting magnesium, in the form of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate), to encourage firm, green foliage. When planting a younger plant out in the garden, a bottomless bucket effectively thwarts any early root competition, definitely a worthwhile thing Also, in the ground, the soil around the plant – that you’ve carefully prepared –does get broken up and displaced to a certain degree, by insect life and the natural cycle, over the passage of time. The buckets will decrease this. The plants I’ve cosseted this way have grown and flowered very well.
As I said, difficult to prove, in scientific terms. On the other side of the coin, I have a plant of BLUE ANGEL (‘Błękitny Anioł’) in a three gallon bucket, near the back of a border where I can’t really water or feed it – but this one romps away, with robust, vigorous stems!
At the Chelsea Flower Show I had another instance of amazement at a display of tremendous blooms. Thorncroft Nursery, Taylors Clematis, Raymond Evison and others – all display plants grown to perfection – but the blooms that took my breath right away were on the Thorncroft stand. There were plants of ‘Rüütel’, smothered in enormous red blooms. I myself have a plant of this cultivar – in a couple of seasons it has managed just two or three scratty flowers, to which you wouldn’t give a second glance. I need to up my game on this plant now, as I’ve seen its potential for such incredible density of blossom! Thorncroft also had a lovely plant of ‘Kinju Atarashi’ , which is a pale mauve, suffused with pink. I have two plants of this distinctive cultivar, and whilst not up to Chelsea standards, both plants flowered quite well, and should improve, in time.
Apart from those people who prefer the delicate charms of the Viornae etc, the name of the game with clematis is probably ‘flower power’, or floriferousness, to use the more
technical term. The winner in the flower power stakes in my garden, this year, was definitely OOH LA LA (‘Evipo041’) – stunning, in a large tub. Another Evison cultivar, ‘Royal Velvet’ (‘Evifour’), grown in the ground, died right back last year but grew back strongly this season, producing many lovely deep purple blooms.
My favourite ELFH is ‘Fireworks’. I have recently bought two new plants; the old plant, which I had for about ten years and which never wilted, finally keeled over during a drought. The old plant produced flashy, flamboyant blooms nine inches in diameter, fully deserving of the title ‘dinner plate’ blooms. The new plants have flowered reasonably well, so far, but it seems to take plants a few years to develop very large blooms – so I am looking forward to bigger blooms in the years to come.
I also have a plant of ‘Kacper’, a large purple bred by Stefan Franczak, who raised some excellent clematis. This plant can get very large indeed, as I saw several years ago in the Bagatelle Gardens, in Paris. Mine only produced four very large flowers this year, and the leaves were large, to match. ‘Omoshiro’ flowered well, last year and this year, and was also the only ELFH to put on a good autumn display – I was still enjoying lovely blooms in November. ‘Omoshiro’ was recommended to me as a good flowerer.
I do have one ELFH I’m not particularly keen on, namely EMPRESS (‘Evipo011’), as I don’t like the double centre. A few years ago I sent off for a package of plug plants: two each of REBECCA (‘Evipo016’), a nice red; KINGFISHER (‘Evipo037’), a nice blue and EMPRESS, a sort of double pink. I only wanted the first two, but ‘ sod’s law’ operated: they both died, but the two plants of EMPRESS survived! I gave one away at a charity event and still have one. If it floats your boat, I can confirm that it’s a robust plant.
Not everything has been rosy in the ELFH garden, this season. Three plants did not reappear after the winter, and some wilted, but overall, I’ve had some good blooms.
‘Rüütel’ with companions on the Thorncroft stand What else has been good? Definitely ‘Honora’, a nice purple. Supposedly a Group 3, which I cut back hard, but which still managed to flower before the end of May. Of course, ‘Jackmanii’ and ‘Perle d’Azur’ flowered prolifically as usual – with no fertilizer!
PProviding the best possible supports for my clematis has always been a very important goal to me. Every time I walk into a hardware store, visit a public or a private garden, or drive by a garden centre, the question of supports pops up, just like a tiny clematis seedling poking its green head above the mulch of my garden path. My search for the ultimate clematis support structure began in 1999, when my husband and I became the proud owners of an old brick bungalow fixer-upper (a house in need of repairs). I finally had a place of my own to plant my clematis! First up was ‘Nelly Moser’ – the label promised a swift climb, 13-15 feet. I was quite resourceful but, having just bought a house, pretty broke. I had no money for expensive wrought iron trellises, and who needs them anyway, right? I took a trip to the hardware store and came home with a roll of cheap plastic netting (the kind that some people use to protect their fruit trees from birds) and some ½” plastic discs; they were supposed to attach to my brick walls and hold the netting in place. It worked like a charm: I used a ladder to climb up, attached the plastic discs to the brick wall and then attached the netting to the discs, all the way up the wall. I was very happy with the results… for one growing season. The next spring I learned three important lessons. First, don’t believe everything glue manufacturers promise on their labels; second, clematis require annual pruning, and last but not least, I hate plastic netting.
And thus, my quest had begun! The netting came down and I began the long and, at times, frustrating journey along the road of ‘trial and error’. I’ve tried trellises, obelisks, arches, fences, big plants (trees), small plants (bushes and tree stumps), and no support at all. Plastic, metal, wood – and every possible combination of the three – made their way into my garden and were adopted as possible candidates. Some stayed, some were thrown out after just one season.
The most logical place (in the US) to look for support for vines – big box hardware stores –gave pretty disappointing results. What trellises I could find, at those places, were made with very little imagination, looked like cloned copies of each other, and were never tall enough.
Coated wire mesh suits this young plant of ‘Warszawska Nike’
I would stand in the middle of the store, in front of rows of potted clematis plants, with tags clearly saying that the plant will reach eight, ten, thirteen feet etc and gloomily observe, next to them, a stack of metal trellises that were four feet tall. Umm... aren’t you guys missing something? What about the remaining nine feet? Doesn’t that need support too? I did discover one valuable quality of these trellises – they were sturdy, being made of iron bars, and could stand on their own, making pruning pretty easy and fast. I bought a couple of these trellises and tried them. I have to say that, with careful selection of the cultivar and diligent pruning in late winter, it is possible to keep your clematis happy and looking good, even on these short things. My ARCTIC QUEEN (‘Evitwo’) and ‘Multi Blue’ don’t seem to mind short accommodations one bit. Of course, if you are growing the Viticella or Montana Group, you’d better have an alternative plan. Those will reach four feet after the first two weeks of growing, and, unless you are planning to use the pruning of clematis as your daily exercise routine to stay fit, keeping such plants under control, on short stubby trellises, will get tiresome pretty quickly.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that a wooden lattice alone, though quite affordable and decorative, was a poor choice for clematis support. The planks are too wide for the leaf petioles to wind themselves around. However, the simple and easy attachment of wire fencing to the back, forming a mesh, converts it to an excellent support for clematis. A variety of materials is possible, but I usually use 2”x3” wire mesh garden fencing – the type that is coated with green vinyl.
Of course, an essential element in succeeding in any quest of this kind is in having a devoted and reliable co-traveller – someone who can get you out of a sticky situation or offer a helping hand when you need it the most. I am very lucky to have just that person. My husband is my rock. I can come up with crazy ideas any day. He always listens to my explanation, nods, and says: ‘Let me think about it.’ And think about it he does!
Having failed to find what I was looking for at the stores, I turned to books and the internet. One can find a multitude of creative ideas when one is determined and knows how to use a set of basic tools.
‘Violet Charm’ on a new obelisk
I found a couple of interesting and, it seemed to me, fairly simple looking obelisks, that I showed to my husband. He ‘thought about it’ and pretty soon I was able to fieldtest two new garden structures! One was made of copper tubing and fittings and was glued (!) together by special epoxy. I liked it, but with the high price of copper it didn’t seem like such a bargain, after all. Clematis ‘Prince Charles’ went on to embrace the smooth, cool copper tubing, and I moved on to the next candidate. The other obelisk was made of pieces of wood, 2”x 2”x10’, put together in the shape of a teepee, with copper wire running horizontally, connecting the wood. It was easy to make, I liked the look of it, and asked my husband to make several more. It took just one good thunderstorm to reveal that this kind of structure needs to be anchored to the ground reasonably securely. Otherwise, after every rainstorm, or a day with strong winds, you will have to pick it up, stand it back up and assess the damage done by a huge mass of climbing stems and leaves, falling wherever the wind blew it to that day. There are a number of ways to anchor such a structure and, once done, you can usually forget all about such calamities.
‘Piilu’ wraps onto wire netting
Then came the ‘scavenging’ phase. I started bringing home any junk that could potentially be turned into something for my vines to climb on. An old window pane (glass replaced with fence wire) and a rusty water pump, found a second life in my garden. A local store was going out of business and selling their shelving – several of the sturdy metal grates found their way into our garage. Cedar planks were attached to the sides and top, and another happy clematis was on its way up, climbing the beautiful new trellis. An old metal garden bench from a junkyard is no good for sitting on, but serves as a great clematis support, and is now covered with blooms of ‘Pink Champagne’ every June.
As my clematis obsession got more and more serious, and I figured out an easy way to grow my own new clematis plants from seed, the need for larger and more expansive support soon became apparent. Once again my wonderful partner came to my rescue. He built a wooden frame with metal netting stretched across it. It served dual purposes: firstly, it screened our daughter’s playground from the road below, and secondly, it provided a wonderful support for my new clematis seedlings! I still love it and receive numerous compliments on my ‘wall of blooms’ every time we have visitors.
I could not find any reference to clematis’ preferences, in terms of the texture of the climbing structure’s surface. None of my books had ever touched on this aspect. It seems that this characteristic can make a big difference, and should always be taken into account. Clematis like rougher, non-slippery surfaces for climbing, and absolutely despise anything sleek and smooth. I discovered this after I bought a trellis made of some unknown (to me) material that was snow white in colour, and really smooth – I mean glass smooth. The planks on the trellis were about a quarter of an inch thick, a perfect size for a clematis leaf petiole to wind itself around. I didn’t expect any trouble with my clematis climbing this new support. I placed the new trellis next to the brick wall, behind the clematis that was meant to climb it. I put the vine – already a few feet long – onto it, weaved a couple of leaf petioles around the planks and walked away, expecting no trouble. The next day, I visited my clematis and discovered that it was no longer on the trellis, it had loosened itself, and was back on the ground. It happens sometimes when you put up a new garden structure – the wind blows the wrong way, or the weight of the plant makes it shift, and the plant changes its position and has to be
‘Ramona’ and ‘Viola’ adding great colour to the vertical aspect helped up onto its support again. I lifted the clematis back on the trellis and this time wove the plant around some vertical planks, and wrapped some of the leaf petioles a bit more determinedly. Well, it didn’t take long: my clematis freed itself yet again, this time getting between the wall and the trellis. It was now trying to climb the wall, clinging desperately, adopting the contours of the protruding brick edges, but obstinately refusing to have anything to do with the beautiful trellis, right next to it. Stubborn, huh? Well, those who know me know that once I make up my mind, I can be pretty hard to dissuade (to put it mildly). I envisioned that trellis, with that clematis, in that spot, so that’s where it was going to be! I took a piece of twine and tied the clematis to the trellis. I know, I know, I have sinned, and I am sorry, but let me explain: I never tie clematis in the garden, I love their free spirit, rambling nature. That’s probably why I have such a tender spot for them, but this time, I was desperate! In a matter of two days, my clematis had wrapped itself, tightly, around the hanging, loose ends of the twine (with which I had tied it) but flat out refused to collaborate with the trellis itself. Well, let’s just say, that after several months of battle, the clematis won. I replaced the smooth trellis with a similar structure, but one not so smooth – my clematis embraced it like it was a long lost friend, with no help from me at all. Figure that one out!
The only other time I had seen similar behaviour with clematis was on the copper pipe obelisk that my husband had crafted. Copper pipes are really quite smooth, and the clematis was very reluctant to wrap around and climb up. However, that obelisk also has thin copper wires that run up, down and across, from top to bottom, and that was the key difference. The wires turned out to be perfect for supporting the extending stems, so
The Clematis 2015
the copper obelisk story had a much happier ending. ‘Prince Charles’ still calls that structure home, and climbs all the way to the top, every year.
