Colourful clematis collection

Create your own colourful clematis collection this month with the Horticultural Trades Association?s (HTA) ?Plant of the Moment? for June – clematis.

From bold blooms the size of tea plates to delicate nodding bells adorning a garden arch, clematis are versatile and colourful climbers that no garden should be without. Whether left to clamber-up a trellis panel to cover walls and fences or trained over a pergola, clematis are a wonderfully diverse family with varieties to choose for flowers in every season of the year.

Large-flowered hybrids are some of the most impressive, coming into their own during the summer months, and these are joined by daintier flowering varieties of clematis viticella that continue blooming into autumn

Dozens of clematis varieties are available, with new ones being introduced every year, so visit local garden centres and nurseries to pick the ones that appeal. Colours and forms vary widely, with something to suit every colour scheme.

Top clematis for summer colour

• ?Alabast?
• ?Madame Julia Correvon?
• ?Etoile Rose?
• ?Lasurstern?

Top tips on growing clematis

1. Clematis like their heads in the sun and feet in the shade. Plant so that the soil around the roots is shaded to keep it cool, training shoots up into a brighter, lighter space above.
2. Always plant summer-flowering clematis deeper than they were growing in their pots. Dig a deep hole so the top of the rootball sits about 7-10cm below the soil surface, and bury the base of the stems with soil. This can help plants regrow if they ever suffer from clematis wilt disease.
3. Spread a deep mulch of compost or bark over the soil after planting to lock in moisture and protect from the sun to keep roots cool.
4. All clematis belong to one of three pruning groups depending on when they flower. Talk to the experts at your local garden centre to find out which pruning group your clematis belongs to and get advice on exactly when and how to prune. Alternatively check on line for advice at rhs.org.uk.

Colourful clematis combinations

• Roses
• Honeysuckle
• Golden Hop? (Humulus lupulus ?Aureus?
• Golden Jasmine (Jasminum officinalis ?Aureum?)
• Solanum crispum ?Glasnevin?
• Wisteria

Shrubs that offer support:

• Camellia
• Conifers including yew and junipers
• Holly (Ilex varieties)
• Japanese maples

Visit www.the-hta.org.uk/plantofthemoment for more information and to download the media pack which features: plant information for each month including top plants, tips and companion plant ideas, high and low resolution photos, plus Point-of-Sale samples from Floramedia and Hortipak.