Clematis I AM STANISLAUS

Clematis 'Stanislaus' – marketed as I AM® STANISLAUS – was bred by the Dutch breeder Wim Snoeijer at the Jan van Zoest nursery, selected in 1996 and introduced in 2004. Its small, star-shaped flowers are blue-violet with a darker-toned margin, set off by white filaments with cream-coloured anthers, and carry a pleasant fragrance – a typical trait of the Heracleifolia group. The name honours Stanislav Hočevar, former Archbishop of Belgrade.

At around 150 cm, 'Stanislaus' is a herbaceous member of the Heracleifolia group rather than a true climber: it forms an upright, bushy sub-shrub that dies back above ground in winter and re-sprouts in spring. From July to August the fragrant, star-shaped flowers appear in dense clusters – ideal for sunny borders, bed edges and larger containers.

'Stanislaus' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 5, -28.8 to -23.4 °C). Cut the plant back to about 25 cm in March to encourage vigorous new growth and abundant flowering. As a robust garden perennial it needs very little care and suits beginners well.