‘Polish Spirit’ with Hybrid Musk Rose 'Darlow's Enigma'
I also grow several nonclimbing clematis plants. Practical supports for these plants is still a work in progress. They all tend to be on the taller side of the promised 4-6’, possibly because most of them grow in partial shade. PETIT FAUCON (‘Evisix’) was placed in a very convenient niche in the top tier of a series of retaining walls; it cascades down, from one retaining wall to another. No special support was needed there – all I had to do was clear the space in the tier directly below. ‘Alionushka’ and ‘Sizaia Ptitsa’, on the other hand, were placed in the middle of a flowerbed, and therefore needed support. They
My ‘Clematis Wall’ structure being installed. Below, a couple of seasons later.
showed very little interest in growing through the low bushes that I had planted next to them, for that exact purpose. They seemed to prefer to ramble, spreading out in all directions, rather than actually growing vertically up. Having said that, with loving and
patient guidance it did turn out to be possible to get them to climb up, and through; ‘Alionushka’ more so than ‘Sizaia Ptitsa’. I never seem to have the time that this takes, though.
Another unruly non-climber that I absolutely adore is ‘Arabella’. After visiting some private gardens one day, and noticing a non-climbing clematis in a border, I decided to try adopting the technique. I surrounded it with a short, decorative fence, made of wires woven together. The trick worked for a while to keep it growing up, after that, it outgrew its fence, and happily spilled all over again! It still looks simply stunning, so I don’t really mind. I might try a slightly taller version next year – as I said, I’m still working on it.
‘Pink Fantasy’ scales a tree trunk
I’ve succeeded in growing clematis up tree trunks. The bark itself, though quite rutted, doesn’t give quite enough grip to keep the stems growing upright for very long. I wrapped the trunk in my beloved wire fencing described above, and it worked like magic, yet again. Not every type of tree is suitable for this, though. You have to be selective. Maples, for example, have comparatively shallow roots that leave no nutrients for anything else; their compact canopy makes a super dense shade below, and the length of the branches permits only limited moisture to reach the ground, near the trunk. Not a good choice. The trees I had success with for supporting clematis were a hickory and an oak tree. Both of them had no limbs to at least 20’ from the ground, which allowed plenty of light to reach the bottom part of the trunk. I planted clematis about 3’ away from the tree, first training it to, and then on, the trunk. ‘Pink Fantasy’ has been coexisting with that hickory tree for twelve years now, and both still do very well.
Time, and my numerous experiences of growing clematis on obelisks and larger plants, has brought to mind new ideas of a slightly different nature. I no longer look for structures my plants can climb on. I think more and more of different ways to encourage clematis to grow through – and be a part of, almost an equal partner with – various plants and structures. I have become much braver and more comfortable letting them just ramble, or cascade. Our Rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum) tree was killed during a harsh winter – I simply left it in the ground and let ‘Huldine’ take it over. I think the tree looks even better now than when it was alive! I discovered that almost anything can
CLAIRE DE LUNE (‘Evirin’) on fence; Nina, training ‘Rhapsody’ onto a structure
become a useful garden support structure, as long as you use your imagination and creativity. I no longer tie a clematis to a trellis. If a plant chooses to go elsewhere, I wait to see where it wants to go, and then… well, I’m here to give support.
AAlmost four years ago, Dr Samuli Lehtonen and I started researching Clematis. At first, it was I who played around with Magnus Johnson’s sectional classification in a cladistics computer program called TNT. Cladistics is a branch of evolutionary biology, an approach to classification of organisms based on their shared history as evidenced in their shared characteristics. The first results from my test runs were intriguing: the Clematis sections and subsections didn’t group together in the manner that Johnson had envisioned them. For example, the section Fruticella split along its subsections, some to be included in the section Flammula, some closer to the subsection Montanae. It seemed that a closer look, with the possibilities of a DNA sample based analysis, would bring a lot of new information to our understanding of how Clematis really group together.
Taking a sample of a fresh clematis leaf with Phire® Plant Direct PRC Kit. The size of the sample is 0.5 mm across. We extracted DNA from the dry or fresh leaves, or from the seeds, as we received them in 2012-13.
The sample is put in a dilution buffer solution. The target DNA of the samples is then amplified (i.e. multiplied many thousands to millions of times) in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The recent molecular studies of Clematis (Miikeda et al. 2006, Xie et al. 2011) whetted my appetite since their results were so different from the classic, morphology based classifications. Their sampling of species was rather limited, though, especially lacking in many of the type species of the sections and subsections. Therefore, the authors were not able to propose a new classification for Clematis. What they showed, however, was that Clematis does indeed include those species that have sometimes been included in separate genera: Atragene, Naravelia, Clematopsis, Archiclematis etc all belong in Clematis, a view that Johnson also held. Their results suggested that the subgeneric divisions of the genus Clematis are not supported. Where they compare their results with Tamura’s (1995) and Wang & Li’s (2005) classifications, we thought that a comparison with Johnson’s might be more fruitful.
The plan for a research project started to form. After asking around for samples of Clematis, it was apparent that plant material was definitely available from hobbyists; once this was evident I managed to get Samuli Lehtonen interested. Such eminent clematarians as Ton Hannink, Deborah Hardwick, and Brian Collingwood offered their kind help in securing many of the sectional and subsectional type species which we wanted to focus our study on. Later on, we received samples from fellow researchers in China and Taiwan, and from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, to mention a few. From
Kew we also secured a research colleague, Dr Maarten Christenhusz, who joined with us in pooling all our resources on the project.
We extracted DNA from the dry or fresh leaves, or from the seeds, as we received them in 2012-13. This used a fast, direct sampling method that was new to us (see pics). In the end, after rejecting some taxa due to their poor DNA sampling, we had amassed 132 Clematis taxa (cf. Xie et al. who had seventy-five taxa), some of them with many representatives. These samples covered eighteen of the type species of Johnson’s nineteen sections, and thirty-three of his thirty-six subsectional types.
At this point, it was time to try and find the right species to represent the so called ‘outgroup’. The outgroup is a group of taxa, outside of the focus of the interest, which is thought to be related, but not as closely, as the members of the so called ‘ingroup’ are to each other. It is included in the analysis in order to give it a direction, a hypothesis of evolution from a common ancestor. The genus Anemone has been considered the closest relative of the genus Clematis in many classifications. We ended up with fourteen taxa of Anemone s.l., from which the same six genes that we were sampling from Clematis were available. In recent years, there has been some controversy over whether Anemone is one genus wherein the closely related Hepatica, Pulsatilla, Knowltonia, etc are included, or whether all of these are distinct genera. In order to be sure which species to use as the outermost outgroup member for our analyses, we decided to run separate analyses on the family Ranunculaceae in general. With the help of these, we managed to settle on Anemone quinquefolia as the root, or the outmost taxon for our main analyses.
In the process called gel electrophoresis, the electric current separates different DNA molecules from each other by driving smaller molecules further in the agar gel.
Dyed Clematis genes are fluorescing under UV light. These will be photographed and their nucleotide order ‘read’, after which they can be used in the computerised analyses.
While the analyses of the genotypic characters (i.e. DNA samples) were running, we decided to include the phenotypic (the morphological) characteristics in our research, also. This has not been done before, and we thought we could possibly gain a more robust hypothesis of the evolution of Clematis. We ended up running separate analyses of phenotypic and genotypic characters and then analyses of the combination of both (total evidence analyses). We did this in order to see whether some morphological characteristics are more decisive in the formation of a group of taxa (i.e. clade) than others, so that, in future, at least those characteristics would be taken in account.
We employed a technique of computerised analysis different from the previous ones. The previous studies have been run with fixed datasets and with equal weighing of the different characters. This means that the changes in the DNA from one taxon to another are given the same amount of weight, irrespective of the type of change. Examples of such changes may include the mutation of one nucleotide into another, or an event of deletion or addition of a strand of nucleotides from the DNA. Our goal was to run dynamic analyses with different weights given to these characters, thereby exploring the sensitivity of the results to these changes. To put it in simpler terms: the idea is that if a certain grouping of sampled plants is found in all or most of the analyses, it is more likely to be a reliable and natural grouping, instead of an artefact caused by the analytic hypotheses or processes themselves.
The importance of the results will be that we will, then, see how closely the clades of Clematis match the previous classifications into the various sections. We will not be able to tell much about the species level differences, as our sampling is more focused on the larger groups. What has become obvious during this research process is that the naming of different ranks of infrageneric taxonomic units (subgenus, section, subsection, series) within various Clematis classifications is a total chaos, with an abundance of invalid names. The next project after this research is to find nomenclaturally valid names for the clades our studies will reveal and/or confirm. A new, natural section-level classification scheme for Clematis ought to emerge.
We ran all the analyses during 2013-15, some of them taking as long as two months to complete. We completed the writing of the article in April 2015, and now, as of September 2015, we are waiting for the referee comments. We are optimistic that we will see publication of our research during the current year.
References
Johnson, M., 2001. The Genus Clematis. Ed. & trans. by Bengt Sundström. Södertälje: Magnus Johnsons Plantskola AB.
Miikeda, O., Kita, K., Handa, T., Yukawa, T., 2006. Phylogenetic relationships of Clematis (Ranunculaceae) based on chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 152, 153–168.
Tamura, M., 1995. Clematidinae. Pp. 365 388 in Die Naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien. Zwei Aufl 17a (4), ed. P. Hiepko. Berlin: Duncker und Humbolt. Wang, W.-T., Li, L.-Q., 2005. A new system of classification of the genus Clematis (Ranunculaceae). Acta Phytotaxon. Sin. 43, 431–488. (In Chinese with English abstract.)
Xie, L., Wen, J., Li, L.Q., 2011. Phylogenetic analyses of Clematis (Ranunculaceae) based on sequences of nuclear ribosomal ITS and three plastid regions. Syst. Bot. 36, 907–921.
GOLD! Questions to Suzy and Chris Cocks of Taylors Clematis
Q. How/why did Taylors Clematis start off?
A. Mum and Dad (Suzy’s parents) have always lived at the nursery and over the years have grown all sorts of plants and vegetables – this was until 1990 when we took the decision to specialise in clematis. We still grew other plants at this time and Suzy and her mum also ran a florist’s shop. In 2000 we decided to discontinue everything else and concentrate solely on clematis.
Q. How many different locations have you had over the years?
A. We have only ever lived and worked here on the nursery at Sutton, in Doncaster.
Chris with the Chelsea display; and after his TV interview with Rachel De Thame
The Royal Gala Evening is in full swing
Q. When was your first flower show?
A. The first flower show Taylors Clematis ever attended was way back in 1995 at the Harrogate Spring Show.
Q. When was your first Chelsea? How many years ago?
A. Our first Chelsea was in the year 2000.
Q. Had you been close to it in previous years only to be disappointed?
A. Fortunately, not! We took a break from Chelsea between 2001 and 2010 to concentrate on growing the business.
Q. What did it feel like to win your first Chelsea gold medal?
A. Our very first Chelsea Gold was in 2014. It was an extremely emotional experience! We couldn‘t believe it and were absolutely thrilled. Chelsea Gold means everything and it is what everyone strives for. When you get awarded your first gold it feels magical!
Q. Was there anyone in particular you learned from?
A. All in the family – Chris has learned everything he knows from Suzy! Suzy learned a lot from her Dad, Terry Taylor. Terry – one of those naturally green-fingered self-taught gardeners.
Q. What are your most special memories of Chelsea over the years?
A. Obviously, winning the first gold has been the biggest moment; but also, meeting people who are appreciative of the hard work that
BBC filming Suzy on the Chelsea display stand goes into the display is also very rewarding. It has also been wonderful to meet a few celebrities and see the Queen! The whole Chelsea experience is very special.
Q. Which VIPs have you met at Chelsea and the other major events?
A. We have met quite a few celebrities in our time. Trevor McDonald is the one that stands out particularly. We also meet and talk with all the Radio and TV gardening presenters at all the shows.
Q. Do you plan to continue at Chelsea and other flower shows in future?
A. Yes indeed. We are certainly intending to continue with shows for the next several years.
Q. What difference has it made to the Nursery – sales, reputation, email comments and feedback from the website etc?
A. It has definitely made a lot of difference to our reputation and the level of sales. Obviously, winning Chelsea Gold is by far the most
important thing. We get lots of positive feedback from the website, Facebook and also Twitter.
Q. What are your plans for the immediate few years from 2016?
A. Our plans at present are to carry on doing around five shows per year, but we also plan to start having a few more open days at the nursery. We also do five or six charity shows per year to raise money for research into Alzheimer’s and they have proved to be very popular, so we might increase this to around ten each year.
Q. If you could go back and change things, is there anything you would change in terms of how you have developed Taylors Clematis?
A. We are not planning any major changes at present but if there was anything we could change, though, I suppose it would be that we should have started specialising in clematis ten years earlier!
At the bottom of the world, three men in sleeping bags were reading Darwin. They were members of Robert Falcon Scott’s ‘Discovery Expedition’ to Antarctica, whose ship had been entombed in the ice. In even worse straits, the crew of the Swedish ship Antarctic was on Paulet Island where they were to overwinter, after their ship sank.
