Planting Clematis

Gardening
Planting Clematis

There’s a clematis for every season and every colour scheme, and plenty of options for displaying the beautiful flowers. Whether you train your plant to climb over a pergola or trellis, through a tree or up a freestanding gazebo, here’s how to get the best results.

 

Choosing the right clematis

Choose a variety that suits your needs. For instance, vigorous varieties that would quickly get out of hand in a container or engulf a slow-growing shrub are ideal for the walls of a house.
And if you want to grow a clematis up a tree or shrub, decide whether you want it to flower at a different time to the host, to extend the season of interest or to bloom at the same time for maximum flower power.

How to plant

  • Dig a planting hole 45cm (18in) away from your trellis, fence, wall or host plant.
  • Make the hole twice the diameter of the container and deep enough so the top of the rootball sits 5cm beneath the level of the soil.
  • Loosen the soil at the base with a garden fork. Soak the plant well.
  • Put clematis at the centre of the hole and fill around the rootball with soil. Firm soil with your heel and water well.

Pruning Clematis

Correct care of Clematis requires careful attention to pruning group (1, 2, or 3), planting depth (to prevent Clematis wilt), and amount of sun/shade.