Topic: easy care clematis?

[pigeonseed]

I promised a friend a plant as a moving in present. He likes white clematis best, but he's worried about the fact that he's not a very attentive gardener.

At the moment he only has plants in pots and because he forgets to water them they aren't too healthy!

He has a grassed over garden, with a boring bare fence - so surely we can find him a clematis to go in the ground, which doesnt need pruning or watering (except perhaps when it's establishing itself)

Does anyone have a suggestion for a variety? do the montanas need pruning?

Thanks!

[Tulipa]

Hi

The montanas can grow very quickly and would need a lot of pruning once established.  I would go for a group 2 which needs the least, you can get by with a trim in the spring.  Or group 3 which are just cut right back in the spring- not too much science involved.  This is a useful site, Plocket used to be a regular on here, in fact introduced me to A4all...

http://www.plocket.co.uk/

Click on 'Information' for pruning guide and she has photos of lots of varieties.

T.

[Tulipa]

Two more useful sites:

http://www.taylorsclematis.co.uk/

http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/

The second is a website by Hull University which aims to have photos of all the clematis worldwide.  There is puning info too.

T.

[ACE]

do the montanas need pruning?

Is the Duchess of Kent catholic!

Montanas are mostly  very vigorous and need hacking back now and again to stop them taking over.

Look on the labels when you are buying one to see the height and spread, then think of how much fence there is.

Thet all need a clip after flowering so try something a bit more sedate like a wisteria. which can be kept in hand by snipping a bit off when you are passing. I am just trialing a climbing hydrangea which seems very low maintanance so far.

[Tulipa]

Is the Duchess of Kent catholic!

 ;D

[pigeonseed]

thanks for tips

I know montanas grow a lot, but I just thought that they didnt need cutting back unless you wanted to.

my friend says he also likes passion flower, I wonder if passiflora caerulea would be any easier for him to manage.

thanks for all your help!

[ACE]

I know montanas grow a lot,

my friend says he also likes passion flower,

Out of the frying pan into the fire! Mine's a holigan, I've taken the motorised hedgecutter to it 3 times this summer and it needs doing again.

[Tulipa]

I have a thug of a wisteria - my front door is often like sleeping beauty's castle and I hack it back every couple of weeks.  Might be too big for a fence once it gets going.  Having said that it can be years before it gets this far, or even flowers.

How about a honeysuckle, they don't need too much pruning and are scented and wildlife friendly too.  And berries too for added interest.

T.

[pigeonseed]

ooh you lot are just boasting now!  ;D I never have to fight back my plants like that!

[Tulipa]

 :-[ :)

[pigeonseed]

I am thinking about the honeysuckle idea - especially as I've read that Japanese honeysuckle tolerates dry soil.

But I'm just not sure it's his cup of tea - he's quite fussy. Though with his plant care history he has no right to be!   ::)

[pigeonseed]

just looking at plocket's site - very useful

[Amazin]

I never have to fight back my plants like that!

Happy to send you some! Prepare your machete...

[pigeonseed]

ooh! That would be very kind! What have you got, that you have to fight?

Actually I do battle with bindweed in our new garden - not something I will share with you! Actually I say I battle - I've let it win this year, due to impending baby. But next year - it had better watch out!!

It is very pretty though. And when you think even plants we pay good money for have been known to get out of hand...

[Amazin]

Yes but there's out of hand and then there's bindweed!

Rampant in my garden right now are - well, most of 'em actually, but here's some top thugs

Akebia quinata/ Chocolate Vine
Clematis Armandii,
Passiflora Caerulea/ Passionflower (thought I'd killed it but it's still self seeding)
Passiflora Mollissima/ Banana Passionfruit
Lonicera/ Honeysuckle 'Hall's Prolific' (a clue in the name?)
Actinidia/ Kiwi fruit

...and Goji berry which is the fastest growing, spiniest, unruliest (!) lime-hating plant I've ever seen.