Clematis 'Little Bas'

Clematis 'Little Bas' comes from the Dutch breeder Wim Snoeijer: it is a seedling of 'Minuet', was raised before 1996 and introduced in 2000. It is named after the youngest son of the van Zoest nursery. The small, nodding flowers measure about 5 cm and open bell-shaped; their four violet-blue sepals are paler towards the base, set off by cream anthers on pale green filaments.

'Little Bas' flowers from July to September on the current year's growth, so the display appears reliably every year. Growing up to 300 cm tall, it suits trellises, fences and obelisks, and can also scramble through shrubs. It thrives in sun or partial shade, including east-, west- and north-facing aspects, in cool, moist, well-drained soil. Plant it with the crown 5–8 cm deep so that it shoots vigorously from below ground.

'Little Bas' is very hardy (zone 5, -28.8 to -23.4 °C). Cut it back to about 25 cm in March (pruning group 3) – it reliably regrows. Robust and free-flowering, it is a rewarding choice for beginners, too.