Which Clematis should I Grow?

Your guide to buying the right variety

You will see up to 100 different clematis in the Ashridge range, covering seven distinct types: from the huge blooms of the large-flowered hybrids to the tiny bell-like flowers of the alpinas. You can buy montanas that can cover a good sized tree with flowers in spring to plants that live happily in a pot on the patio. In my book clematis are compulsory planting in almost any garden; you just need to choose the right ones. Taking them one at a time, because of course you want to buy more than one, that choice depends on your answers to where you want to plant it, when you want it to flower, what colour you want the flowers to be and how big you would like it to be when fully grown. I have tried to set this guide out so as to answer those questions. Not every clematis we sell is mentioned. I have grown clematis all my life, and these, for reasons of colour, habit, disease resistance, scent (in a couple of cases) and the story behind the name, are my favourites. And they're all good plants.

One other thing; I studied Latin at school and nouns that ended in -is usually took the plural form by ending in -es. However, clemates just doesn't feel right, so on this site they are always clematis. Just sayin'.

Jump to:

• Which clematis grow on a north-facing wall?
• Which clematis will grow in a pot?
• Which clematis can I grow into rose?
• Which clematis don't get clematis wilt?
• Which colour clematis should I choose?
• What are the best large-flowered clematis?
• What are the best double-flowered clematis?
• Which clematis has the best scent?
• Which clematis flowers in winter?
• Which clematis flowers first in spring?
• Which clematis flowers latest into autumn?
• Montana, viticella, alpina, large-flowered. What's the difference?
• Which clematis is easiest to grow?
• Do clematis grow on chalky soil?
• What is the most popular clematis?
• What are clematis pruning groups and should I care?

Which Clematis Will Grow on a North-Facing Wall?

Most clematis will tolerate a north-facing wall provided they get some light during the day. What they won't stand is deep, permanent shade where no direct sun reaches the top growth at all. A north wall that gets a couple of hours of morning or evening sun is fine for plenty of varieties. The trick is choosing ones whose flowers actually benefit from the cooler conditions.

Nelly Moser is usually recommended for a shady spot and with good cause. Everyone knows that pink-and-carmine bar colouring. Well, it fades in days in full sun; while it can look great for weeks against a wall with a bit of north in it. Bees' Jubilee does all the same things, while, if you are drawn to the dark(er) side, The President also keeps its deep purple better out of direct sun. Although I think it looks fantastic anywhere. For something smaller and a great deal tougher than it looks, alpina clematis are woodland plants by nature and Markham's Pink will flower on the coldest north wall you can find.

Clematis for north-facing walls and shade

Variety	Colour	Height	Flowers	Group	Why on a north wall
Nelly Moser (AGM)	Pale pink, carmine bar	3m	May–Jun, Sep	2	Bar holds colour in shade; bleaches in full sun
The President (AGM)	Rich purple-blue	3m	May–Jun, Sep	2	Dark colour unaffected by shade; very reliable
Bees' Jubilee	Soft pink, crimson bar	3m	May–Jun, Sep	2	Like Nelly Moser, the bar fades in sun
Markham's Pink (AGM)	Dusky pink, nodding bells	3m	Mar–May	1	Alpina type — naturally shade-loving. No pruning

For our full list of climbers to choose for north-facing and shaded walls, so honeysuckle, hydrangea, jasmine and ivy as well as clematis — see our guide to climbing plants for shady places.

Which Clematis Will Grow in a Pot?

All of them, actually, but some just do it better. Although I have seen a Montana in a potato barrel, standing on concrete, covering the back of a two-story house in South London. However, compact varieties are easier to manage. They still want a deep pot, though, and I recommend using terracotta or stone (real or reconstituted) because plastic pots heat up quickly in the sun, and clematis prefer cool roots.

Justa is such an easy choice if space is really tight. It's the smallest of the Viticella clematis, and it just about reaches a metre. It still needs support and despite its lack of size, it flowers from July to September, covered in pale blue flowers. Being a Viticella, it's just about bomb (and wilt) proof, and it's incredibly easy to look after. For something that climbs a bit higher and has showier flowers, Crystal Fountain has a remarkable ruff of crystal lilac stamens at the heart of a darker, mauve flower. It will reach about 1.5 metres. Piilu is also a good choice, coming in at 1.5 metres, although occasionally, for reasons I don't understand, you see one that reaches two metres. Lovely colouring with pink-and-mauve bicolour flowers.

