Glorious in flower, on occasions regally temperamental, this richly endowed genus must surely lay strong claim to contain the most beautiful climbers ever to grace our gardens. As I stand each spring under a 30-ft. high hawthorn through which has intertwined a Clematis montana Elizabeth I would be the last to disagree. The white of the hawthorn and pink of the clematis intermingle to make the complete floral curtain.
I always use a soft string which will not chafe even the most tender bark and, which is perhaps more important, it will rot after a year or two. When indestructible material is used I grow careless about the annual inspection to ensure the stem is not being constricted by the tie. All wall plants must be looked over at least twice a year to make certain the stems are not being chafed or strangled by the supporting media.
Before attempting any planting examine the soil at the foot of an average house wall. Usually it consists of builders' leavings, sub-soil, pot crocks and other aridities, possibly enriched by a few tea leaves. All this must be excavated and replaced with soil from a fertile part of the garden.
A good mixture consists of 5 parts of garden soil to 2 parts of peat plus a 6-in. pot of bonemeal to every barrowload of the mixture. Only a narrow border need be made, 2 ft. wide by 15 in. deep, for given a good start healthy roots will penetrate less profitable fields.
Climbers need not be confined to walls. Stumps of old trees, venerable apple or other fruit trees, chain-link fencing, indeed anything capable of supporting the extra weight. For climbers some support will be necessary and modern invention provides a richly varied choice. A well-made wooden trellis, plastic-covered mesh, vine eyes with wire stretched between, or a nail hammered in where required - there is something to suit every depth of pocket.
Some gardeners have an instinct for putting flowers in just the right association with one another and I am fortunate in that for 15 years just such an artist gave me endless help at Harlow Car. C. macropetala, an early-summer-flowering species with large violet semi-double blooms, was her favourite and it was always grown through a wisteria which flowered at the same time. C. montana is the robust, independent, 'go out and conquer the world' member of the clan, growing well in any position. I have seen it on walls, potting sheds, thatched cottages, Scots Pine, apple trees, even a ruined church. I grow the white form granditiora , the rose-purpleflowered, bronze-leaved rubens and the pearl- pink, sweetly fragrant Elizabeth. All flower in May and some years a small second crop appears rather apologetically in August.
I always use a soft string which will not chafe even the most tender bark and, which is perhaps more important, it will rot after a year or two. When indestructible material is used I grow careless about the annual inspection to ensure the stem is not being constricted by the tie. All wall plants must be looked over at least twice a year to make certain the stems are not being chafed or strangled by the supporting media.
Before attempting any planting examine the soil at the foot of an average house wall. Usually it consists of builders' leavings, sub-soil, pot crocks and other aridities, possibly enriched by a few tea leaves. All this must be excavated and replaced with soil from a fertile part of the garden.
A good mixture consists of 5 parts of garden soil to 2 parts of peat plus a 6-in. pot of bonemeal to every barrowload of the mixture. Only a narrow border need be made, 2 ft. wide by 15 in. deep, for given a good start healthy roots will penetrate less profitable fields.
Climbers need not be confined to walls. Stumps of old trees, venerable apple or other fruit trees, chain-link fencing, indeed anything capable of supporting the extra weight. For climbers some support will be necessary and modern invention provides a richly varied choice. A well-made wooden trellis, plastic-covered mesh, vine eyes with wire stretched between, or a nail hammered in where required - there is something to suit every depth of pocket.
Some gardeners have an instinct for putting flowers in just the right association with one another and I am fortunate in that for 15 years just such an artist gave me endless help at Harlow Car. C. macropetala, an early-summer-flowering species with large violet semi-double blooms, was her favourite and it was always grown through a wisteria which flowered at the same time. C. montana is the robust, independent, 'go out and conquer the world' member of the clan, growing well in any position. I have seen it on walls, potting sheds, thatched cottages, Scots Pine, apple trees, even a ruined church. I grow the white form granditiora , the rose-purpleflowered, bronze-leaved rubens and the pearl- pink, sweetly fragrant Elizabeth. All flower in May and some years a small second crop appears rather apologetically in August.
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