Clematis
There are a huge number of Clematis from which to choose. But watch out – some produce a permanant framework, and others require special pruning. You will need to know which you want to serve your particular requirements.
This is a large flowering Hybrid called ‘Rouge Cardinale’. There are hundreds like this in every colour and by-colour imaginable, and they generally grow to say 3 metres. The way of treating them is to cut them back to about 45Cms high after the season is over. They will over winter like that and grow away from the base next year and flower one again.
This is Clematis montana, a perennial species which is rampant in its vigor. It produces growths anything from 5.0 to 6.5 metres long. It’s white flowers appear in May. Pruning usually takes the form of cutting back to reasonable bounds, if requited. Great plants for climbing up old trees.
This is the pink equivalent of the one above – Clemats montana rubens, which is pink flowering and with purple tinged foliage. Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth has pink slightly fragrant flowers.
This evergreen species is called Clematis armandii. It is not completely hardy, and benefits from being on a sheltered south facing wall. The creamy-white flowers are 5.0 – 6.5 cms across and are in clusters in April – May. The best form, called ‘Apple Blossom’ has bronze-green leaves when young and white shaded pink flowers.