Compact clematis for pots and containers

Variety	Colour	Height	Flowers	Group	Notes
Justa	Pale blue	1m	Jul–Sep	3	Non-climbing. Wilt-proof. The smallest in the range
Crystal Fountain	Lilac-blue, stamen fountain	1.5m	May–Sep	2	Evison compact. Repeat flowers. Striking blooms
Piilu	Pink-mauve bicolour	1.5m	May–Sep	2	Repeat flowers. Good for small obelisks
Diana's Delight	Violet-blue	1.5m	May–Sep	2	Evison compact. Can hard-prune for simplicity

Which Clematis Should I Grow Through a Rose?

Clematis and roses go together like cream and jam on a scone. I put my cream on first, and I plant my roses first. Apart from that, you can do almost anything you like. I have a long-suffering Narrow Water, repeat-flowering, rambling rose, which is home to three clematis. Freckles flowers from late autumn well into the spring and is beautifully scented. The President usually opens, to applause, in the first week of May. The rose gets going in June and then flowers all the way through the summer. Niobe takes people's breath away in July and August, and The President puts on a second show in September and into October. I trim Freckles as it finishes flowering, which is before Narrow Water has really started growing, so it's an easy job. And the President and Niobe are both pruned in February when there's no foliage on the rose.

I am a clematis addict, and so I'm prepared to put up with a few thorny pricks (and Narrow Water is a very thorny rose) for the pleasure they give me. If you're less dedicated, then buy a Group 3 clematis. Pruning Group 3 clematis that are growing into a rose is a piece of cake; you simply cut the whole plant down very close to ground level in February. The viticella types are ideal: they're vigorous enough to scramble through the rose, they flower at the right time, and they're completely wilt-proof.

Étoile Violette is probably the one I would plant first. Deep violet-purple flowers against pink or white roses is one of those made-in-heaven colour combinations and you get flowers from July right through to September. Polish Spirit is similar in colour but more vigorous — better for a large rose on a big wall. I have even seen Polish Spirit in a rose growing into an apple tree. For a hotter (aka redder) combination, Ville de Lyon in carmine red in a white or pale pink rose (think New Dawn) looks great.

Clematis for growing through climbing roses

Variety	Colour	Height	Flowers	Wilt-proof	Best with
Étoile Violette (AGM)	Deep violet-purple	4m	Jul–Sep	Yes	Pink or white roses
Polish Spirit (AGM)	Rich purple	5m	Jul–Sep	Yes	Vigorous roses on large walls
Ville de Lyon	Carmine red	3m	Jun–Sep	Moderate	White or pale pink roses
Purpurea Plena Elegans (AGM)	Double plum-purple rosettes	5m	Jul–Sep	Yes	Old roses. Historic variety itself (pre-1700)

See our full range of climbing roses and rambling roses.

Which Clematis Won't Get Clematis Wilt?

Clematis wilt (Calophoma clematidina) is a fungal infection that causes stems to suddenly collapse and blacken. An attack can affect a single branch or an entire plant and, if you have never seen it before, and it happens, you could be forgiven for thinking your plant is dead. In reality, it's unusual for wilt to kill an established clematis. In over 50 years of growing clematis at home, I have had maybe five that have been attacked and all recovered. So there are two bits of good news. Wilt really only goes for the large-flowered clematis in pruning Group 2 plus a few in Group 3. The second is that wilt is really not common at all. You will probably never see it; most reported wilt attacks are, in reality the result of damage caused by broken stems or slugs. However, if you want something you don't have to worry about, one of the viticellas is the answer; they are just about immune.

Polish Spirit, Étoile Violette, and Purpurea Plena Elegans are the three best viticella clematis. All hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit. White Prince Charles gives you the same immunity but in white. Beyond the viticellas, the species clematis, so montanas, alpinas, and the winter-flowering armandii and cirrhosa are also wilt-proof. Only the large-flowered hybrids really suffer and deep planting at 8–10cm below soil level significantly reduces the risk as the crown will regrow if the top growth is hit. And you're lucky if you're on alkaline soil, as the incidence of clematis wilt is insignificant.

For the full works on wilt, read our clematis wilt guide.

Which Colour Clematis Should I Choose?

Clematis come in every colour from pure white to near-black, with almost every shade of pink, purple, blue, and red in between. The one colour you won't find is true orange. Yellow is rare — only the tangutica group produces it, and they're a quite different plant from the classic large-flowered types. Here's what to look for in each colour.

