Clematis florida is an ordinary plant most of the year, but when it flowers it’s a wonderful reminder of why we grow them, says gardening writer JACKIE WARBURTON.
The Clematis florida is a group-two clematis, which means it flowers mid-season and can have a little prune after flowering to encourage repeat flowering.
Group one flowers early in spring and only once. Group three flowers in late summer. To confuse matters more, they all get pruned differently.
All clematis need pruning to keep them in vigor. Group one flowers on old wood and is almost a no-prune clematis, but keep it tidy with a light prune after flowering. If a hard prune is needed, the vine may not flower next season.
Group two is a light prune, and group three clematis, shoots from the base and flowers on new growth. It can be pruned to the ground after flowering.
All clematis like their roots in the cool and their heads in the sun. Importantly, position them out of strong winds so the large petals are not spoilt. The soil needs to be moist, as they are shallow rooted and can dry out quickly, keep the soil sweet and add a little lime if needed.
They can be planted on a trellis or grow-up trees, and they are commonly planted amongst climbing roses and arches.
Clematis aristata is a native, evergreen, small climbing clematis that can manage our cold winters.
There are either male or female plants and, while their flowering is similar in with delicate creamy white starry flowers, it is only the female plant that produces fluffy seed heads after flowering. Hence, also, its common name, goats beard.
To propagate clematis, take small stem cuttings, about 10 to 15 centimetres long, in late summer/early autumn. Tuck a node or two under the soil and it will strike over time.
A TREE that deserves more credit is the laburnum (or golden chain). It’s a leguminous plant that adds nitrogen to the soil it’s grown in.
A spreading tree, it can grow to a height of four metres and has lime green, delicate foliage in summer that turns to autumnal colour as the season changes.
But it’s the flowers that it’s grown for. The delicate long chain of wisteria-like yellow flowers are a magnet for bees and other insects.
The young stems are flexible enough they can be tied to a trellis and horticulturally shaped to an arbour for maximum effect when flowering.
They need full sun to flower and don’t like fuss of wet feet.
There are a few different cultivars to try and one of the most unusual is Adams Laburnum (Laburnocytisus Adamii).
Striking yellow and/or mauve pink flowers can grow on the same small tree. In the horticultural world, this a bi-generic species that has merged as two genetic fusions is a wonder plant, The two parent plants are laburnum and chamaecytisus and this fusion is called a chimaera.
Despite being hard to find, it grows well in our climate.
THE vegetable garden should be in full swing now. So be sure to keep a balance of water and nutrients to get a good crop through the season. It’s still time to sow seeds for late-summer tomatoes, zucchini and autumn flowers.
Jottings
- Don’t hard prune hedges in the next two months.
- Feed all vegetables and fruit trees with seaweed extract.
- Remove iris rhizomes that have flowered.
- Use kaolin clay to keep pear and cherry slug at bay.
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