Clematis 'Carnaby'

Clematis 'Carnaby' was raised in the USA in 1983 and introduced that same year via the British nursery Treasures of Tenbury. Its 12–18 cm flowers are white to pale pink with a bold, dark pink central bar on each of the six to eight sepals – the colour deepens further as the flower ages. Red anthers add a lively contrast to the pale background colour.

The first flush appears from May to June, followed by a second flush from July to August. At around 200 cm, 'Carnaby' is well suited to trellises, obelisks and other supports, while staying compact enough for a container on the patio or balcony. The bar fades quickly in full sun – it looks its best and keeps its colour longest in a semi-shaded spot, where it flowers reliably.

'Carnaby' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C). For vigorous growth and a rich second flush, cut the plant back to about 75 cm after the first flowering in June. Like many large-flowered hybrids, it needs one to two years to establish before showing its full flowering display.