Clematis 'Ernest Markham'

Clematis 'Ernest Markham' is a chapter of British garden history written in red. Ernest Markham himself – head gardener at the legendary Gravetye Manor estate in Sussex, close colleague of William Robinson and author of an influential clematis book – raised this cultivar around 1926 in the estate gardens. Named posthumously at Jackman's after his death in 1937 and introduced in 1938, it has since ranked among the most enduring and widely appreciated large-flowered hybrids in the world. Its 10–12 cm flowers, composed of six to eight tepals, display a compelling colour dynamic: freshly opened they glow in a rich, velvety crimson that catches the eye from a great distance; as they mature, purplish tones develop, making magenta or wine-red equally apt descriptions depending on the light. The slightly textured surface with crimped petal margins and golden-yellow stamens bearing brown connectives gives the flower additional depth.

From July to September, 'Ernest Markham' blooms freely and reliably on the current season's growth. Reaching up to 300 cm in height, it is one of the more vigorous hybrids and needs a sturdy support: medium-sized trees, large deciduous shrubs, or robust climbing frames on fences, walls, pergolas and obelisks are ideal. Its outstanding long-distance visual impact makes it an excellent choice for larger planting schemes; it also thrives in containers where space is limited. As a companion to climbing roses it is particularly effective – flowering times complement each other, and the vivid crimson creates powerful contrasts beside pinks and mauves.

'Ernest Markham' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C), fully suited to Central European gardens. In March, cut the stems back to around 50 cm – a hard prune promotes vigorous new growth and a generous summer display. Gardeners willing to experiment can leave a few stems a little longer; this may trigger an earlier and occasionally semi-double flush, but the result tends to be unpredictable. The RHS awarded 'Ernest Markham' its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in 1993 – recognition that confirms more than 85 years of reliable garden performance.