Clematis are popular perennial climbers, providing height and colour throughout the season. They look particularly good with roses. There’s a huge variety of clematis to grow, with flowers ranging in size from small bells to large dinner plates.
Clematis can be good for wildlife, clothing walls, fences and trellis with leaves and flowers, which provide shelter for insects and sometimes birds. Some clematis flowers are visited by pollinators, while the fluffy seedheads of Clematis tangutica cultivars may be used as a nesting material by house sparrows.
How to grow clematisMost clematis require a fertile, moisture-retentive soil and full sun, but there are some that tolerate shade. They’re hungry feeders, so add plenty of organic material when planting and feed weekly with a high potash fertiliser in summer. All clematis have roughly the same planting needs, but need pruning according to their pruning group (see below).
More on growing clematis:
Find detailed planting and growing advice for clematis, below.
Choosing the right clematisThere’s such a wide variety of clematis available, that it’s important you choose the right clematis for the spot you want to grow it in. Some clematis, such as Clematis montana, are extremely fast-growing and vigorous, and are suitable for covering an unsightly wall or shed in a short space of time. Other clematis have a much less vigorous growth habit, and are therefore suitable for growing in pots – look for
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