Seasonal specials!
Clematis at Christmas? You bet.
‘Winter Beauty’ and ‘Christmas Surprise’ are two recently introduced varieties that are likely just about finished by now but which bloom dependably in December.
You can plant these in spring.
‘Winter Beauty’, 3m (10ft), is a variety of an uncommon Chinese species, C. urophylla. It’s vigorous and evergreen and carries heavily textured, waxy, white bells across the coldest winter months. It’s best on a south-facing wall or fence and may struggle in our coldest gardens.
‘Christmas Surprise’, 2.4m (8ft), can be thought of as a Himalayan version of C. cirrhosa, with limey buds opening to citrus-scented, white flowers. Unusually, it goes dormant in summer so is best rambling through a mature shrub, such as a holly, to disguise its loss of foliage.
Pruning: Cut back both promptly after flowering if necessary.