Clematis 'Westerplatte'

In the sun’s glow, the velveteen, ruby red petals shimmer with purple. Each bloom stretches 12-15cm across. Red is a rare and sought after colour for Clematis and this is one of the best. It offers strong growth and excellent disease resistance.

Clematis ‘Westerplatte’ was bred by Polish Clematis doyen, Brother Stefan Franczak. He named it in honour of the First Armoured Brigade from Gdansk Bay.

Jackmanii Clematis hybrids are gorgeous, large flowering Clematis. The strong, vining tendrils are covered in flowers, like brilliant jewels strung up in your garden, for a month or more. Perfect to soften harsh edges - posts, pergolas fences and walls or even trees. Pruning Group 2, a light prune after flowering to encourage a second flush in late summer/autumn.

Clematis make a statement of beauty without being overpowering. They are easy to grow and ideal for beginners, requiring little in the way of care and offering a bountiful rewards.

As a rule of thumb, Clematis tend grow well where Roses grow well. They are also excellent in combination. You can use similar colours for a lovely blend or create some drama with complimentary shades. In fact, Clematis intermingle well with many plants – trees and shrubs especially as they can be used for climbing in a beautiful symbiosis. They are so versatile, you can even grow them in pots.

The old saying is to plant your Clematis so their ‘head’ is in the sun and their ‘feet’ are in the shade. In other words, they like their root zone to be cool and protected while their tendrils enjoy the sunshine. In exposed positions this can be achieved with mulch and or by using other plants to shield the roots from the sun. The plant should be allowed to grow up into a sunny position.

Clematis can be trained to grow on a trellis, fence, through trees and shrubs, along pergolas or any where you like! They will need something a centimetre or less to twine around in order to climb. They are so versatile, you can even use them as a ground cover.

To perform at their best, Clematis should be fertilised well. Use a Rose Fertiliser every three months or so when they are actively growing.

Grow Clematis in humus rich, moist, well drained soil. They need good drainage or the roots will rot. Plant Clematis so they will receive around six hours sun a day and shield from the hot afternoon rays. You can even choose to grow your Clematis in pots. The longer they have to establish, the more generous they will become.