Clematis 'Duchess of Edinburgh'

The clematis 'Duchess of Edinburgh' was bred around 1874 by the English nursery George Jackman & Son, making it one of the treasured historic varieties from the 19th century. It belongs to the Patens hybrid group and delights with fully double, pure white flowers 12 to 15 cm across, whose outer petals sometimes show a delicate greenish tinge. A crown of yellowish-brown stamens at the centre gives the satin-sheened blooms their refined character.

'Duchess of Edinburgh' flowers twice a year: the first, richly double flowers appear from May to June on last year's wood, followed by a simpler second flush in August on new growth. Reaching around 300 cm in height, the variety is ideal for trellises, climbing frames, obelisks and pergolas, even in smaller gardens. It prefers a sunny to semi-shaded position, with the root area kept cool and shaded, for example by low companion plants or a layer of mulch.

This variety is fully hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C) and copes well with harsh winters outdoors. For vigorous growth and abundant flowering, cut 'Duchess of Edinburgh' back to about 100 cm in June. Like many early double-flowered varieties, it is prone to clematis wilt, so a deep, sheltered planting spot with a cool root run is an advantage.