Clematis 'Wyevale'

Clematis 'Wyevale' belongs to the Heracleifolia Group, the semi-shrubby, herbaceous clematis with a mostly loose to slightly climbing habit. Its 3-4 cm tubular flowers appear in dense, hyacinth-like clusters and glow in a rich, mid-blue shade; the four sepals are frilled at the margins and curve slightly back, while the flowers carry striking yellow stamens and a pleasant fragrance.

From July to October, 'Wyevale' produces its fragrant flower clusters in the leaf axils, making it one of the reliable late-season bloomers. At around 125 cm tall, it grows as a sub-shrub with loose, slightly climbing stems that like to lean on neighbouring plants - ideal for a herbaceous border, as ground cover over old tree stumps, or in a large container on the patio. It thrives best in a sunny to lightly shaded spot facing south to southwest, in well-drained, moisture-retentive soil; the root area does best kept cool and shaded, for example by neighbouring plants or a layer of gravel.

'Wyevale' is reliably hardy (zone 5, to about -23.4°C) and survives harsher winters in the border without special protection. As it flowers on the current year's growth, cut the plant back hard to about 10 cm above the ground in March - this encourages dense new growth and abundant flowering in summer. The sap can irritate the skin, so it is best to wear gloves when pruning.