UK gardening help and assistance


LATER FLOWERING  
LARGE FLOWERED CLEMATIS

All this group can be hard pruned during the winter period, and are often referred to as the Jackmanii group. Generally speaking they are relatively easy to grow and usually flourish with a modicum of assistance. 

Flowers tend to be slightly smaller than the early summer flowering clematis but the plus factor is that the flowers tend to be much more numerous. 

These like the viticella group are ideal for growing through and over shrubs and other plants because the plants have time through the winter and early spring to recover and grow without being smothered. 

If you are growing in this way don't cut back too far but leave the stems well into the host plant where they will easily grow in the spring well out of the way of the majority of marauding slugs and other creepy things. 

I think that the individual flowers quality of many varieties is not of the best but the overall effect is generally very good. It always brings to mind the saying 'Never mind the quality feel the width' which I think says it all.

NAME AND DESCRIPTION

AI NOR 
A new colour that I have not met before in clematis from Estonia. A well rounded flower which is a peachy pink on the edge toning to a white centre. Best out of all direct sun .
ALLANAH 
A rounded flower with spaced tepals. One of the clearest reds in the genus. Can be difficult to get to flower regularly. Try planting in full sun and pruning to 1.5m this usually works for me.
AOTEAROA 
A New Zealand variety, very dark purple pointed tepals, said to be vigorous, I have not had it long enough to confirm if this is true.
ASCOTIENSIS 
A clear mid blue with pointed tepals and green stamens Looks well with roses.
BELLA 
Another clematis of East European origin. Well presented round flower of pure white with a contrasting centre, like all from the region masses of flowers.
BLUE ANGEL 
The English version of the Russian name light blue flowers, which are simple and on the small side countered by the quantity of flowers. A heavenly asset to every garden.
CARDINAL WYZYNSKI 
Nice red quite bright often confused with E. Markham within the trade which is unfortunate, tends to fade less and flower for longer.
CAROLINE
Pale pink flowers that somehow are very ladylike in appearance. I suppose I mean neat and charming!
COMTESSE DE BOUCHAUD 
Bright pink with a touch of mauve lots of flowers over a long period
CUBA 
Deep purple red with a distinct darker stripe a very well rounded flower. As the flower fades the colour changes and is still very acceptable, unlike some I can think of.
DOROTHY WALTON 
Mauve pink long pointed tepals vigorous and floriforous providing a good later show. Height to 5m
EMILIA PLATER 
This is not a clinging lady she must be given more than moral support. A mid sized rounded open mid blue flowers with the veins showing slightly darker. I have yet to be convinced but others rave.
EMOJOGI 
Don't ask how to pronounce this plant it is well beyond even me. This is I suppose what you would call a different plant the semi pointed periwinkle blue tepals are not on first glance special. A closer inspection reveals as if the best watermarks were reserved for this plant.
ERNEST MARKHAM 
Bright petunia red flowers over a long period
ESPERANTO 
New from Estonia. Purple with a distinctive contrasting bar. Not normally as tall as the general run only reaching 2m with me.
EXTRA 
I have just seen this flower for the first time. It is a lovely vigorous plant with foliage of good quality The flowers are round and an attractive light blue, nothing spectacular but oozes good health. And masses of flowers, so far.
GIPSY QUEEN 
Deep velvet violet Height to 6m
HAGLEY HYBRID 
Rosy pink flowers in profusion with pointed tepals.
HONORA
Violet purple with a touch of deep red contrasting pale stamens. A reliable performer with us.
HULDINE 
Pearly white upper surface mauve tinged lower. I personally prefer the underside to the top, it is a wonderful pearly white. A good thing too as this plant does grow tall.
JACKMANII 
Look for purple flowers by the front door in August you must know all about this one!
JACKMANII ALBA 
Usually semi double bluish white flowers to start the season followed by single flowers for the rest of the year.
JACKMANII RUBRA 
If you are lucky the first flowers are ragged semi doubles. The rest of the seasons flowers are many single in velvet crimson
J. L. DELBARD
Correctly 'souvenir de' violet edges to tepal with darker central stripe, not too bright for my taste.
JOHN HUXTABLE 
A later flowering white of translucent quality with green centre when grown well is most attractive. Not terribly reliable some of the newer Estonian varieties are probably better.
JOHN PAUL II 
Off white with pale pink tinge which may develop into full pink bar later in the season Height to 5m
JUBILEJNJA 70 
An Estonian variety of the Jackmanii type velvety violet flowers with a light brown centre
KEN DONSON 
Deep mid clear mid blue with white stamens.One of the lst to flower with us flowering in early autumn.
LADY BETTY BALFOUR 
Violet blue with yellow centre requires full sun. This plant often flowers so late into the autumn that the flowers are caught by the frost.