Best clematis by colour — our picks from the Ashridge range

Colour	Our pick	Also consider	Height	Flowers	Good for
Deep red	Niobe (AGM)	Rouge Cardinal	3m	Jun–Sep	Sunny walls. Needs light to show the depth of colour
White	Miss Bateman	Guernsey Cream	2.5m	May–Jun, Sep	Shade — white flowers light up dark spots
Blue	Multi Blue	General Sikorski	2.5–3m	May–Sep	Pots (Multi Blue). North walls (Gen. Sikorski)
Pink	Nelly Moser (AGM)	Hagley Hybrid	3m	May–Jun, Sep	North walls (Nelly Moser). Fences (Hagley Hybrid)
Purple	Étoile Violette (AGM)	Polish Spirit (AGM)	4–5m	Jul–Sep	Through roses. Covering walls. Wilt-proof
Yellow	Bill MacKenzie (AGM)	—	8m	Jul–Oct	Large walls. The only true yellow; superb seedheads

Niobe is my favourite clematis. In full flower, when the sun is shining, the mass of velvety crimson flowers become so dark they seem almost to black at the centre. In a south- or west-facing position, she is breathtaking. Bill MacKenzie is much bigger and better suited to scrambling up a tree but is just as eye-catching. Masses of thick-petalled yellow bells that dance in a breeze, followed by the best-looking seedheads of any clematis. Pure silk, and they carry on through autumn and well into winter. They catch the low light beautifully and are a sight to behold after a frost.

What Are the Best Large-Flowered Clematis?

The large-flowered hybrids with masses of large flowers, 10 to 20 centimetres across, on relatively contained plants of up to three metres tall are what most people think of when they hear the word "clematis". These are Group 2 clematis, which means the wood they produced last year carries flower buds this year, and the early growth they produce this year often carries a second flush of flowers in September. Pretty obviously, the later growth in the year is the growth that produces buds for flowers next year. It's just crossed my mind that an easy way to remember what Group 2 clematis are is that they flower twice, with the main display in May and June, and the second showing generally in September. The trade-off is that this is the group most susceptible to clematis wilt, and their pruning needs to be more precise than it is for Group 1 and Group 3 clematis.

Nelly Moser is still the best known clematis in the country while The President in deep purple is one of the most reliable (and good in shade). You have probably already gathered that Niobe, as well as being the first plant I would put in the ground in any new garden I had, is the finest red. For something a little more Rive Gauche, Josephine produces ruffled double flowers a bit like pink pompoms.

What Are the Best Double-Flowered Clematis?

Double clematis produce flowers with multiple layers of petals (for the technically minded, they are not really petals at all but bracts), giving them a fuller, more ruffled appearance than the singles. They're eye-catching and great in flower arrangements. Because they are in group two and flower twice a year, when you see the second flash in September, which is made up entirely of single flowers, there's nothing wrong with your clematis, it's just the way they are. So take your pictures in May.

If you're into lavender blue (dilly dilly) then Vyvyan Pennell is a good choice. Large double flowers, up to 15cm across, coloured straight out of the nursery rhyme and with violet centres. Belle of Woking is a bit shorter at about 2-2.5m but has silvery-mauve double flowers instead. Multi Blue is another to consider, it's enormously double with big mauve-blue flowers and a tremendous central tuft of stamens. Multi Blue is a good choice for a pot, although the one we have at home is in a border growing into Parade, which is a small climbing rose. The two go very well indeed together.

Which Clematis Smells Best?

One of the casualties of Covid was my sense of smell, so I'm doing this from memory. But even when my nose was at its sharpest, and much as I love clematis, the words "clematis" and "perfume" don't normally appear in the same sentence. If you want something that smells, get a rose. Most large-flowered clematis have little or no scent; it's the species types that have fragrance. So if scent is important to you, the armandii group is the strongest choice. Apple Blossom can fill a garden with a warm almond-vanilla scent in March and April. The trade-off is that it is evergreen, vigorous (to 8m), and really only performs at its best against a sheltered, sunny wall.

The montanas all have a similar but lighter vanilla scent. Mrs Ashridge who has a nose like a bloodhound thinks the strongest smelling in the group are Elizabeth and Vera. On warmer days, the cirrhosa types (Cirrhosae I think, not cirrhosas) have a gentle citrus fragrance in winter; the one we have on a big rambling rose outside our back door has a noticeable perfume when the sun shines in winter. And Clematis flammula, which we don't currently stock because it is visually unremarkable and an awful thug, is the meadowsweet-scented species that's worth seeking out from a specialist if scent is your primary criterion.

Reading between the lines, no clematis has a particularly strong scent, with the possible exception of armandii on a sunny summer day. So plant them close to the house or near a path or seating area where people will be close to them, as generally the perfume will not be noticed more than a couple of metres away.

