Clematis 'Rosy OGrady'

Clematis macropetala 'Rosy O'Grady' was bred by the Canadian breeder Frank Leith Skinner at Dropmore, Manitoba (1964). It is a cross between Clematis macropetala and Clematis alpina. Skinner, known as the “Luther Burbank of Canada”, named only a few of his clematis hybrids, and 'Rosy O'Grady' was among his favourites. The nodding, semi-double flowers measure 6-8 cm and have pale pink sepals veined in darker pink; cream staminodes sit at the centre. The fullness varies from year to year, as is typical of this variety: sometimes the plant carries few, lightly arching sepals like its alpina parent, sometimes the flowers are denser and frillier like macropetala.

'Rosy O'Grady' flowers from April to May; afterwards it is decorated with fluffy seed heads that change from green through gold to white. Growing to about 300 cm, it behaves more like a rambler than a strict climber and covers trellises, fences and pergolas, but can also be grown in a container. It thrives in sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. As a plant of cool climates, it is less at home in regions with hot summers.

The variety is very hardy (zone 5, down to about -28 °C) and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Atragene clematis are regarded as relatively trouble-free and easy to grow. Cut 'Rosy O'Grady' back to about 100 cm in June; beyond that it only needs occasional shaping so that it does not outgrow its space.