On the top of the world, Roald Amundsen, captain of a small ship with a crew of only six, was anchored in Erebus Bay off Beechey Island. In search of the magnetic north pole (which he never found) Amundsen would be the first to navigate the Northwest Passage.
Not far north of the equator in South Florida, Alexander Augustus Eaton was slogging through the Fakahatchee Strand in search of ferns, his passion. For the New England nurseryman, this would be the first of three annual treks through the twentymile long shallow river, a swampy maze of huge bald cypress and royal palms with a dense understory covered with thousands of epiphytes. Eaton would discover new species of ferns including Lady Fern (Athyrium asplenioides) but how he did it in such a forbidding place is a mystery. He lived for just a few short years after the final trip. Even today, hikers get lost in the Fakahatchee.
To the east, John Kunkel Small, Curator of the New York Botanical Garden, was travelling by boat along Florida’s coast in search of new plant species. He came south each year for thirty-five years, starting in 1901 and spent much of his time riding around
the State in his ‘weed wagon’. In his lifetime Small would collect sixty thousand plants, including many of Florida’s seven species of clematis and would co-author a book about clematis with Edgar Wherry, Joel Spingarn and Ernest Markham. In his journal from October 26th to December 1st 1903, he records: ‘Travelled north along the coast from Miami by boat about 50 miles; in the vicinity of Miami visited Cutler, SW Cutler Black Point and Camp Longview’. Hand Fern (Ophiodermapalmatum), Fakahatchee
1903 was the year Dr. Small published his 1400-page Flora of the Southeastern United
Fakahatchee Strand Bald Cypress States, termed a ‘masterpiece’ by John Hendley Barnhardt; and its author, ‘among the foremost taxonomic botanists of his day’. The Flora included extensive references to
The Clematis 2015
Clematis species many of which had been vouchered by Small: Viorna crispa (L.) Small; Clematis viticella L.; Viorna crispa Walteri (Pursh) Small; Viorna simsii (Sweet) Small; Viorna gattingeri Small (Clematis gattingeri Small); Viorna reticulata (Walt.) Small; Viorna versicolor Small, (Clematis versicolor Small); Viorna coccinea (Engelm.) Small (Clematis coccinea Small); Viorna obliqua Small; Viorna flaceida Small; Viorna viorna (L.) Small (Clematis viorna Small);
Around the same time, Dr. John C. Gifford, professor of tropical forestry at the University of Miami, was visiting a remote island hammock in the Everglades. Here he found a small
village of ‘different Indians cultivating the dasheen, sweet potato, and hard skinned Okeechobee squash… definitely unlike the Seminoles in dress and physical appearance. These may have been the last of the Caloosas’, one of the indigenous groups of Florida which were extirpated following the arrivals of conquistadors and, later, colonizers.
That year in rural Georgia, Eliza Frances Andrews published her textbook for high school students, Botany All The Year Round, while in England Edith Holden (left) was botanizing the English countryside for wildflowers for the Nature Notes she was writing for her students (published seventy years later as The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady). It is very likely that she came across ‘Traveller’s Joy’ (or ‘Old Man’s Beard’) many times: Clematis vitalba.
1903: the age of the great public gardens. Frederick Law Olmsted, landscape designer of Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn and many other public parks in America, would die on August 28th but his stepson – John Charles Olmsted – would carry on the work. A conservationist, the elder Olmsted was taken with the beauty of natural places he visited, such as ‘the great English private parks: he stored in his mind the results of the old landscape architecture as practised by Dutch, French and British artists’, reported the New York Times in their obituary.
The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh recorded over 600,000 visitors in 1903. On June 10th the Floral Clock started ticking at West Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh.
Prospect Park in Brooklyn
Landscape of the Fakahatchee Strand
Orchids and Ferns of the Fakahatchee Strand
The first of its kind in the world, it was based on Linnaeus’ idea of a garden with flowers that opened and closed at different times during the day. In Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Botanical Garden was just getting started (my vacation home is a few blocks away).
Landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll had just published Wall and Water Gardens. Credited with designing 350 gardens in England and the United States, that year she was working on gardens at Hughes Memorial Church and Hall Place in Godalming, Surrey. Her book
Seedhead of Clematisochroleucain the North Carolina Botanical Garden Colour Schemes for the Flower Garden included Clematis davidiana (now Clematis tubulosa, also formerly Clematis heracleifolia var. davidiana).
1903: the age of confidence in man’s ability to meet huge challenges. In addition to those who battled ice in search of the ‘emperor’s egg’ or slogged through steamy swamps looking for new species of ferns, there were those for whom the sky was not the limit. On December 17th, Orville and Wilber Wright overcame gravity for a few short seconds in a flimsy powered airplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Two days before the Wright brothers’ flight, at the Murray Scriptorium (which had opened that year at Mill Hill School) James Murray, the third editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, was composing a letter to Lord Bryce about another kind of challenge – managing the literary sleuths who were ferreting out yet more new words for the Dictionary. (The word ‘Clematis’ would have been added early in the 1890s.)
Feeling he had been singled out to ‘tame’ the English language, Murray wrote, ‘I think it was God’s will. In times of faith, I am sure of it. I look back and see that every step of my life has been, as it were, imposed upon me – not a thing of choice; and that the whole training of my life with its multifarious and irregular incursions into nearly every science and many arts, seems to have had the express purpose of fitting me to do this Dictionary’. James Murray could have been speaking for all these adventurers. That same month, John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt were camping at Yosemite National Park. Termed the most significant camping trip in conservation history, it was a great inspiration to Roosevelt who, during his presidency, would create five national parks, eighteen national monuments including the Grand Canyon, fifty-one bird sanctuaries, four game refuges and one hundred million acres of national forests.
Teddy Roosevelt was a friend of Joel Elias Spingarn, co-author of Small’s Clematis and visited him at Troutbeck, New York (British immigrants – the Benton family – named the place after their home in the Lake District).
In 1903, Spingarn was just starting his teaching career at Columbia University. His interests: literature and civil rights (he was a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, where my daughter works. In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois published The Souls of Black Folk which led to the establishment of that organization). Spingarn was an avid gardener and later in life, considered a foremost authority on clematis. He is credited with compiling the largest collection of clematis in America –250 species –including many he imported from England, after a visit there in 1927.
1903 was the year my mother was born. A pianist, she accompanied Metropolitan Opera star Giuseppe Agostini who, the year she was born, stood in for the ill Enrico Caruso at the Met in ‘La Bohème. Her mother was the gardener in the family.
Clematis baldwiniiin the Pine Woods of Florida
I remember helping my grandmother in her Philadelphia yard, which was not far from Bartram’s Garden, a repository of the clematis species collected by John Bartram and his son William, many years before. Could clematis have been growing in my grandmother’s garden along with the hollyhocks, hydrangeas and roses?
1903: a relatively peaceful time before the World Wars. On both sides of the Atlantic, gardeners were planting ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’, a new cultivar introduced that year. This new and exciting plant was raised by the great French breeder Francisque Morel, who kept the parentage a secret. Morel never liked revealing parentage, except in a relatively small number of cases – he seemed to enjoy the idea of keeping us all guessing.
‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’, introduced by Morel in 1903 (See also page 15)
N.B. This essay had its beginnings in 2011 when my friend and fellow botanizer John Beckner was dying. Most days I sat in Sarasota Hospital filling page after page with his botanical reminiscences about Florida. The last entry reads ‘Alexander Augustus Eaton’ but John was gone before he had a chance to fill me in. So it was left to me to find out.
Peter Matthiessen; National Geographic, 2003 to Antarctica
The Meaning of Everything
Simon Winchester; Oxford Press, 2003, ISBN 198607024 They All Called It Tropical Charles M. Brookfield and Oliver Griswold: 1949
Historical Association of Southern Florida ISBN 0935761012
Journal of the New York 1939; Volume XXXIX
Botanical Garden
Web link
Clematis for the Northeast States arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu
‘Mrs Cholmondeley’ Kathy Pickles
On Being a BCS Area Representative
Sue Reade, Northern Group Co-ordinator
sue.reade@uwclub.net
TThe great thing about this job is the friends you make along the way. I initially volunteered as Northern Group Co-ordinator because I didn’t know any Society members in the north. I now know lots of folk and together we enjoy great days out in various locations, mainly with the aim of visiting a particular garden or gardens.
This year we started the year with local experts helping us to take cuttings, and finished it by getting to know more about the culture of the Viticellas. In between, we visited the Himalayan Gardens near Ripon, Yorkshire (recommended by Garry Gaunt) and five gardens in Cheshire, including a member’s garden which this year was newly opened for the NGS (The National Gardens Scheme).
On April 26th, sixteen of us gathered at Stephanie Warburton’s garden, in Disley, Cheshire, primarily to learn (with the expert guidance of Harry and Denny Caddick) how to take cuttings. Stephanie and her husband were downsizing and happily permitted us to raid her clematis for cuttings material. Harry began the proceedings by demonstrating his methods, developed from many years of experience in producing excellent plants for their nursery, Caddick’s Clematis. He talked about which stems to use and when to take them. He was very particular about the medium to use, especially with regard to the sharp sand mixed in with it. Yes, he did use rooting hormone powder, plus a fungicide kept back from his nursery days. It was fascinating to watch him working so quickly and efficiently.
At Old Stretton Hall
Grafton Lodge – a name was sought and Harry Caddick was called into action
Once he’d potted up his demonstration cuttings he sent us off to find suitable material from Stephanie’s garden. Stephanie had already showed us around, so we knew where to find plants to take cuttings from. She had listed them all, under the flowering group and position in the garden. We scattered about the place, spoilt for choice –Stephanie had a large number of clematis. Once found, we took them back to Harry who guided us through cutting the stems into suitable material, then planting and labelling them. The weather was kind to us that day and our next problem was to find a shady place to put our precious cuttings, while we had lunch.
Stephanie provided a delicious lunch which rounded off the morning perfectly. Many thanks to Stephanie and her husband for hosting this interesting and beneficial event.
Garry Gaunt had suggested we visit the Himalayan Garden at Grewelthorpe, in north Yorkshire. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend but the pictures made it a mouth-watering prospect (for me!) for next year.
Garry’s report: The Group met on 17th May, braving the cold weather. We needed a hot drink to warm us up before we set off into the garden. The garden slopes away quite steeply, so we were soon sheltered from the wind, then the sun came out to make it a pleasant day. As you would expect from the name, the garden is mainly planted with rhododendrons and azaleas, all very colourful. A cluster of blue meconopsis grew by the stream and a patch of trillium added further to the vibrancy. The garden has a large lake and there are many sculptures, adding to the interest. After an enjoyable chatty walk it was back up to the café for a spot of lunch, before we each went our own way. Some of us stopped off to buy plants in the sales area. Before leaving we couldn’t resist a final short wander around the garden.
On the agenda for the June excursion was a visit to three gardens on the Wirral, two to private gardens and the third to the garden of BCS members Ken and Helen Black. Ken and Helen had invited me over to view their garden last year – they wanted to invite BCS as a ‘trial’, before the actual NGS open day. Our visit was set for 28th June and we built the day around that. This was the first garden of the day, found through the ‘Yellow Pages’ website and it provoked a lot of discussion regarding ‘lawns verses gravel gardens’. It was a great success, as was fully reported by Denny Caddick in the BCS Newsletter of last August. Ken and wife Helen were superb hosts and arranged for us to see a neighbour’s garden, also.
On the 19th July we were treated to two spectacular gardens near Tilston, in deepest Cheshire. Caroline Munro had approached the owners of Grafton Lodge and Stretton Old Hall; they both agreed to a small group of us invading their peaceful existence.
Not too long ago, Grafton Lodge was just a field – it has been transformed into a series of herbaceous beds, with some very unusual plants and lots of gorgeous trees. The plants Stephanie* especially remembers from the garden were the roses ‘Warm Welcome’ and ‘Masquerade’, the potentilla, used as a hedging plant, the weeping pear trees, the ‘pre-historic cedar’ and the artichokes and cardoons, which stood out among the perennials. (*Stephanie Warburton – one of the BCS Northern team, who helped me arrange Tatton Park and other events in the north region. She also hosted our cuttings event at the start of this season, when Harry and Denny Caddick demonstrated how to take cuttings. Big thanks to Stephanie.)