Which Clematis Flowers in Winter?

The cirrhosa types flower from November to February: You probably wouldn't say thank you for them in summer when there's so much going on, but the bell-shaped flowers are a welcome sight in winter. Freckles is the most "obvious" with cream flowers heavily speckled with red. It holds an Award of Garden Merit. Wisley Cream is paler, so try it growing into an evergreen which will make the flowers stand out. Winter Beauty is actually a urophylla rather than cirrhosa but flowers at the same time. In terms of culture, treatment, pruning, you treat it in exactly the same way as you would a cirrhosa. It has white, scented bells with a decent sweet scent from November until well into the new year.

These are all Group 1 and evergreen: so no special pruning needed. I say evergreen, and they do keep their leaves all year round, but if conditions aren't right, then "evergreen" can look quite brown in summer, which is their dormant season. Not to worry, they recover, but that is one reason I always grow them into another plant, just in case the weather is too dry for them.

For more on these winter varieties, see our evergreen clematis guide.

Which Clematis Flowers First in Spring?

The alpina and macropetala types are the snowdrops of the clematis world, flowering as spring gets under way and the winter-flowering evergreens stop. Their small, bell-shaped flowers arrive between March (late February in a warm spring) to May. These are nothing like the big showy hybrids of early summer; charming rather than dramatic. Markham's Pink in dusky pink is the finest in the Ashridge range and holds an AGM. These are naturally woodland-edge plants, so they are shade-tolerant and hardy anywhere in the UK. Group 1: prune after flowering if you feel like it.

Next, in May, it is the turn of the montanas, and the show really begins. They're the most vigorous of all the clematis and can cover enormous areas. Elizabeth in soft pink is popular — scented, vigorous, and smothered in flowers for three to four weeks in late spring. Rubens is the classic pink species form. A lot of Rubens are grown from seed and can be very variable; Christopher Lloyd, a great expert, waxed pretty poisonous about some of them. Our "variant" is a gentle pink with maybe a touch of mauve. I like it. Thus far, an orange clematis has eluded the breeders, and yellows are relatively rare. So Primrose Star which carries creamy-yellow double flowers might be one to look at.

Which Clematis Flowers Latest Into Autumn?

The viticella types and the late large-flowered clematis flower to the end of September, and with our warming weather, increasingly into October. Ernest Markham, an AGM holder with magenta flowers, is one of the latest large-flowered clematis. Looking at viticellas, Polish Spirit and Étoile Violette keep going up to the first frosts.

If it's the longest flowering season you're looking for, then Bill MacKenzie is hard to beat. The yellow bells are ever-present from July to the end of October, when those magnificent, silky seed heads take over and are a feature in any garden right through winter. It's a big plant — 8m or more — so it needs space, but if you have a large wall or - I prefer - a tree to grow it into, the autumn and winter display alone makes it worth opening your garden to the public.

Montana, Viticella, Large-Flowered — What's the Difference?

The clematis family, which is huge, divides into seven main types, each of which has markedly different characteristics. If the colour and timing tables above haven't helped you enough, then this comparison might add grist to your mill.

The seven types of clematis at a glance

Type	Flowers	When	Height	Pruning	Best for	Our pick
Montana	Small, masses	May–Jun	5–12m	None (Gp 1)	Covering large walls fast	Elizabeth
Alpina / macropetala	Small nodding bells	Mar–May	2–3m	None (Gp 1)	Small spaces, shade, no pruning	Markham's Pink (AGM)
Early large-flowered	Big, showy, 10–20cm	May–Jun, Sep	2–3m	Light (Gp 2)	Classic clematis look	The President (AGM)
Late large-flowered	Large, Jul–Sep	Jul–Sep	3–4m	Hard (Gp 3)	Late colour, easy pruning	Ernest Markham (AGM)
Viticella	Medium, profuse	Jul–Sep	3–5m	Hard (Gp 3)	Wilt-proof, through roses, beginners	Étoile Violette (AGM)
Evergreen (armandii)	White, scented	Mar–Apr	5–8m	None (Gp 1)	Year-round cover, scent, sheltered walls	Apple Blossom (AGM)
Winter-flowering (cirrhosa)	Small bells, winter	Nov–Feb	3–5m	None (Gp 1)	Winter interest, evergreen	Freckles (AGM)

Which Clematis Is Easiest to Grow?

