Plant of the Month: Clematis (September 2024)

What a struggle it has been to protect the shoots of these two clematis from sustained attacks by the usual culprits this year!  Not only did I use a garlic spray (one clove of garlic simmered in water) but I also liberally (and continually) sprinkled spent coffee grounds around the base of the plants. Although they were saved, I did lose other clematis: scented C ‘Betty Corning’, C ‘Rising Star’ and C ‘Wedding Day’ – all absolutely lovely and such a loss that I will need to repurchase them.

Clematis ‘Princess Diana’
This clematis is definitely one of my ‘top five’. The tulip-shaped flower is an unusual shade of bright pink, with beautifully striped markings both inside and outside of the petals (sepals).  This variety (texensis) was introduced by a British breeder to honour the Princess of Wales in 1984 and has deservedly been given the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 

As to be expected ‘Princess Diana’ came into flower late – in July, rather than June – and has been flowering continually, with eight flowers and a few buds on the vine at present. 

Clematis ‘Princess Diana’ simply adores the sun and tilts its flowers upwards, growing up my south-facing fence and intermingling with other climbers which includes evergreen Trachelospermum asiaticum, although I understand it’s happy to grow in partial shade. Like all clematis, it needs moist but well-drained soil.

Clematis ‘Queen Mother’ (‘Zoqum’)
This prolific viticella variety, introduced from Germany in around 2011, is less well known but I highly recommend it and wouldn’t be without it. The vine is vigorous – once I managed to get it going – and at today’s count, there are some 45 flowers and buds on show.  At the end of their very long (6-8 inch) and elegant stems are wine-purple bell-shaped flowers, with a paler, ribbed effect to the outer petals. 

C ‘Queen Mother’ should now flower through into October but on one occasion, it was flowering in November.  It loves the sun and I do have to give it extra water, likewise with C ‘Princess Diana’. Both these clematis come under Group 3 Pruning, whereby the stems will need to be pruned right down to 6-8 inches from the ground, to just above a pair of buds, in February-March. They need to be planted deep to deter airborne Clematis Wilt.

Anna L