The two owners began the project as ‘a reluctant gardener and a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic gardener’ but, with time, reluctance became enjoyment! Lots of
Grafton Lodge from the balcony overlooking the garden. The ‘pre-historic cedar’ is at left
propagation was apparent in the filling of the large number and extent of the herbaceous beds. There was even a clematis or two among the shrubs, and one around the side of the house – a name was sought and Harry Caddick was called into action. He wanted cuttings because it was such a gorgeous colour. Eventually a (buried) label was found –the last syllable could easily be seen – ‘dance’. What could it be? In due course the label was cleaned, revealing the name ‘Abundance’. Harry had taken hundreds of cuttings of this plant in his time and we all laughed at the time it took us to solve the mystery
We were invited to view from the balcony overlooking the garden. The picture taken from there shows the ‘pre-historic cedar’ (to the left of the herbaceous beds). It was with reluctance that we departed this inspiring garden. Only the promise of Old Stretton Hall, our second garden of the day, persuaded us to tear ourselves away.
Old Stretton Hall was very different. It would not have looked out of place at Chelsea! We were greeted with real lemonade in lovely glasses, and a place at a table large enough to seat many guests. The water features –meticulously clean and surrounded by interesting plantings –demanded immediate attention. We noticed plant boxes in which were growing pairs of ← (different) plants perfectly matched in colour, close by. When I asked how they managed this, their candid admission of ‘walking round the garden centre with one of the plants, trying to find a match’ wasn’t quite the technical explanation I expected! Such was the tone of this visit.
The garden, professionally designed, incorporated a number of fascinating connected multi-level water features. There was a line of mature olive trees, imported from Portugal, either side of the path. There was a large walled vegetable garden where the tennis court had once been – the court had been relocated to another area of the garden. Work on a newly created lake was still in progress; from here we went to view a further water feature, this one for human garden enjoyment. This too was set among interesting plantings, with yet more tender plants in the summerhouse, at the side of the pool. As we progressed we came upon an enormous wild flower meadow which provoked great
At Richard Hodson’s Hawthornes Nursery discussion amongst us, about plant identifications. It was a jaw-dropping sight and in complete contrast to the otherwise almost entirely exquisitely manicured garden. Only hunger drove us away from this one!
‘Lavender Twirl’
Richard enjoys taking guests around his National Collection, at Hawthornes Nursery It was a privilege to be shown around both of the gardens and I should like to thank Caroline Munro for organising the event for us. In fact, all the visits (except the final one to Richard Hodson’s place, Hawthornes Nursery at Hesketh Bank) were suggested by people local to the scene
I had wanted to revisit Richard Hodson’s place last year, but we were unable to fix a suitable date. This year, though, I got it organised early in the season and it turned out to be a fitting culmination to our 2015 outings.
To start the day, Richard gave us an illustrated talk about the Viticellas. He introduced us to many new cultivars from around the world, and related some interesting tales about his dealings with the media, in particular his visit from Carol Klein (for whom he named a new plant, last year). The talk was both informative and highly amusing.
He also showed us some of his own new cultivars; I particularly remember his seedling ‘Ruby Tuesday’, which flowers all through summer, so named because it is a genuine ruby red colour. I guess he must be a Rolling Stones fan! Another interesting cultivar was ‘Doctor Mary’ , for Mary Toomey – a gorgeous blue Viorna, with a white interior. A Montana, ‘Jane Ashdown’, named for the wife of the politician Paddy Ashdown, also began life on his nursery, along with ‘Jean Caldwell’ (whom I had met in person at Holehird Gardens, on one of our very early visits). Jean was chair of the North-West Plant Heritage Society. Another plant that caught my eye was QUEEN MOTHER (‘Zoqum’), which looked fantastic. His finale was to produce a tray of mixed young clematis plants for us to share out between ourselves, and this engendered much
At Hawthornes Nursery excitement. We had a picnic lunch in his barn, after which he gave us a tour round the garden. It’s hard to find adequate superlatives to describe his garden: it is a clematis lover’s paradise. Richard’s wife Irene does most of the gardening, and the imaginative planting displays, beside all the clematis, brought forth many ‘Oooh look at that!’ exclamations, from us all.
To close, we were able to browse and purchase plants which had taken our fancy either from his garden or his talk. I chose ‘Kaiu’, a lovely white bell shaped flower, which sparkled in his garden, and ‘Ginny’, which caught my eye as I was paying for my chosen ones. Many thanks to Richard and his wife Irene for a very exciting BCS day out.
It would be wonderful if someone from the Yorkshire side could contribute to the diversity of our travels, by organising some gardens for us to visit on their side of the border. Yorkshire has many superb gardens which we would love to visit and I would gladly assist anyone who feels they could help with this.
We would very much welcome any suggestions from members of interesting places for our 2016 visits programme in the north of England.
‘General Sikorski’ Kathy Pickles
My Experiences with C. urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’
Garry Gaunt UK garrygaunt@btinternet.com
In the June 2011 BCS Newsletter Mike Brown wrote about his experiences with C. urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ and finished by saying ‘the best place for it is the compost heap’: I would like to share my own experiences of growing this plant.
We obtained a plant for WytherstoneGardens(at Helmsley, Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England) at the beginning of 2009. It was a good, strong plant which was potted into a large tub for its first season – I am never too sure how hardy any of these winter flowering plants will be, up here in the North of England. Through the summer it grew into a strong, vigorous plant, putting on about eight feet of new growth and really bushing out. Once settled in, I took some cuttings (as I always do, just to make sure I have a backup plant, in case anything happens to the original). It proved to be one of the easiest clematis to propagate – every cutting rooted –and I finished up with fifteen rooted plants. These grew like wildfire and were soon growing on in individual pots.
However in the autumn, the foliage on the main plant started to turn brown – but not all at once, just odd sections here and there. Over the next few weeks the leaves went from brown to black, so the plant looked really messy.
The affected stems were cut off and the plant was then moved into the conservatory, to try to rescue it, but the leaves continued to die! By January, when it should have been in full flower, it was an almost leafless plant with no signs whatever of a bloom Unlike the main plant, the cuttings, overwintered in a frost free greenhouse, were perfectly healthy.
The following year, the old plant was repotted, along with the previous year’s cuttings. I then split the cuttings into groups: a couple were planted in the garden and some others were kept in the greenhouse and the polytunnel; the rest were left in pots, outdoors. Once again, they all grew well, looking like the healthiest clematis in the garden.
In September they were moved into the propagation house (where all the other tender plants are overwintered and the temperature can be kept constant all winter). This was to no avail: once again, the leaves began to fall and the plants flowered only sparsely, on almost bare stems. I had to agree with Mike, because, unless we had a poor clone of the plant, it was not worth the effort, for such a poor display. My plant did indeed finally finish up on the compost heap.
That’s where my experiences with C. urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ would have finished, if I had sent this article to our Editor in 2012, when I first wrote it. However, we have some friends with whom we swap plants; they are always happy to have a few clematis cuttings. So, in the summer of 2013, they took a cutting of ‘Winter Beauty’ home.
When next I visited them I was a little apprehensive; they had planted it amid the roots of an old apple tree, behind a garage – but it was, at least, sheltered from the cold winds. It survived the winter and although it did not flower, there were plenty of green leaves.
Spring and summer of 2014 saw the plant make rapid progress, up into the apple tree (though not bushing out very much). Towards the end of the year, I could see the tiny flower buds developing (I pointed them out to our friends) and, when we visited in January this year, the plant was absolutely dripping with numerous clusters of perfectly formed, stunningly beautiful pure white flowers!
So it would appear that if the plant is happy where it’s planted (even if the ground isn’t prepared, and not really in the best spot) it will repay you with an exquisite display.
I’m taking cuttings again, to give it another try in my own garden.
TThis is a short article on how C. urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ performed in different positions in the garden.
I was kindly supplied (mail-order) with trial plants in 7cm pots by Hayloft Plants Ltd of Pershore, Worcestershire in June 2013. They were grown in two different places; firstly, in a very small gap in the concrete adjacent to a brick wall, and also in a hedgerow of vigorous, woody Fuchsia magellanica – both facing south.
The plants started to flower, gingerly, in December 2013, despite the frosts and rains; the flowers unfurled with a pinkish tinge rather than white.
By the time the plants had established themselves, in the following winter of 2014, the flowers were becoming typical, starting out as velvety cream with a dash of white, transforming to pure white as they aged.
There was no doubt that the plant growing up against the red brick wall was leafier and more floriferous. The one amongst the fuchsia was leggier – but still a good climber, growing long vines (akin to a Viticella!) and weaving through the higher branches of the fuchsia. Not so much below, more on the high probing stems.
The flowering period was magnificent through the winter in both positions; just what you want on cold dark days – garlands of white flowers resistant to frosts and able to sustain dustings of snow and ice. Flowers open from the shortest day through, almost, to the start of spring.
The flowers are particularly attractive even in the bud stage, like little bells all in a line along the stems, gradually unfurling the greenish sepals and revealing a dense mass of silky stamens within. As the flowers age they become brighter and whiter, providing highly valued additional colour and interest in the early part of the year.
The plant is sometimes marketed as C. clarkeana but this is a misapplied name (according to Plant Finder). Clematis on the Web says that the form originated in Japan; this clone ‘Winter Beauty’ was named by Wim Snoeijer and Jan van Zoest, as a member of the Campanella Group; the details were published in the 1st Supplement of the International Clematis Register and Checklist as follows:
C.urophylla‘Winter Beauty’
Originally sent by Mr K. Sugimoto from Japan to F.M. Westphal in Germany, as a selection from C.clarkeana(syn. C. anshunensis). Mr Y. Aihara, Japan, later
Clematis 2015
Wim Snoeijer and Jan van Zoest.
(One of this plant’s other, older names is C. yunnanensis.)
In the wild it is said to occur in forests, scrub, slopes and by streams, between 2200-3100m in south west Sichuan, Yunnan, China, which would account for its climbing capabilities. In some books C. urophylla is popularly termed ‘Old Man’s Beard’, but neither the flowers nor the fruits come up to the quality of Clematis vitalba, in which the ‘whiteness’ of the ‘beard’ is recognised in its Latin name, vitalba
Clematis urophylla is undoubtedly a fine clematis to own, to lighten the days of winter. It is a fine performer, a long flowerer and has the most magical greenish white flowers.
Many thanks to Hayloft Plants Ltd for providing the plants.
References cited
Clematis on the Web: http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/newclemdetail.cfm?dbkey=3040
Flora of China: www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200007760
decided that the plant belonged to C.urophylla, an opinion shared by Wim Snoeijer. The clone (to which all the plants grown in Europe belong) was finally given the name ‘Winter Beauty’ by
Next article: The Many Faces of ‘Alba Luxurians’
The Many Faces of ‘Alba Luxurians’
Brian Collingwood UK bcollingwood@ntlworld.com
Plants come and go but some stand the test of time. I acquired my specimen in April 1998. Why is it so special to me? Because as well as being beautiful, no two ‘Alba Luxurians’ flowers are ever alike. How many other plants can boast that?
In his first-rate book, Trouble Free Clematis: The Viticellas, John Howells gives a succinct history of the Veitch dynasty: ‘The Veitch Family, the raisers of ‘Alba Luxurians’, was one of the most successful of nursery owners. The firm’s story begins with John Veitch (1752-1839), who started the business in Exeter in 1832. The business was developed by his son, James Veitch (1792-1863), who also opened a branch in Chelsea, London. The London branch passed to his son, also James Veitch (18151869) who opened branch nurseries, including one at Coombe Wood, Langley, Slough, where ‘Alba Luxurians’ was raised. After James’ death the business passed to (Sir) Harry James Veitch, who brought the firm to its high point, only for it to decline and close down in 1914. The Veitch family sponsored plant hunters; the most notable was E. H. Wilson who brought back to England thirteen clematis, including C.armandii, C. veitchianaand C. montanavar. rubens.’
‘Alba Luxurians’, evidently raised at the Coombe Wood branch, was introduced in 1900. The parentage is unknown. Oh, to be able to browse the daily seedlings records and notebooks of the crosses made by the Veitch firm, in the five years or so prior to 1900! There would have been particular individuals specifically entrusted with this, an important daily task. Those persons would be numbering the germinations as they occurred, watching their development from the seedling stages, jotting comments and making sketches about foliage development, growth rates, pruning, first
The many faces of ‘Alba Luxurians’
Clematis 2015
flowers appearing, the types of flowers produced, colours, sepal form and other botanic characters. It would be pleasing to think the records have been preserved – what secrets to know! I suppose one could concoct reasonable guesses as to the likely parents of this plant but certainty would be an impossibility. The actual records of the seed sources or the crosses made, plus any written records covering four or five seasons’ germinations and seedlings’ development would be necessary. It might have been a random seedling of a known, open pollinated plant or it might have resulted from a more deliberate cross, we just don’t know. For that matter, it could possibly just have arisen as a ‘volunteer’. Who knows?
