Clematis 'Honora'

Clematis 'Honora' was registered in 1998 by the New Zealand breeder Alister Keay. It was found in the garden of Mrs. A. Edwards in Christchurch, probably as a sport of the well-known 'Gipsy Queen'. Its 12–15 cm flowers are dark purple shaded with burgundy, each sepal carries a dark purple central bar, and the anthers are a deep reddish purple. The long, gently wavy sepals sit slightly apart, and their edges lighten with age.

At around 300 cm, 'Honora' climbs vigorously up trellises, obelisks and climbing frames and flowers from June to August. It thrives in sun as well as partial shade, is not fussy about aspect and grows in almost any soil, as long as it is well-drained and evenly moist. The flower shape changes as it goes: the blooms look full at first, then the sepals spread out flat.

'Honora' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C). Cut the plant back to about 50 cm in March. Give it a little time: it needs two to five years to reach full size.