Clematis 'Margaret Hunt'

Clematis 'Margaret Hunt' was selected by the British breeder of the same name around 1960 and introduced in 1969 — one of the long-standing English cultivars with decades of proven garden performance. Its 10–12 cm flowers appear in a strong pink that can shift towards lavender or mauve-pink depending on the light, with darker veins and margins. The usually six pointed, slightly waved tepals sit with small gaps between them, while red anthers on pale filaments glow at the centre.

From June to September, 'Margaret Hunt' produces a continuous succession of new flowers, making it one of the reliable long-bloomers among the large-flowered hybrids. At around 300 cm, it suits trellises, pergolas and taller supports well, quickly settling into its spot. Particularly useful: the variety is shade-tolerant and can be planted in almost any aspect — even in positions too dark for many other clematis.

'Margaret Hunt' is reliably winter-hardy (zone 6, down to about -23 °C) and copes with harsh winters without special protection. Cut the plant back hard to about 50 cm in March — this encourages fresh growth and a dense, richly flowering habit the following season. Watch the spelling when buying: the variety is sometimes mislabelled 'Margret Hunt'.