[Ed. See Val Le May NevilleParry’s article mentioning ‘volunteer seedlings’ on page 118 of this Journal.]
To describe these flowers in simple terms is not an easy task. Whenever I come across a new account of the plant – one I’ve not seen before, in a book or in other media – I am always slightly tickled in anticipation of what is going to follow. It’s worthwhile collecting your own books together and spending a little time reading the widely varying descriptions of the same plant’s flowers. Sometimes it’s a meticulous account giving a reasonable picture of the form and colours (rare); other times, a lot less than that. Sometimes it is totally vague or even devoid of any details, almost as though trying to avoid any risk! I have several books which give such descriptions and there are umpteen references on the web, of course. I like Vicki Matthews’ description in the International Clematis Register and Checklist and John Howells’ summary is good, too. Vicki says thus: ‘sepals with green tips and sometimes tinged with
‘Alba Luxurians’
Clematis 2015
pale violet especially on the margin, outside with green bar, somewhat deformed, rhombic or obovate, blunt, tip recurved. Filaments greenish white, anthers purpleblack.’ John Howells: ‘Tepals are white or pale violet in colour with violet especially towards the edges; tepals may have areas of bright green especially in early flowers where there may be more green than white; tepals may twist at tips and edges; margins are wavy; at back of tepal there is a green-white central bar; anthers are dark purple with greeny-white filaments; carpels are light brown; flowers on long stalks.’
Contrast those accounts with Magnus Johnson: ‘Tepals white, especially at the beginning of the season and on abundant fertilisation luxuriating with green tips. Anthers dark purple-violet’; and Christopher Lloyd: ‘Sepals four, white, with green recurved tips. Pronounced eye of dark stamens.’
The colour variation of the sepals is enormous. Not only that; the physical shape and form of the sepals is extremely variable too. Also, the flowers look different depending on the stage of opening. So, on one single plant you get a massive assortment of differently coloured flowers, with a tremendous range of forms and sepal shape. No two plants of ‘Alba Luxurians’ in flower look the same. Not ever!
What about the other features of the plant? A few points I’ve noted over the years: the plant is absolutely ideal for people new to clematis, firstly because the flowers are so different and attractive and secondly because the plant still performs very well indeed even with only modest attention.
The attractive foliage is pinnate, a lovely lighter green shade, with a slightly
The Clematis 2015
glaucous tinge. In spring my plant’s new shoots meet firm wire meshing attached to the wall, from about two feet above the ground upwards. The mesh continues up the wall for about three metres. Once the petioles meet the mesh they wrap strongly around the wires, forming a robust body of stalks about a metre wide. As the vines scale the mesh I simply tie green string, horizontally, at intervals of a couple of feet, left to right across the plant, to keep the frontmost vines (those furthest from the mesh) in place. The foliage promptly wraps onto and smothers the string, rendering it completely invisible in a couple of days.
My plant makes between three and four metres each year and usually covers itself in flowers from the very top almost to the ground. The long stalks hold most of the flowers clear of the foliage and they dance and sway in the breeze. On warm sunny days, particularly just after the main bulk of the flowers have begun to open, there is a definite sweet fragrance. It is not the strongest perfume but it is nevertheless easy to pick up, when you are close to the plant. The postman comments about it every year without fail!
The blooms are excellent as cut flowers and, being so variable, one gets a different mixture of form and colour with every batch.
Once a flower is spent it rapidly transforms into the typical Viticella seedhead. On my plant there is always a first full flush of long lasting flowers, followed by numbers of additional flowers being formed and opened as the season progresses. This means that as the season moves on, the plant usually bears both young flowers plus old flowers which are transforming into seedheads. An occasional flower or two may still appear late on, when most of the plant is already full of seed.
Seeds are produced in copious amounts – I usually harvest as many as possible and send to the BCS seed exchange. They can be sold as open pollinated seeds of a specific named cultivar, or may be incorporated into a ‘viticella mix’ from various sources. Every packet of seeds sold helps the Society funds and provides much interest and potential excitement for the ‘clematis from seed’ grower. Over the years, I have sent more than two dozen huge batches of seed – hundreds of thousands of seeds all told –so there must be one heck of a number of seedlings of ‘Alba Luxurians’ out there somewhere?
The only pruning needed is to cut the whole plant down to a foot or two from the ground each year, and to remove the old dead vines. I put the hedging shears to the base of the plant and then snip all the vines at a similar level; then (with gloves on) I pull the old vines down from the mesh and away from the wall. The wiry vines remain intact and can be pulled more or less whole off the wall. The plant is not fazed in the slightest – Viticellas are made of tough stuff. But do wear gloves as you can get nasty splinters if you are not careful.
The plant re-sprouts from the old vines, and sometimes also from the ground, in spring. Even very early on in the season, when it may still be freezing cold outside, large numbers of huge fat green buds begin to appear on the old stumps – the plant has already begun preparation for the season to come. When I see this each year it cheerfully reminds me that the onset of spring is not too far away. As a reward, I mix some garden soil with bonemeal or manure, or both, and give the plant a good dressing around the base. By spring proper this material has mostly been incorporated into the soil; the plant will be ready to give 110% from the off. Giving the plant a good, rich mulching every winter or spring will definitely make a big difference to the quantity of flowers produced.
Thinking of ‘Juuli’
Massimo Mazzoni Italy massymassi@hotmail.com
TThose precious moments of contemplation, when we reflect on the memories and relive the special times that have brightened life! The events that have made the deepest impressions, or left behind the most intense feelings –things that stay in one’s mind for many years. Reliving such moments can rekindle past joys and bring peace of mind and, perhaps, some order to the melée. But, I muse – I'd like to share with other clematis lovers a few thoughts and memories of a glorious summer past, which, one freezing cold dark winter day of last December, I found myself fondly recalling. I was thinking about ‘ uno squarcio di sole’ – ‘a glimpse of sunlight’ captured in a clematis flower: I lift my eyes to gaze at the leaden skies, and a thought passes through my mind. ‘If only one could take
The Clematis 2015
oneself back in time’. I close my eyes and my mind instantly replays the events of last spring. The memory will probably fade, in time, but for now still remains impressed into my heart and mind. I can see the colours again; in my imagination, the sky becomes the blue it then was. And I see ‘Juuli’ once more.
Her wanderings are always modest in extent and she has no need of others to play a supporting rôle. She decks herself out in her large leaves – which have no desire to cling or climb – she is happy on the horizontal, probing the surface, creeping around here and there, sometimes hiding herself away amidst her companions. But when she is good and ready, she has the power to stand out from the run-of-the-mill background!
As if from nowhere she gradually appears, revealing herself slowly, little by little. Now, her leafy mantle and all around her become secondary. One by one she unfurls her buds, and thrusts the majestic blossoms to the sky, to be kissed by the golden sun of mid spring. By day they bask and dance in the hot sunlight – but when the day is done she silently retracts them. But only to unfurl them again, the very next morning as she senses the warming sun – a magical daily spectacle. Like perfect little mirrors, the flowers of ‘Juuli’ pour out the same heavenly blue as the splendid spring sky, and the intensely golden central mass seems to radiate the joy of life, as if saying ‘hello sunshine, though I may fade, you will never forget my beauty’.
As I have mentioned in a previous article, I have some particular friends who are always pleased to receive and give a home to any spare cuttings from my clematis plants. A few years ago they asked me whether I had anything that would cover the wall next to their living room window, then continue onto the side wall and around the kitchen window. The only plant I had available at the time was a cutting of Clematis napaulensis. This had been propagated from Glenis Dyer’s plant which, if I remember rightly, covered a pergola just outside her kitchen window.
Clematisnapaulensis, flowers and foliage
I had tried it in my own garden but without much success. It grew well when first planted out – up to the top of my six foot wall – and produced a good number of flowers in its first winter. But when it started to break out, in its second year, I could see it was struggling and looking frail. I decided to dig it up and replant it into a large container, where it is still doing well but never grows to more than six to eight feet. (In due course I must write an article about my own garden, to explain why I don’t have much success, and the things I do to try and overcome it!)
Seedheads
The Clematis 2015
I explained all this to my friends and they liked the idea of a winter flowering clematis. The place where they wanted to grow it was ideal – a south west facing corner wall. In the first year the plant made about eight feet by the side of the window and, although the flowers can be hidden by foliage, they were easily admired from the comfort of the living room. I did explain how to train the plant to where they wanted it to grow but unfortunately it didn’t get done! So, by year two, it had colonised the TV aerial cable as a support and climbed up to the bedroom window! Again, they could see the marvelous display of flowers and, later, the fantastic seed heads from the comfort of their rooms.
At this point I gently reminded them about cutting it back and training it to cover the area they wanted, but when we visited again, later in the year, it was romping away over the roof of the house! I then spent a day cutting it down from the roof and training it round the side of the house, where it continues to give them a lovely display.
I think we can confirm that C. napaulensis will survive in the North of England – this plant has seen temperatures of -10°C.
Clematis napaulensis provides a superb winter-long attraction – the stunning flowers are followed by fantastic seed heads, making it a plant really worth growing.
Clematis koreana – My Collection
Marcel Floyd UK floydsclimbers.co.uk
T‘Broughton
hose of us who love Clematis appreciate the sublime beauty of Clematis koreana and its many diverse cultivars. These plants need virtually no special care and, certainly, no pampering; any plant dislikes neglect per se but the plants of this group exhibit good tolerance to taxing conditions. Usually, they will only be less forthcoming if badly sited – a little frustrating but easy to fix. Even in an exposed cold site you will usually be happily surprised by the satisfying abundance of nodding purpleviolet flowers produced by C. koreana in April and May – and then more flowers, again, through August.
The species complex is distributed in nature throughout the mountainous areas of North and South Korea and the adjacent regions of the north and west of China, as far east as eastern Siberia. It is usually found growing in shrubby mixed forest; it has been noted that rhododendrons and similar plants are frequent companions.
But enough of the technical aspects –what about the varieties I love and recommend, and why?
We keep eighteen
variants and hybrids of Clematis koreana at our Nursery (at Calne in Wiltshire); in addition we are trialling a large number of new plants, from which we hope to select some exciting new cultivars in due course We have plenty of promising candidates.
The plants mentioned below are not in any particular order of choice – just in the order I got to know them, from when we first brought them onto the nursery. We
started the business in 1992 so we have had many years to see them perform, both here and at several other locations – we have come to understand their strengths and their foibles.
My first experience of the koreanatypes came with ‘Brunette’, a 1979 introduction by Magnus Johnson. The lovely deep-purple nodding flowers appear in great profusion in April and May; from this point on sporadic blooms, often in impressive numbers are produced throughout the entire season until around the beginning of October. This plant really catches the eye growing through the wonderfully contrasting foliage of golden conifers such as Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest'.
‘Broughton Bride’ is one of the many superb introductions by Sylvia and Vince Denny (formerly of Broughton, near Preston), registered by Vince in 2000.
This plant is a revelation, throwing off masses of stunning white nodding single flowers up to three inches in length (almost resembling an Alpina Group plant) in April and May. In August and September it comes again, not just with singles but also with magnificent double flowers: the flowers are primarily white but the tepals are spattered
‘Broughton Bride’
Nunn with numerous beautiful purple speckles, all over the exterior. The double flowers bring to mind the Macropetala Group and the sepals have that characteristic crêpe paper look and feel. In the nursery, even the young cuttings produce flowers as they are developing.
Another fine Denny introduction, ‘Blue Eclipse’ was also registered in 2000. The nodding deep purple-blue flowers, with creamy edges to the sepals, come in April and May and then again in August and September. The tepals are thick and fleshy, with sharp tips and a ribbed exterior. As the season goes on, the plant continues to produce flower after flower and masses of large seedheads. I first knew this charming plant when it was still known as plain ‘D26 koreana’, prior to Vince and Sylvia formally registering it.
My next stunner is ‘Ben’s Beauty’, raised by the late, great Ben Clifton around 1996, registered in 2011. What can one say about this wonderful plant? Well, this one looks dead the longest, that’s for sure! It waits until late April even to produce a leaf but it is most definitely worth the wait!
The prolific chunky buds slowly transform into tantalising nodding raspberry-crush flowers with a majestic creamy yellow interior. We really think this plant will become very popular – at this year’s Malvern Spring Flower Show we presented
Of the predominantly yellow flowered cultivars we also keep ‘Simplicity’ and ‘Lantern Light’ (Denny plants); ‘Candleglow’ has a little more dark red in its makeup. Interestingly, all
three of these plants have fragrance: perhaps it’s just me but I can’t help thinking it brings to mind the aroma of custard!