He would say, wouldn't he? But in all honesty, clematis are pretty long-suffering plants that do well in a wide range of conditions, without a great deal of attention. Give them good drainage and something to climb on, and they will perform. Some need more attention to perform really well, and that's probably the division between the easiest to grow and the rest. So it comes down to pruning.

If you don't want to prune at all, then it has to be a Group 1 clematis. The montanas, alpinas, armandii, and cirrhosa types all flower on last year's wood, so you leave them alone. Elizabeth would be my choice. Plant it, water it in, light the blue touch paper and stand back. It will cover a fence or wall in two or three years without you doing anything at all.

For the longest flowering season and a dead simple, "one cut wonder" prune in February, choose a viticella. They're wilt-proof, they tolerate poor soil and some shade. Go for Polish Spirit. Vigorous, bomb-proof and beautiful in a deep purple that goes with anything.

Will Clematis Grow on Chalky Soil?

They love it. When I was a boy, home was called Chalk House. The clue is in the name. I probably got my love of clematis from my father, who grew them wherever he thought he could pop another one in when no one was looking. We had dozens and I don't think we ever had a case of clematis wilt. Apart from the ones which Dad was growing to win yet another cup at the local horticultural show, I don't think any of them were ever fed other than getting a good start with lots of well-rotted compost in a large planting hole. Chalk provides good drainage and, at the same time, holds moisture and ensures the soil above it is alkaline. Add sun, and a clematis could not ask for more. So if your garden sits on chalk or limestone, you're on to a winner. Heavy clay is more of a challenge than chalk, because clematis need decent drainage around their roots.

We add a little lime to our potting compost at the nursery to keep it mildly alkaline, partly because there seems to be quite a lot of evidence that clematis wilt happens much less on alkaline soils. That's not a promise, it's an observation.

What Is the Most Popular Clematis?

Across the range, the varieties that sell consistently well tell you something about what gardeners actually value: reliability over novelty, long flowering over dramatic-but-brief, and a colour that works with everything rather than a niche shade.

Nelly Moser has been one of the most planted clematis in Britain for the best part of a century. The President sells steadily year after year because it simply never fails. Among the viticellas, Polish Spirit and Étoile Violette are the two that experienced gardeners come back for. And Apple Blossom has become the best-selling evergreen clematis by a wide margin, driven partly by demand for year-round screening plants. Among the montanas, more people buy Elizabeth than anything else. Although Markham's Pink is very difficult to propagate, when we have it in stock, that doesn't last long. And a couple of other large-flowered clematis, Niobe and Multi Blue (for example) do very well.

The Three Pruning Groups; What are they and why?

Every clematis belongs to one of three pruning groups. The group determines when and how hard you prune. The group also helps tell you when the clematis will flower, and actually how deep it should be planted. So you don't really need to know the detailed pruning instructions for every clematis you have. You just need to know which group it's in. If in doubt, look at the label; all ours tell you. Here's the summary.

Clematis pruning groups at a glance

Group	When to prune	How hard	Types in this group	Plant depth
Group 1	After flowering (or not at all)	Light tidy only	Montana, Alpina, Armandii, Cirrhosa	At pot level
Group 2	Late February	Light — to first strong buds	Early large-flowered hybrids	8–10cm deep
Group 3	February	Hard — to 30cm above ground	Viticella, Late large-flowered, Tangutica	8–10cm deep

The planting depth distinction matters. Group 1 clematis, the evergreens, montanas, and alpinas, should be planted at pot level; bury the crown and it may rot. Groups 2 and 3 should be planted 8–10cm below soil level, which protects the dormant basal buds and helps the plant recover if wilt strikes.

For the full pruning guide with illustrations showing exactly where to cut, see our guide to clematis pruning groups explained.

How We Grow Our Clematis

With the exception of the clematis which are subject to plant breeders' rights, every clematis in this guide is grown at our nursery in Castle Cary, Somerset using our own stock plants. We use peat-free compost and biological pest controls, and grow them in recycled, recyclable pots. They're available as P9 plants (9cm pots) or in 3-litre deep pots for an established plant ready to take off.

Our team is small, so everyone, nursery staff, pickers, packers, customer support staff and yours truly (when he's not writing advice pages for the website), is involved at some stage in producing these plants. The person you speak to if you call with a question about your clematis quite possibly helped pot it up. That's not something many mail-order nurseries can say.

This is the point where, if you listen to podcasts, and in particular Newscast, you hear a voice saying: "If you got to this point, then, in the words of Chris Mason, "you've got stamina. Please like or subscribe". We are not that pushy, but do take a look at the full range of clematis we sell, or explore our wider range of climbing plants.