Clematis 'Little Nell'

Clematis 'Little Nell' was raised before 1914 by the French breeder Francisque Morel in Lyon and came into the hands of the English garden pioneer William Robinson in 1915; it has been in commerce since 1939. It is named after the wife of Ernest Markham, Robinson's head gardener. The 4–5 cm semi-nodding flowers appear in a delicate pale pink, lighter towards the centre and almost white. Four to six pointed tepals with recurved tips frame pale yellow-green anthers on white to pale green filaments.

From July to August the flowers appear on the current year's growth, so the display returns reliably every year. At around 300 cm, 'Little Nell' suits trellises, fences and obelisks; it can also be led through roses and shrubs. It grows in sun or partial shade, on any aspect, and does best in moist, well-drained soil.

'Little Nell' is very hardy (zone 5, -28.8 to -23.4 °C). For vigorous growth and abundant flowering, cut it back to about 25 cm in March (pruning group 3) – it reliably shoots again from the base. Being robust and easy to care for, it is a rewarding choice for beginners too.