Growing Clematis Vines

Clematis is from the Greek word klema, meaning "climbing". Clematis are part of the same family as as anemones, buttercups and peonies. They are naturally from the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, making them ideal for growing in the UK and cooler parts of the USA.

Unusually, the colourful flowers are not actually petals, they are the sepals of the plant - normally green and much smaller than the petals in the other plants.

Which Clematis Type and Where

There are over 400 clematis cultivars to choose from, each with its own colour, growth habit and needs. Pick the correct ones for your garden situation and you will have a beauty for many years.

Walls, Fences and Trellis
Almost all clematis cultivars grow well on walls, fences and trellis. The main considerations are the height the clematis will reach, it's strength of growth and how to support it.

Clematis are light plants and therefore do not need strong support. There are a wide variety of plastic and wooden trellis available, plus a huge range of plastic netting. It is also possible and simple to make your own support. Use wire or plastic string supported by nails or screws in the surface to be covered. Rows 45cm (18ins) apart are more than adequate.

Where the area to be covered is large (a garage wall for instance), the traditional strong-growing clematis is Clematis montana. Low on maintenance with maximum coverage, it provides a spectacular burst of colour in late spring. Clematis montana 'Tetrarose' is one of the best montanas, it has large flowers with a delicate scent. For something a bit different, try clematis 'Huldine' which will grow to 5m (16ft) in height.

Clematis General Sikorski
Click to enlarge.

Where a smaller area is to be covered, the world is your oyster. 'Nelly Moser' and 'The President' are two of the most popular and beautiful clematis and are widely available. Where it's important to have evergreen foliage, go for one of the Clematis armandii which has evergreen glossy leaves - make sure it's in a protected position though.

For exposed areas choose one the alpina or macropetala clematis. These are really hardy and require very little maintenance. Many have the additional benefit of attractive fluffy seed heads which often last more than a month. Good varieties are the alpina 'Helsingborg' and the macropetala 'Markham's Pink'.

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