Clematis tangutica Bill Mackenzie is a large, vigorous climber which dazzles with a summer abundance of modestly sized, bright yellow nodding flowers over your wall, trellis, hedges or trees.
A later flowering variety, this is a great choice for adding interest to the garden in the waning summer and autumn months. With fine cut leaves and thick curled back, bell-shaped flowers, stiff like orange-peel, they are real charmers. The flowers go on to become delightful very large feathery seed heads for the rest of the year.
Browse our varieties of clematis or our full range of climbing plants.
It will be happiest in alkaline or neutral soil and will do well in full sun or partial shade in any aspect. Appreciates a good feed and regular watering. Shade the base with other low growing plants. Prune hard in late winter.
Look out for:
Largely disease free. There may be the occasional bit of damage from earwigs and aphids but Bill Mackenzie is largely trouble free and easy to grow.
Also known as 'orange peel' clematis, for its thick, curled flowers. It was created by Valerie Finnis (1924-2006), a renowned plantswoman (and an exceptional plant photographer), and is a cross-breed of Clematis orientalis and Clematis tangutica
Finnis named the cross after her 'great friend and mentor', Bill Mackenzie (1904-1995), who was Curator at the Chelsea Physic Garden. He had spotted an unusually vigorous seedling during a visit to the Waterperry Horticultural School for Women near Oxford, where Finnis studied and then worked. They shared a love of Alpines.
Images supplied by Clematis on the Web.