LUTHER BURBANK 
A round flower in blue violet with a dark centre. Highly thought of by growers in the USA. Pruning optional.
MADAME BARON VIELLARD 
Rose lilac flowers somewhere in the clouds. Very vigorous and reliable Height 6m+
MADAME EDOUARD ANDRE 
Wine red pointed tepals fading to a flat burgundy, cream stamens
MADAME GRANGE 
Very dark dusty purple boat shaped tepals very reliable. Attractive against right background
MARGARET HUNT 
Dusky pink flowers not the best quality but count them by the hundred Wonderful for the back of a border.
MARIA LOUISE JENSEN 
A German lady I believe dressed in violet blue with pointed tepals smallish flowers dark centre. Not as tall or as vigorous as some.
MARIE BOISSELOT (syn. Mdme. le Coultre) 
Pure white large flowers with yellow stamens free flowering Flowers always held horizontal. Height 6m. Pruning optional
MAUREEN 
Bushy plant carrying reddish purple flowers with a good sheen. Difficult to establish and propagate so not always available. Pruning optional
MEELI
Well pointed purple crimson tepals that loose the red element as they fade. Like many Estonian clematis this does not lack vigour.
MINISEELIK
Or miniskirt for those that must know. Possibly the lowest growing of the group, this does not mean to say that it shy in flowering or has any other bad habits. Very round rose pink flowers fading to an off white centre.
MINISTER 
Large lavender blue flowers purple stamens and lots of them.
MONTE CASINO 
Another from the renowned Polish stable. I have difficulty in describing the colour to my satisfaction but a sort of maroon red.
MRS CHOMONDLEY 
Prolific light lavender blue flowers brown stamens Height to 4m Pruning optional
NADEZHDA 
Not to be approached with a hangover , use dark glasses at all times. A very bright some might say gaudy flower, a bright pink with a brighter raspberry red bar.
NATASCHA
Pointed sepals in a dark rose purple. Not much to say but a nice plant never the less.
NEGRITJANKA 
Deep dusky purple small flowers purple stamens pointed tepals
NIKOLAI RUBTSOV 
Pale reddish violet flowers paler towards the centre yellow stamens. Slightly different from the normal. Very long flowering period.
OLYMPIAD 80 
A very vigorous plant to the best part of 5 metres topped by masses of clear mid pink flowers. If you have the space this is worth trying.
PARASOL 
I only flowered this for the first time last year. The flowers were pale pink and not opening flat, hence the name.
PERLE d'AZUR 
Sky blue flowers in profusion over a long period. Always admired both for quantity and quality of flowers. Height at least 5m
PINK FANTASY 
Shell pink with slightly deeper bar best in light shade.
QUEEN ALEXANDER 
An English variety from before the turn of the last century, Silvery blue and quite vigorous for one so old.
RHAPSODY 
Similar to Jackmanii with an open spaced flower the tepals are painted with two very similar shades of purple blue, makes you look twice.
ROKO KOLLA 
Long pointed greeny white tepals with a pale centre. Masses of flowers like all the East European varieties. One of my personal favourites.
ROMANTICA 
Deep velvety purple certainly the darkest that I have ever seen I think that this plant is superb. Awarded a prize by the British Clematis Society.
ROUGE CARDINAL 
Much darker and nicer red than the other red cardinal you may remember from polishing the doorstep many years ago. Pruning optional.
RUUTEL 
The flower is a dark rich red with a touch of brick colour. It cannot said to be the best quality flower but the quantity produced make it well worth growing
SERENATA 
Deep velvet purple deeper red purple bar bright yellow stamens much more refined than it sounds. Not too many stems ideal for growing through shrubs.
SPUTNIK
Soft rose purple rounded tepals that twist like a plane propeller.
STAZIK 
Pointed purple red tepals with similar coloured centre very attractive when fresh but less so when it fades.
STAR OF INDIA 
Handsome cup shaped deep purple with red purple bar interesting. Another variety with few stems.
SYMPATICA
Full rounded violet blue tinged with rose, quite large flowers. Another good variety from Brother Stefan Franczak in Poland.
TWILIGHT 
Reminds me of those lovely summer evenings rosy mauve lots of flowers. Very popular.
VICTORIA 
Rosy purple a good late flowering variety gets better as the years pass. Very hard to get good plant grown in a pot.
VILLE DE LYON 
Many rounded flowers of carmine red shading to deep crimson on outer edges Height 5m. Stems and lower leaves tend to attract mildew.
VOLGA DAM 
Creamy white well rounded flowers with a contrasting centre, perhaps the flowers area little too close together and overlap but they can be still in flower in December,
VOLOUCEAU 
Dark red with hint of purple especially on older flowers not that exciting on its own.
WARSAW NIKE 
Velvety purple not unlike a deeper Niobe, I think that it is very attractive.
WESTERPLATTE 
An interesting new variety that shows much promise both for its good growing habits as well as for its attractive red flowers.

This article was originally published on the web at oviatt-ham.demon.co.uk (Malcolm Oviatt-Ham, Cambridge), however that website is defunct at 2014. The copyright is with Malcolm Oviatt-Ham.