Clematis 'Edith'

Clematis 'Edith' was introduced in 1974 by British breeder Raymond Evison, a seedling of 'Mrs. Cholmondeley' and named after his mother. Its pure white flowers reach 10 to 15 cm across and show 6 to 8 sepals with dark brown to purple-red anthers; the first flowers in spring also carry a delicate greenish-yellow central bar, which is absent from the late-summer flush.

'Edith' flowers from May to June and again in August, and at around 200 cm it is a compact, eager climber for trellises, obelisks and other supports, equally at home in a container on patio or balcony. It thrives in full sun as well as semi-shade and copes well with almost any free-draining garden soil.

Thanks to its good winter hardiness (zone 6, down to about -23 °C), 'Edith' reliably survives harsh winters. For shape and a strong second flush, cut the shoots back to about 75 cm in June – the variety belongs to pruning group 2 with light pruning. For its dependable flowering, 'Edith' has been honoured with the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.