Rare Clematis

I need to give a present to a dear friend and she loves clematis
if you had to choice one rare and british wich one would you suggest ??

 

Armandii , silly me of course , I should have asked you ....

lets forget the hardiness and the color .......one that is remarkable ....

 

Quite a lot of Clematis have "common" names, so perhaps you might find one matching her name?

Good do'ers perhaps? Most of those will be well known though, like The President

 

Hi Sal, take a look at this website, an amazing amount of Clematis to look at including some new varieties

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

Myself I'm after Clematis Napaulensis

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cl...aDxNoWqO-_KgaAI&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=625

 

I've bought a few Clematis this year, but my favourite has to be Tangutica Golden Tiara:



Plus one Armandii has already suggested - Florida Sieboldii:

 

What do you folk grow them up? I'd like to put some in my borders, but not had inspiration for a suitable "frame" for them

 

Hi Kristen, much depends on the type and growth habit of the particular Clematis, for example there are the herbacious types that don't climb and just need support of a small obelisk or even a shrub. Then there are semi-climbing varieties that need support of a larger shrub, obelisk or even a post of some sort.

The more familiar climbing varieties of Clematis are traditionally grown against walls, over arches etc can still be grown in the border through and up mature shrubs and trees. Group 3 Clematis are excellent for this as they are pruned down to almost ground level in the spring so are not left on the shrubs and trees and as they also flower later in the year they provide and extended period of interest if grown through a shrub that would be finished flowering by mid-summer for example.

Some of the Group 1 & 2 Clematis can be grown up permenant supports amongst the border plants, things like posts, large obelisks etc..

 

The easiest way is to grow them through established shrubs. It's possible to plan some lovely colour combinations with choisyas, eleagnus, teucrium fruticans and osmanthus. It's also a good way of prolonging flower-power in spring-flowering deciduous shrubs or trees. Snap Bilbo
My recommendation for an unusual one would be 'Chalcedony'...lovely big lilac/silver double.

 

Those are the ones I keep buying ... and then start looking for a location for !!

This has got to be the answer for me, thanks. Whilst I know about this I've never actually done it. Overthinking the problem I suspect! Will ANY shrub do? or does it need to be one with a more open framework of branches?

I don't think I've ever seen this arrangement in a style that I liked. To me it looked like some climbers "plonked" in a flower bed of otherwise lower-level plants. I'd be interested in any examples folk have seen that they thought were attractive - or just hearing that you all disagree with me!

 

Don't know about you but I'm planning to change my name by deed poll to Dancing Smile Zodasmi and think this will have a transformative effect on my humdrum existence.

 

How did a Potato get to be called "Pink Fir Apple"?

Or a French apple "Golden Delicious"?