Ask the RHS EXPERTS
COMPACT CLEMATIS
Q Can you suggest some small clematis for my fence and patio trellis?
A Provided the soil is well drained, Clematis alpina are especially delightful for spring flowers: ‘Helsingborg’ for example is about 2m tall, and carries blue/purple bell flowers in spring. Later Clematis ‘Anna Louise’, also 2m tall, has blue and purple hues but with a broad cerise stripe through each, and flowers in early summer and again in late summer. Pure-white ‘Arctic Queen’ carries double flowers in early summer, and semi-double in later summer growing to 2m. For later, also consider Clematis ‘Walenburg’, which has red-purple flowers with pale centres.
Flower powers
Q I want to start planning ahead – what flowers can I sow now for next year?
A Many flowers sown now, either in cell trays, pots or in a seedbed outdoors, grow enough to survive winter outdoors or in a cold frame or similar, and will be ready to plant out and flower next year. These include wallflowers for transplanting in autumn to flower in spring; sweet williams and Canterbury bells that are especially useful as cut flowers; and lupins and hollyhocks, invaluable taller summer flowers for beds and borders.
