Clematis ‘Elizabeth’ brings colour and scent to your garden
Image: Clematis ‘Elizabeth’ from Thompson & Morgan

Find all you need to grow spectacular clematis plants here. Whether you love rambling evergreens or compact types for patio containers, these independent articles, videos and Instagram posts are packed full of helpful advice. Discover new and interesting varieties to grow, learn how to prune the different groups of clematis, and pick up expert planting tips to successfully fill your garden with these special blooms.

Thompson & Morgan blog

Clematis montana ‘Rubens’ is a good choice to cover up a wall or fence
Image: Clematis montana ‘Rubens’ from Thompson & Morgan

Just moved house and inherited a mature garden? Figure out which pruning group your mature clematis belongs to by waiting to see when it flowers, advises Thompson & Morgan’s own in-house expert Sue Sanderson. Pruning at the right time is essential to make sure your clematis flowers each year, she says. Find out how to prune group one, two and three varieties in this article and video.

Edward Flint – @rotheramblings

Clematis appreciate careful pruning
Image: @rotheramblings

See how Edward from @rotheramblings gives this established Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur’ a selective prune to remove feeble shoots and older unhealthy stems from the tangle of mature growth. Always cut back to just above a healthy pair of buds on the stem, he says. See the entire step-by-step process in Edward’s Instagram post, including the fantastic photo of the clematis in full bloom!

@littlenurturedgarden

Clematis ‘Hagley Hybrid’ produces luminous mauve flowers
Image: @littlenurturedgarden

To keep her Clematis ‘Hagley Hybrid’ covered in summer flowers, @littlenurturedgarden prunes her (group 3) vine in late February. “Starting with the unsightly, twiggy clematis stems, it’s time for the big chop today and a good freshen up,” she says. Check out this post about pruning her gorgeous vine.

Elizabeth Isabella Ling-Locke – @issy12_isabellas_garden

Clematis ‘Little Lemons’ is ideal for containers
Image: @issy12_isabellas_garden

Not all clematis climb! Clematis ‘Little Lemons’ is a unique dwarf variety that produces upright delicate stems, says Elizabeth @issy12_isabellas_garden. This Instagrammer grows her ‘Little Lemons’ in a wall-mounted container in a courtyard that sees part sun/part shade. Take a look at her fantastic post to see this lovely and unusual compact variety for yourself.

Carol Bartlett – The Sunday Gardener

Clematis armandii has an especially sweet scent
Image: Clematis armandii from Thompson & Morgan

“Although principally sun loving, there are clematis which will tolerate semi-shade,” says blogger Carol Bartlett at The Sunday Gardener. This expert recommends Clematis montana varieties and the AGM winning clematis ‘Étoile Violette’ for darker parts of the garden. Read the rest of Carol’s information-packed article for shade tolerant clematis types and other top varieties to fill your garden with colour.

Simon – Garden of Eaden

Clematis florida ‘Sieboldii’ flowers have fantastic colour contrast
Image: Clematis florida ‘Sieboldii’ from Thompson & Morgan

Are you looking for an especially eye-catching bloom? Hardy Clematis florida ‘Sieboldii’ “bares a striking resemblance to the hardy passionflower, Passiflora caerulea, but has a far more elegant flower,” says Simon, at top gardening blog Garden of Eaden. Read Simon’s article to find out more about this unique variety, including its interesting history and some top growing tips.

Elaine, Caroline and Laura – The 3 Growbags

Bees love Clematis rehderiana
Image: The 3 Growbags

Elaine, the clematis-loving sister at The 3 Growbags says: “I grow them on posts, wigwams, with roses, up trees; winter ones, spring ones, summer-to-autumn ones – anywhere I can and any kind.” Elaine has two tips for success; plant them deep and give them gallons of water when they’re young. Read the full article written by these three green-fingered gardening sisters: ‘Clematis: the good, the worthy and the downright ugly’ to enjoy their fun and lighthearted rivalry.

Ken Black Clematis

Make a clone of a favourite clematis by taking a softwood cutting
Image: Ken Black Clematis

As with all cuttings, remove all but one of the leaves to reduce any water loss, says clematis expert Ken Black at his channel Ken Black Clematis. Have a go at taking a nodal or internodal softwood cutting by following the steps in Ken’s information-packed video. His impressive clematis collection measures in the hundreds and has even featured on Gardeners’ World!

Alan Down – Down to Earth

Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ has evergreen foliage and large early blooms
Image: Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ from Thompson & Morgan

Avoid thin-walled containers if you want to grow your clematis in pots, says Alan Down from Down to Earth. “Clematis in containers prefer a pot that isn’t subjected to wild variations of temperature, so recycled oak barrels or glazed pots are a good choice,” he says. See how he gives his pot grown clematis a boost in this excellent article.

Jason Gardener

Tie in your newly planted Clematis montana to its support wire to encourage it to climb
Image: Jason Gardener

If you’re making a wire support for a young clematis, be sure to tie your young plant in after planting to guide it towards the wires, explains garden expert Jason Gardener in his video guide. Watch as Jason constructs a strong wire support on the timbers of a wooden fence for a large growing Clematis montana ‘Rubens’. We love his tips for making the wire extra taut.

Janette – The Enthusiastic Gardener

Clematis wilt may not kill the plant if quick action is taken
Image: The Enthusiastic Gardener

If you notice one of your clematis vines showing dieback or floppy foliage, it could be an attack of the fungal disease ‘clematis wilt’, warns Janette over at The Enthusiastic Gardener. She shares two top tips to prevent infection spreading in the garden: don’t put infected material in the compost; and make sure to sterilise your equipment. Watch Janette’s video to see exactly what to do when infection strikes.

We hope you’ve found this clematis-growing content helpful. If you have a favourite clematis, please share it with us on social using #YourTMGarden. We always love to hear from you! Head to our climbing plants hub for more dedicated clematis advice and other climbing plants tips.

Sophie Essex

Sophie Essex is a freelance garden writer with a passion for horticulture and environmental conservation. With a BSc in Botany/Plant Biology from the University of Plymouth, she further honed her expertise through a Masters of Science in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants from The University of Edinburgh.

Sophie has also worked as a professional gardener and landscaper, showcasing her practical skills by transforming outdoor spaces. Her commitment to fieldwork is further evident in her acquisition of a Certificate in Field Botany from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and over the years, she has interned at the Eden Project, Cornwall, the National Trust for Scotland and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Find more information about Sophie over at LinkedIn.