Of all the koreana-types in our outdoor display area, the one which has performed best overall is Magnus Johnson’s 1979 plant ‘Columella’. The fantastic ribbed elongate buds radiate a wonderful deep red hue which metamorphoses on opening into a dark purple-violet, with highly contrasting creamy white margins and a lighter interior. This plant flowers incredibly profusely in May and then again, in good volume, in August. It is also strongly fragrant.
There is something just so exciting about her; fully double ‘ballerina’ flowers of crushed cranberry combined with the creamy yellow interior. The plant unfailingly flowers heavily; what enthrals me is the preponderance of the tantalising inner staminodes, so many delicate petticoats crammed inside. Roy must have been dumbstruck when it first flowered, just a few years after the Millennium.
For all these plants the following points can be noted: Height, averaging 8-12’; depending how well they fare you may need to prune them occasionally – do this immediately, after flowering and take the plants down to about 24”, above an old leaf node. They can tolerate light shade and still do well
and will definitely benefit from regular mulching or fertilising. They do not like to have their feet in standing water as this will quickly rot the fibrous roots – in other words, they need reasonable drainage. And, going back to my first paragraph – remember, love them but DO NOT PAMPER THEM!
Finally, if you are ever in Wiltshire, do drop by and see our full collection – we have quite a few other C. koreana cultivars to show you, plus many brand new exciting seedlings growing in our nursery trials grounds.
have never before seen a two tepalled Montana flower and only once seen one with three tepals – that was on ‘Peveril’ some five years ago. In 2015 I had numerous three tepalled and two tepalled flowers on both north and south sides of the magnificent plant ‘Tiny Moll’. →
This vigorous seedling grows on the trellis surrounding my compost area in the sunniest part of my garden – full south facing but also north, the other side of the trellis. Originally found as a tiny seedling, it produced three flowers in 2008, its first year. Grown on and planted in situ in 2011, by 2013 it was very well established and a firm visitor favourite. Interestingly, despite its prime position and being mainly pink (with a large dollop of white in the front veining) it is relatively late coming into full flower. But it is worth waiting for. The glorious perfume pervades the garden for about a month. It is also one of the longer flowering cultivars. The only downside is that I have so far not managed to root cuttings. Just going out to try again! You are welcome to seeds or, better still, come and take cuttings in the summer or autumn 2016.
by
Two tepalled and three tepalled flowers on ‘Tiny Moll’
Images
Valerie Le May Neville-Parry, Montana National Collection holder
A Lovely Montana Cultivar from Wim
Valerie Le May Neville-Parry UK val@lmnp.co.uk
IIn 2014 Wim Snoeijer took two ‘Da Yun’ Montana cultivars to the AGM for me to add to the National Collection. They both looked very healthy and vigorous and the few flowers last year were different and interesting as well as very beautiful. A lovely creamy lemon when opening with deep rosy coloured back and edging of the pointed and slightly reflexed tepals. I understand from Wim that it originates from a cutting
the cause. But the remaining one is a veritable star, as I think you will see from the pictures. Currently it is 3-4m tall, gracing a beautiful iron arch. Very few flowers low down but by next year I hope to have them smothering the entire arch. I plan to cut one of the two stems, near the ground, just above the emerging leaf. This should encourage flowers to develop lower down next year. A new vine may also emerge from the crown.
The new Montana developed by Wim to introduce this year is ‘Spring Joy’ – more about that next year perhaps.
taken from a plant growing in China. Of all the Montana plants Wim has kindly given to the Collection, in my mind it is probably the most beautiful. Sadly one of the two plants bit the dust when planted out – in a good position and I don’t know
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS
GARDEN FULL OF FAMILY & FRIENDS
Valerie Le May Neville-Parry UK val@lmnp.co.uk
ver many years of reading our wonderful Journal I have been fascinated by articles relating BCS members’ thrill at growing clematis from seed. Such a range of forms and colour emerging from seeds of the same cultivar. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised – after all, we are often very different from our siblings despite having the same parentage.
Every day as I tend my garden I enjoy special memories of friends and family. There are plants, cuttings and seedlings of all kinds that folk have given to me over the last thirty years; mature clematis and those grown from BCS seed – including hundreds of plants and seedlings given to me by the ever generous Mike Brown and dozens of Montana cultivars from Wim Snoeijer; collections of – viburnum, geranium, salvias,
‘Lavender Twirl’ snowdrops, buddleia and, of course, all groups of clematis. There is a growing number of stunning Clematis montana seedlings, monitored carefully, with the best selected to lower into yet more massive planting holes. Over the last few years I have invited friends to choose one to name after themselves. Not necessarily to register with Duncan Donald (The International Clematis Registrar) of course, but aiding floods of wonderful memories of special times spent with the friends concerned. This is a great joy to me, especially now that I live alone in my New Forest home.
‘Van Gogh’
This year there have been some special new arrivals to join the hundreds of clematis here at By The Way.
I will start with Jack Gittoes’ delightful ‘Lavender Twirl’. I was thrilled when Jack gave me this plant. I loved the name for a start and have been impatiently waiting for the first flowers. A mature root system but originally only sporting one stem, I cut it back to two pairs of leaves when planting out in April. It rewarded me handsomely by early August when the first flowers opened. As I write on 22nd August it is looking perfect,
‘CoJo’
despite the drought, frequent twirling amid high winds, followed by recent torrential downpours.
‘Dianna’
In 2009 David Victor sent me two rooted cuttings from an established plant he was leaving at his old home. It took a long time to get going here, one died in the process but the other flowered magnificently this year. It is at the top of a steep bank, facing south, and clearly challenged by the dry conditions. Despite the adverse position it was breath-taking this year, with some of the largest flowers in the collection, a gorgeous satiny sheen and delicate veining. I contacted David who confirmed he has one growing strongly in his new home and that the original is still alive. He has named it
The Clematis 2015
‘Georgia’ after his granddaughter. I was delighted with the name as it is also the name of dear friends’ (since the 1950s) granddaughter. You will see registration details in Duncan’s report.
‘Hazel Lotus’
The wonderful ‘Van Gogh’ came from Germany via the lovely William Davies. William and Pam always spring to mind as I feed, water and prune that amazing cultivar. Matt Biggs and the GQT producer, Howard Shannon, both wanted a cutting – Matt went away happy, clutching a baby rooted cutting and there is a pot with fresh cutting material for Howard – perhaps the interview will have been broadcast by the time it roots! Last autumn I planted a rooted cutting in the ground to see how it manages there. It should flower in spring 2016.
Some years ago – I think it was late summer 2012 – Julian Noble and I each sowed a seed head from the lovely ‘Prosperity’. Two seedlings produced flowers the following spring – sadly I gave those away! I hope the recipients are still enjoying them. We both had good germination and I subsequently planted half a dozen in pots and around the garden. The leaves are very pretty in shape, colour and texture, like ‘Prosperity’. Most produced amazing flowers for the first time this year – all similar size and shape 7– 9cm diameter, but on plants varying from 50cm (which had twelve flowers) to 3m high - which was covered with hundreds of lightly scented, pure white flowers. It will be fascinating to see how they develop over the next few years. Currently their names are ‘CoJo’ ‘Hazel Lotus’
‘Hazel Lotus’
(after my friend, Jo – it’s her e-mail address!); ‘Dianna’ (after Dianna Jazwinski, the photographer); ‘Maureen’ (named for my MX-5 friend, Clive, after his late, lovely wife). A fourth in this group has also flowered for the first time this year. My late husband, Chris, was Firestone Racing Manager in the sixties. He worked with the late Colin Chapman and late and great Jim Clark in the small team that won the Formula One World Championship in 1963, ‘65 and ‘68. I remain in contact with Clive Chapman, Colin’s son, who runs the Classic Team Lotus. Clive’s mother, Hazel, now in her mideighties, is also a passionate gardener, living in Norfolk. I understand from Ruth (Gooch) that Hazel used to buy her clematis from Thorncroft Clematis Nursery. Clive chose a cultivar which, he wrote, ‘sports the Classic Team Lotus colours’. It is now labelled ‘Hazel Lotus’. It has currently produced two late sprays of flowers – a real bonus. There are several more seedlings from this batch which I might name in due course.
Imagine my surprise when, on 10th April, the first flower opened on a Montana seedling self-sown in a 60 litre tree pot containing one of my brugmansia plants. I hadn’t noticed the seedling in 2014 when putting the pot back into the frost-free greenhouse, or I would have taken it out then. A flower with similar shape and perfume to C. montana
Above and below: ‘Georgia’
var. wilsonii, which was about ten metres south of the brugmansia pot last summer, it is multi-stemmed and has continued to grow strongly throughout the summer. One to extract very soon and another hole to dig next month or the brugmansia will be overwhelmed. ‘Mea’ is now on the label.
I met Mea nearly fifty years ago, on my first skiing trip. She is a special lady with a lovely home in the centre of Silverstone Village. Chris and I stayed with Mea and her late husband, Richard, for every British grand prix since 1992. So many wonderful memories to cherish.
‘Georgia’
There was a tree pot containing ‘Snow Queen’ sited under the fabulous ‘Broughton Star’ for five years. Flowering of ‘Snow Queen’ had reduced so I decided to plant it in the garden. Then I noticed yet another Montana seedling snuggled into the pot. It had very pretty leaves – long and pointed. ‘CarolAnn’
Having had a line of telegraph poles erected last summer to replace twelve dead trees I remembered that there was spare rope at the far east of the garden. It could climb up that. It was only when I tried to extricate the small Gap tuteur from the two plants that I realised the vines were just too entwined to enable me to train the Montana up the rope. I allowed it to flower and was thrilled to see that the seedling flowers were identical in colour to ‘Broughton Star’, single and semi-
The Clematis 2015
double flowers at the same time, AND PERFUME! Sadly some of the vines broke when I tried to extricate them from the tuteur, so pruning was both late (mid-July) and dramatic.
‘CarolAnn’
However, I am pleased to say that strong new growth is evident in both plants by mid-August. CarolAnn and I have been friends since sharing a flat in 1965/6. We have supported each other through good and bad times over the last fifty years. This plant is named ‘CarolAnn’ in her honour.
Another
college friend from the sixties, Sue, has stayed with me twice this year. A lovely lady, a close and loyal friend and a brilliant pianist. She chose a pretty white seedling which has established in the front of a south facing bed. I am currently training it back along string and have started to wind the new vines round six sturdy hazel sticks which also house the beautiful ‘Arabella’.
My dear old Peter Donkey died in February this year. He had been with me for thirteen years and my Donkey Sanctuary welfare officer throughout that time, Jill Bulkley, was with me at his end. Jill has become a good friend as well as donkey advisor. She has a menagerie of her own – giving successful mouth to mouth resuscitation to one of her ancient tortoises that had drowned in a pond is just one of her many anecdotes. Jill came to see the Montana Collection in May this year and chose a seedling – she is also an artist and sells under the name ‘AnnieBee’. Another label firmly attached.
I wrote last year about a magnificent, compact and multi-stemmed seedling, planted out in 2013. A strong mid-pink very different shape flower, with the longest, thinnest, scented tepals and very beautiful seed-heads.
Flowering in 2015 has been even better than last year. Local friend Marilyn’s partner, Gordon, died two months before Chris. This cultivar’s name is ‘Marilyn’ in her honour.
← ‘Little Mo’ was the nickname of the lovely lady who drove me to the
hospital the night my Chris died. It is flowering very well in her garden in nearby Lover.
‘Marilyn’
In May 2013 Charlotte and Michael Wemyss opened their magnificent six acre walled garden, crammed full of hundreds of Montana clematis, most planted in 2008 but some more than fifty years old. The proceeds went to charity. Charlotte has long been totally besotted with Montanas and the late May display was spellbinding. Chris and I had visited Charlotte and Michael in March 2009 and, in 2013, I stayed at the castle to help with their open garden event. Such warmth and generosity in an incredibly beautiful setting. I will never forget the week. Charlotte and I also worked together on the Thorncroft Nursery stand at Chelsea over a number of years – thank you Ruth and Jon – and I promised to name a pink Montana seedling after Charlotte. I was disappointed to find that Marcel got in just before me with the name. Back to Charlotte who suggested ‘Madam Wemyss’ – her formal title. ‘Madam Wemyss’ is a repeat flowerer as the picture shows. A delightful clump of gorgeous flowers on the roof of my tack room in mid-September.
‘Madam Wemyss’
I end with a clematis that came as a total surprise – a sturdy seedling planted out in October 2014. Seed gathered at a pruning day at the Sunbury Walled Garden some years ago.
