Clematis has lost leaves
Q Why has my clematis ‘Winter Beauty’ lost its leaves? Marion Smith, Plymouth, Devon
A Clematis urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ is unusual, being both evergreen and winter flowering. It bears waxy, bell-shaped, creamy-white flowers from December to February.
Reaching about 4m (13ft) tall, it’s ideal for growing up a pergola or similar feature because it needs little, if any pruning. In summer, after flowering, remove any damaged or dead stems, then prune the remaining stems back to a pair of healthy buds.
It needs a sunny, sheltered spot so is unsuitable for more northerly gardens. However, Plymouth, with its relatively benign climate, should be ideal. The leaves of this species are prone to wind damage, so I suspect the foliage has been caught by salt spray driven inland on the winter gales. Regardless, the flowers should open as normal and then your climber should leaf up again in the spring.