Clematis 'Dorothy Tolver'

Clematis 'Dorothy Tolver' was raised in 1987 by English breeder Jonathan Gooch at the renowned Thorncroft Clematis Nursery in Norfolk, from a cross of 'Niobe' and 'Vyvyan Pennell', and introduced in 1993. It is named after his mother-in-law, who co-founded the nursery together with her husband. The large violet flowers, with six slightly overlapping sepals and yellow stamens, reach 10 to 15 cm across; the earliest flowers of the season are sometimes semi-double.

From June to September, 'Dorothy Tolver' produces its flowers in several flushes. At around 300 cm, this vigorous grower is ideally suited to trellises, obelisks and other supports on walls, fences or pergolas, and also does well in a large container. It thrives in a sunny to semi-shaded spot with a cool, shaded root run.

'Dorothy Tolver' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C) and has proven itself in gardens for decades. After the first flowering, cut the plant back to about 100 cm in June; in early spring it is enough to remove dead and weak shoots. As with most large-flowered hybrids, a little patience in the first few years pays off before it reaches full flowering strength.