‘Sue’
One of the loveliest clematis to flower in my garden this year throughout the second half of May. Fifteen massive deep lilac coloured flowers –16.5cms diameter, on a plant only 50cms high! Nothing since – what will next year bring? Will it remain compact? Will it flower twice next year, when the roots are fully established? My dear friend of over fifty years, Sally Scott, mother of my eldest God-child, fifty year old Lucy, was eighty in March 2015. I have named the seedling ‘Sally’ in her honour. I hope it will develop into a really stunning and reliable plant like its name-giver. ‘Sally’
‘Star of India’ Kathy Pickles
Plant Seeds!
Joan Dupuis Canada jmdupuis2@hotmail.com
‘‘
lant seeds, you say?’
Even if you don't have the time to make special cross pollinations, it's always fun just to plant some of your open pollinated seeds, or seeds that a gardening friend is willing to share. You expect something similar to the parent plant, but you never know what
From ‘Rhapsody’ seed. Below, more of my seedlings
you are going to get! Even ‘volunteers’ that you may find by chance in the garden are fun to allow to grow on, just to see if they will produce something wonderful. I certainly wasn't expecting this deep pink flower from open pollinated seed of my ‘Rhapsody’ plant!
I love my seedlings. I’m very glad that people encouraged me to try seeds along the way.
‘Amaneku’ and ‘Kongo’ (Florida group）
Mariko Nakanishi Japan eri-cat.2@comet.ocn.ne.jp
IIn 2009, Clematis florida var. sieboldiana (above) and Clematis 'Allanah' (right) bloomed in my garden. I decided to hybridise ‘Allanah’ (pollen parent) with Clematis florida var. sieboldiana (seed parent) hoping that a red variant of C. florida might result. I wasn’t confident, however, that I would be able to produce seeds from this plant as it was my first try at hybridising using Clematis florida var. sieboldiana. Everything went well, though, and I was able to gather seeds later that year, finally sowing them on August 16th, 2009.
In March 2010 I was thrilled and
The Clematis 2015
delighted to see that a thick clump of tiny seedlings had appeared – I could hardly wait to see them grow on, and watch their gradual development. However, around the same time, my daughter became very ill and it proved necessary to devote my time and attention to caring for her. Even worse – I too then became ill – in the circumstances it was nigh on impossible to give the seedlings much attention, and, regrettably, many of them withered away. During this time there were periods when the seedlings lacked nutrients supply and, for water, sometimes had to make do with just the sprinkler system – my husband watered them very occasionally too, as I could not do a thing, due to my continuing poor health.
In the spring of 2011 I counted six remaining sprouts; even this surprised me – I had expected them all to have died off in the pot. Although it was a great joy to see them, I
Clematis'Amaneku'
Flowers opening – Clematis'Kongo' still couldn’t do much for them as I was still very unwell and receiving ongoing medical treatment for my health problem. The situation looked hopeless for the seedlings and
Flowers opening – Clematis'Amaneku';
Clematis'Kongo'
they were soon overgrown with weeds, stuck in their pots. Nevertheless, in 2013, I did find four seedlings still alive in the pots that had not yet been discarded. Since I was now slowly beginning to get better and regain my strength, I was once again able to nurse and cherish them; by 2014 they had grown well enough to give me the definite expectation that they should hopefully bear their very first flowers the following year.
Two of the four seedlings seemed to have difficulties in growing on. Their leaves looked similar in form to C. florida, but each time they got to about 5cm in height they suddenly stopped growing and withered away, only to resprout later, and then wither again at 5cm. The roots of these two seedlings looked healthy enough but above ground they just would not prosper. Exactly the same pattern has repeated with these two seedlings this year, 2015. However, the other two healthy seedlings grew away very well indeed – good enough for me to be completely sure of their flowering, this time around.
In the spring of 2015, my two babies from the union of Clematis florida var. sieboldiana and Clematis 'Allanah' finally bloomed. Unfortunately, there were no red florida-type flowers, as originally hoped for – however, the two new plants’ blooms were still very important and special to me.
I named the first seedling Clematis 'Amaneku' (in the Japanese Hiragana – the basic Japanese phonetic script, ‘Amaneku’ means ‘all’). It is a most floriferous plant, the flowers being light purple with a lighter red bar, with speckles (‘speckling’ being a fairly frequent feature in hybrids of Clematis florida). The flower diameter is 13-15cm, or medium size. The early blooms are produced from the terminal buds and then more come from all the other vines, from the base right to the apex. The stamens are very dark purple, strongly reminiscent of the var. sieboldiana seed parent. I named the second seedling Clematis 'Kongo' ('Kongo' is the Japanese word for a brilliant diamond). The
The Clematis 2015
sepals have a velvet-like texture and are dark red-purple in colour. 'Kongo' definitely seems to exhibit strong traits of Clematis florida var. sieboldiana.
The blooming pattern of 'Amaneku' is similar to many other large-flowered hybrids, where the sepals at first unfurl somewhat irregularly, each breaking away from the bud, then flattening out at its own pace. 'Kongo', however, blooms much more in the vein of Clematis florida var. sieboldiana – all the sepals spring open simultaneously and each then matures at the same rate, until the flower is fully open. The size is medium, from around 13-15cm. The first flowers develop from the terminal axils and these are soon joined by others from all the remaining vines, making it, too, another very floriferous clematis.
'Kongo' definitely seems to exhibit strong traits of Clematisflorida
My study of hybridizing with Clematis florida var. sieboldiana is ongoing. Thus far I have found it very difficult to get any seeds from crosses of var. sieboldiana with any Viticella, Viorna or Integrifolia Group plants I will try crosses with as many kinds of plants as I can, in order to add to my experience. It is vital to record everything as you go along, so as to have good reliable data and statistics that you can refer back to. Obviously, this work necessitates reasonable health; I have certainly learned a lot in the past five years. I am really looking forward to continuing my fantastically interesting and enjoyable breeding work over the years to come!
WWhen I first saw the pictures Richard Hodson sent to me of this new Viorna Group hybrid (unnamed, as yet) I was rather taken aback. Firstly, the stupendous Clematis texensis-like flowers are strikingly lovely in their own right, and secondly, they are borne on upright peduncles – they resemble little tulips – they maintain this trait all the way through flowering, eventual flower senescence and seed formation. An upright mature flower in a Viorna Group plant? Unusual.
The first thought I had on seeing the pictures was that this new plant might perhaps be related in some way to something that had made a big impression on me the previous year – Clematis ‘Ribble Red’, a superb Viorna Group seedling raised by skilled plantsman Harry Grounds, of Poulton-le-Fylde, in Lancashire. Harry had come up with ‘Ribble Red’ a couple of years earlier and had lodged her with Richard Hodson, of Hawthornes Clematis Nursery, over in Hesketh Bank (also north Lancashire) for propagation. (Richard is also a National Viticella Collection holder.) At the time, I had no idea that it was another Harry Grounds plant, until Richard’s email arrived with a further batch of photos!
Later, speaking with Harry on the telephone, he clarified various points. This was NOT another seedling from the same batch of germinations as ‘Ribble Red’ – it was
The Clematis 2015
from an entirely different seed source altogether – the North American Rock Garden Society. (Harry has been a long term member of this Society and has grown many of their seed exchange offerings over the years.) This was a lot released by NARGS in 2012, and came marked simply ‘Viorna Deep Pink’ on the packet – no other details given about source or identification/parental details. Germination occurred in mid 2013. (Harry germinates seed by the traditional method – in pots. He has no greenhouse, just a cold frame in the garden. He germinates and grows small seedlings on, in a 50/50 mix of proprietary seedling compost and vermiculite. Plants are repotted into increasing sizes of pot as they grow, finally getting into ‘long toms’ if they have sufficient root volume and warrant the larger root space.) Of the batch of about ten seeds in the packet, there was only one single germination. ‘It was a bit slow to come on, at first’ explained Harry; nevertheless he subsequently nurtured the seedling though the delicate stages of early life and settled it down to steady growth; by the end of 2014 it had become a robust juvenile plant.
The plant overwintered without problem and came back into growth in spring this year. Harry describes the foliage as being very similar to Clematis texensis. A healthy number of new vines developed rapidly and the plant became quite bushy and stocky. Spring gave way to the summer of 2015 and the flowers began to form in mid-late July, slightly later than expected, but in very good numbers, especially considering it was such a young plant.
The stunning red flowers are borne upright on shortish peduncles, each of four very shiny, waxy sepals, reflexing at the tips, with yellow margins and a creamy yellow interior. The flowers look straight up to the sky but the boss of yellow-cream hairy stamens remains out of sight throughout, terminating at a level slightly below where the sepals diverge. Following fertilisation, the spent flower undergoes a gradual transformation into the seedhead in the familiar clematis fashion, the cluster of achenes becoming set at the centre of a spherical cocoon of feathery seed tails, similar in form to other Viorna Group plants.
Harry’s exciting new plant is also now with Richard at Hawthornes, for propagation. Richard tells me that he too found the plant rather stunning and that he will soon try to propagate it. Whether this will prove possible or not, only time will tell: Viorna Group plants can be very difficult to replicate.
No doubt, Richard will be at work on it as soon as opportunity permits, so we are very much hoping to hear more about her – and perhaps, give her the name she so richly deserves – soon!
A Novel Method for Sowing and Germinating Clematis Seeds
Peter J. Zale, Ph.D
USA zale.6@buckeyemail.osu.edu CuratorandPlantBreederatLongwoodGardens
There seems to be as many ways to sow and germinate clematis seeds as there are species and selections of clematis to grow. While each grower may painstakingly develop and adhere to a particular method of seed sowing, there is always room for improvement and the potential for adopting new techniques to improve germination and seedling survivorship. During my tenure at the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Centre in Columbus, Ohio U.S.A, one of the most useful tools I learned was a standardized method of seed sowing that allowed for rapid assessment of seed quality, germination, and rapid growth of a large array of different plant species. Rather than sowing in pots, on damp paper towels, or in plastic baggies with perlite or vermiculite, or otherwise, this method utilizes clear, plastic ‘germination boxes’ fitted with blue blotter paper. This not only allows for frequent, easy observation of the seeds as they begin to germinate, but provides ideal conditions for germination, and at least anecdotally, a reduction in seedling mortality. Left: A germination
Germination boxes are nothing more than clear, rigid plastic boxes that can be purchased from a number of suppliers in the U.S. and Europe. It should be noted that they are not often labeled as ‘germination boxes’. It is important to choose boxes that have a good seal so moisture does not rapidly evaporate. They are inexpensive and can be used many times before they start to deteriorate, unlike plastic bags, which are typically used one time and discarded. Between each use the boxes are cleaned with soapy water and then disinfected with a weak bleach or similar sterilizing agent. The paper is nothing more than blue blotter paper that is thoroughly saturated with distilled (or, alternatively, filtered) water.
Left: Germination box after water has been added. The level of condensation on the box lid indicates that the paper is properly hydrated. Right: Germinated seedlings on paper about 4 weeks after sowing. Any seeds developing fungus are swiftly removed.
The procedure for sowing seeds is simple. Place 1 to 2 pieces of dry blotter paper in the box, put the seeds on top, and carefully soak everything with water. Check the box for the next two days to make sure the moisture level is adequate and that the paper does not dry out. The paper will absorb more water than you might expect! Basically, the paper should always have a ‘wet’ appearance. There is a noticeable change in the colour appearance of the paper before and after addition of water. Seeds often change colour upon imbibition. The proper amount of moisture will result in condensation on the inside top of the box.
Most of my experience with this method of clematis seed germination is with species in subgenus Viorna from the eastern U.S. These species are known for their lengthy and difficult germination process that can take in excess of two years from the time of sowing, depending on the species and seed quality. Numerous factors, including physiological and physical dormancy factors have been implicated in this difficulty, but neither has been systematically verified. One of the best outcomes of using the germination box method is that it can greatly expedite the time from sowing to germination of these taxa. The process is simple, and the seeds are sown as described
above with a couple of minor exceptions. First the seeds are surface sterilized with dilute (10%) bleach solution or product such as Physan 20. They are then rinsed with water and placed in the germination box on moistened blotter paper and placed in a dark area at room temperature (19-24 C). Then, let them imbibe water for a day or two until the seed coat becomes pliable. Seeds of subgenus Viorna taxa have distinct seed morphology; seeds are round and flattened, and the narrow edge of the seed has two distinct ridges. Next, and probably the most time consuming part of the procedure, carefully peel the seed coat off of each seed by splitting the seed along the suture on the narrow edge of the seed, between the two sides of the seed coat and carefully peeling away from each other. If the seed is viable, there will be a round, flattened embryo and endosperm inside that can be brown or cream coloured. This is placed back into the germination box and incubated in the dark at room temperature. This is also the perfect time to assess seed viability and quality as there may be signs of rot or incomplete development of the endosperm. Germination typically takes place in 2 to 6 weeks after peeling, but can take as long as 12 weeks. The embryo will begin to swell noticeably and germination is complete when the radicle emerges. After germination, seedlings are left in the box for continued development. This can take from 1 to 4 months. At this point, the seedlings will have formed several roots ranging from 2-6 cm in length, and shoot initiation will be evident. At this point they are ready to be potted up and placed in a greenhouse, under lights, or outside if frost-free conditions can be provided.
