Bill Mackenzie Clematis Plants

Clematis tangutica 'Bill Mackenzie'

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.

Features:

• Bell-shaped bright yellow flowers
• Unscented
• Flowers July-September
• Lovely large silvery seed heads through winter
• Height up to 8m
• Spread up to 4m
• Tolerates hard winters and wind
• Pruning group 3
• Type: Tangutica
• Habit: Climber
• RHS Award of Garden Merit

Growing Bill Mackenzie Clematis

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.

Did You Know?

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.

How to grow Clematis tangutica 'Bill Mackenzie':

Clematis tangutica 'Bill Mackenzie' can be grown easily following the Clematis planting guide. Pruning is essential.

Needs a sheltered position.

Sun on the foliage and shade at the roots.

Well drained but moist, fertile soil.

Needs support, through wires on a wall, a trellis or pergola

Can be trained through other climbing plants, such as climbing or rambling roses or non flowering evergreens such as ivy

Can be left to ramble through medium to large garden shrubs and small ornamental or fruiting trees.