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The Queen of Climbers
Clematis, known as the ‘Queen of climbers,’ is a diverse and versatile genus of flowering vines that brings vertical interest and colour to gardens. With over 300 species and countless hybrids, clematis can be found in various forms, from vigorous, large-flowered climbers to compact varieties grown as trailing or trained climbers in raised beds and containers.
One of the world’s leading clematis growers is Raymond Evison, whose Guernsey-based nursery has revolutionised clematis breeding. His work focuses on compact, free-flowering varieties — perfect for smaller gardens and container planting. Many of his introductions boast long flowering periods, repeat blooms, and exceptional disease resistance. One specific to Guernsey is ‘Guernsey Flute’, which has large pure white flowers, some with red anthers and blooms from May to July. Its semi-open flowers resemble a champagne flute, hence the second part of its name.
Clematis divide into three pruning groups: the often-rambling early flowerers, such as ‘Clematis Montana’, which flower on old wood, and require minimal or no pruning. Secondly, the larger flowering hybrids flowering early summer with a sometime later flush, such as ‘Josephine’. Finally, the late flowering clematis which encompass most of the Raymond Evison range: pruned in late winter or early spring, the single flower cultivars whose stems are pruned to within 15cm of soil level and the double and semi-double cultivars, which have all top growth reduced by one third.