Left; Box with well-developed seedlings. Right: Opening the box and examining the seedlings – these are now ready to be potted up for further growth and development. In a greenhouse with supplemental lighting (to extend day length during the winter) seedlings of C. coactilis produced flowers within 3 months of planting in a container, and the total time from seed collection to first flowers was only 6 months. Similar results have been achieved with related species, but not all; however all species produced flowers the second spring after sowing. This is typically the time when the seedlings would first appear if seeds had been sown in pots and allowed to germinate under a natural cycle. Using this method I have successfully germinated and grown to flower most of the
The Clematis 2015
species in subgenus Viorna: C. coactilis, C. albicoma, C. pitcheri (several accessions), C. texensis, C. carrizoensis, C. reticulata, C. hirsutissima, C. ochroleuca, C. crispa, C. fremontii, C. fusca, and C. ianthina. The results of using the germination boxes have been so superior to all other methods I have tried, that I no longer use any other seed sowing practices for Clematis seeds.
Several other species of Clematis from other subgenera have been germinated using this method. Several species, e.g. C. connata, C. tangutica, C. acerifolia, C. fruticosa, C. ladakhiana, C. tibetana, C. apiifolia etc have smaller seeds. These require a different treatment. They are sown in boxes in similar fashion to subgenus Viorna seeds, but not peeled. Originally they were incubated in the dark, but this did not foster germination, so they were moved under fluorescent lights, where they promptly germinated. Several species from subgenus Atragene Clematistexensis have also been propagated using this method, but they require cold stratification in the dark in order for germination to occur.
There have been some failures. Seeds from a collection of Clematis aff. montana from northern Myanmar failed to germinate after several batches of seed were subject to all of the different conditions described above. Clearly, this species, or at least this particular accession, requires different conditions for germination. It is also important to remember that not all accessions of seed from the same species will behave the same way. Several different accessions of C. pitcheri from throughout the large geographical range of the species have been sown using this method and there is variation in the amount of time required before the radicle emerges, and in the time needed before the seedlings can be potted up.
While this method still requires testing with a larger number of clematis taxa, several expert and notable clematis breeders, propagators and growers have adopted this method and consider it a superior method of propagating a wide variety of clematis.
C.montanavar. grandiflora KathyPickles
Clematis Registered Between July 2014 and June 2015
Duncan Donald, International Clematis Registrar
Iaccepted twenty-three applications for new clematis cultivar names in the second half of 2014 and the first half of 2015: ten of them were from the UK, five from the Netherlands, four from Poland, two from Finland, and one each from Germany and – last but not least – China.
In the same way that they were quick off the mark with ‘Prince George’ in 2013, New Leaf Plants registered ‘Princess Charlotte’ → – a predominantly lilac, semi-double, Early Large-flowered sport of ‘Kiri Te Kanawa’ – to mark the birth of HRH Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, on 2 May 2015.
It has been a good spell for the Montana Group: David Victor named his plant montana‘Georgia’, a large (10cm- wide), sweetly scented, pinksuffused seedling, raised from Chinesecollected seed (ACE 1326?) by the late Harry Hay; Anne Caunce named a rosepink-tipped seedling ‘Anniseed’; and Richard Hodson, from Hawthorne Clematis Nursery, introduced a white, consistently 5-sepalled seedling, ‘Jane Ashdown’. Further, Richard introduced a wide range of other new seedlings: ‘Catherine Penny’, a pink Viticella Group; ‘Peggy West’, a sky-blue, purple-pinkbarred Late Large-flowered hybrid; and ‘Ruby Tuesday’, a ruby-red Viorna Group seedling, this one ageing purple, with montana‘Georgia’ white margins.
‘Anniseed’ ‘Jane Ashdown’
‘Catherine Penny’ ‘Peggy West’
‘Ruby Tuesday’ ‘Ruby Celebration’
John Richards has added three new, semi-double Atragene cultivars: ‘Ruby Celebration’, with deep purplishred flowers with revolute sepal tips and staminodes in two distinct whorls; ← ‘Sir Edward Elgar’, with sepals dark purplish-red outside, ageing white near the base, and staminodes in two distinct whorls; and ‘Spring Velvet’, with dark purple sepals and pale violet staminodes. From the Netherlands, Wim Snoeijer has registered five cultivars on behalf of Jan van Zoest: both ‘Zo08095’ LIBERTY (with 68 pale pink sepals with delicate red veins and red margins) and ‘Zomonch’ MON CHERRY (with 6 purple sepals). Wim would classify in Patens Group as he re-defined it in 2008; ‘Zo09045’ BLUE OCEAN (with 4 glossy, dark violet sepals) – Wim would classify in Diversifolia Group; and ‘Zo09085’ ASTRA NOVA (with double, or female semi-double, flowers with white and violet sepals) and ‘Zo09087’ ROSALYN (with double, or female semi-double, flowers with red-purple sepals) are both in Viticella Group.
Szczepan Marczyński from Poland has registered four new cultivars. Three are Late Large-flowered Group: ‘Grunwald’, with 6 velvety, dark violet-purple sepals; ‘Morning Sky’, with 4-6 whitish sepals suffused with pink-violet veins; and ‘Skyfall’, with 4-6 pale blue sepals tinged pale violet and occasionally green-spotted. His ‘Mazurek’, with pinkish-red to rose-pink sepals, is in Viticella Group.
Juhani Räsänen, from Finland, has registered two Early Large-flowered Group cultivars: ‘Anna Tounta’ has 8 slightly yellowish-white sepals; and ‘Tuhkimo’ (“Cinderella” in Finnish) has 8 red to pinkish-white sepals with a creamy, red-veined bar. Matthias Münster, from Germany, has introduced ‘Lisa’, a seedling from C. × diversifolia ‘Benedikt’ with whitish sepals tinged with pale blue or, outside, suffused purplish blue. Although China is home to many of the clematis species used in breeding new –particularly large-flowered – garden varieties over the past 150 years, the only cultivars originating from there named so far are ones raised in the West, from Chinese-collected material, such as ‘Bells of Emei Shan’, C. montana
‘Georgia’ (see above) and C. montana ‘Peveril’. That is, until now, as Linfang Li and colleagues from Jiangsu have named as ‘Daiyu’ a seedling they selected from C. courtoisii seed collected in Zhejiang in 2012.
‘Spring Velvet’
As ever, I should be happy to hear from anyone who wishes to register a new cultivar epithet, or to enhance an existing Register description, or who has views on any aspect of cultivar or Group registration they might wish to share.
Duncan Donald
International Registrar for cultivated plants (including clematis and lilies) clematisregistrar@rhs.org.uk 16 Midtown of Inverasdale, Poolewe, Wester Ross IV22 2LW; Tel. 01445 781717
Judging at the BCS Trials Grounds – Latest News
Valerie Nicoll UK valerienicoll96@btinternet.com
TThe Agreement to establish the BCS Trials Ground at the Gardens of the Rose, St Albans was signed on the 1st November 2013; a very propitious arrangement for us at the BCS. This beautiful Royal National Rose Society display ground, tucked away out of public view constitutes their own plants trials area. The RNRS Trials are substantial in area; nevertheless with great generosity we were offered space, watering facilities and fertiliser – to say nothing of a very warm welcome each time we visit.
Our BCS trials organiser Keith Shortland has made great efforts in sourcing plants and supports and we have now reached the end of our second year at the site. It seemed a formidable task when we started this 2nd year, armed with instruction sheets for each of the ten plants.
The only facts given to the judges are the pruning group, the estimated height, the flowering period and the colour. Judging is based on the health and vigour of the
Judging takes place at regular intervals through the season plants, the approximate number of buds produced in the season, the flower performance and the occurrence or otherwise of any pests, blights or diseases.
Each judge is allocated week-long duties at regular intervals; the progress of the clematis can be clearly seen as the months pass. So, not onerous at all – on the contrary, a pleasant day out! (However, a drive of five or six hours for us.)
Running the Trials Grounds adds prestige and increases the credibility of the BCS in the eyes of growers, breeders and clematis enthusiasts generally, in addition to supporting our aim of informing gardeners.
It would be extremely helpful if we could appoint some judges living locally to St Albans – please volunteer – mileage expenses are claimable.
For the coming year (Year 3) our publicity officer Simon Nicoll has excelled in negotiating a donation, for the next ten plants, of ten obelisks from Agriframes (who visited the BCS stand at the Malvern Show). They have also kindly agreed to advertise in our Journal (with the possibility of discounted prices for BCS members, to follow). This is most welcome and we are delighted with their support. Agriframes’ reputation for blending the best quality materials with the highest craftsmanship is well documented.
At our last AGM a BCS member suggested an idea to help defray expenses: the sponsorship of trials plants by individuals or groups. This notion has sparked some enthusiasm; we understand already that one of our Regional Groups is considering the ‘adoption’ of one or more plants. This would be a great way to make the Society even more special to you or your Group – and raise welcome additional funds for the BCS.
This idea will be discussed at an upcoming Committee meeting and we will report any progress in due course, when the details have been worked out. Watch this space!
International Clematis Society –
2015 Report
Ken Woolfenden, Editor and Webperson, I.Cl.S.
TThe International Clematis Society (I.Cl.S.) currently has members in twenty-five countries around the world.
Each year the Society publishes a journal, two or three short newsletters and holds one meeting, visiting a different country from that of the previous few years.
In 2015 the Society published two newsletters and our annual journal, Clematis International 2015, a substantial volume with 188 pages of articles about Clematis, the Society and its members. The Society website has a wealth of resources on clematis matters at www.clematisinternational.com, and we also have a presence on facebook®, just search for ‘International Clematis Society’ .
Our annual meeting was held in Great Britain for the third time. The previous occasions had been in 1996 and 2004, both centred in Cambridge, so the venue this year of the West Country was quite a radical change. The meeting was two-centred, with the first few days based near Taunton, Somerset and the rest of the time at St. Austell, Cornwall.
The British gardening tradition is famous worldwide and this meant that the meeting was very popular, with more than sixty attendees from eight different countries. The programme, put together by Roy and Angela Nunn and ably assisted on the day by Everett Leeds and Mike Warren, managed to combine gardens big and small, renowned and not so well-known, as well as a few of the many other attractions of the West Country. We were also very lucky with the weather with only one damp morning and quite a few hot and sunny days.
We visited RHS Rosemoor, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project, all big and impressive destinations, though for different reasons. But we also went to some lesser-known gems, including Watcombe Garden, The Garden House and Trebah Gardens and for many of us, these were some of our favourites. It was also interesting that, whilst only a few of them ‘advertised’ clematis amongst their plant collections, almost all of them had some.
Saving the best until last, our final afternoon was spent with Charlie and Liz Pridham at Roseland House. They have an amazing garden, crammed full of clematis but with plenty of other plants as well. They also run their nursery business from here, and the back garden has more than its fair share of polytunnels. Needless to say, many members came away clutching pots.
The programme also included talks by Adam Glas on the US Clematis Trials (seen during our meeting in the USA in 2014), Charlie Pridham on Climbers and David Mattern on Clematis of the Delaware Valley. There was also a session reviewing the Clematis for Beginners List that the Society publishes, resulting in a revised and updated list.
Our meeting next year is another two-centre, but on mainland Europe this time. For the first part we are based in Berlin. We then travel by coach to Warsaw for the second part.
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Members of the Royal National Rose Society enjoy the full benefits on offer which include free admission to the Gardens of the Rose, free subscription of the Society’s magazine ‘The Rose’ and free rose advise from our experts.
Special offer to all members and friends of the British Clematis Society!
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Telephone 0845 833 4344 or email membership@rnrs.org.uk
Acknowledgements
I should like to express my thanks to the following people who have contributed to or otherwise assisted in the preparation of this Journal.
Thanks once more to Karin Sundström for the use of material from The Genus Clematis: Magnus Johnson.
I would especially like to thank artist Kathy Pickles, Orkney, for permitting reproduction of her six wonderful clematis paintings, which appear throughout the text.
Thanks to our Advertisers – every advertisement is much appreciated.
Thanks to our Publishers Charlesworth Press Ltd.
Thank you to my valiant proofreaders Glenis, Sue, Val, Everett and Keith.
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