9 ideas for growing clematis

Queen of the climbers, clematis is prized for its long flowering period, the variety of flower shapes and colours, and its ability to thrive in a range of climates.

Equipped with curling leaf stems, the vine will attach itself and rapidly grow through a lath or lattice trellis.

• In some neighbourhoods, clematis is known as mailbox vine because it's such a popular choice for growing up a light trellis attached to a mailbox post.
• Most people like to showcase clematis by growing it on its own trellis, but you can also let it gently twine its way through the branches of a shrub or small tree.
• Colours range from pure white to deep purple to rich burgundy red.
• Blossoms of the spring-blooming types can be as large as saucers, while the blooms of fragrant autumn clematis are less than 2.5 centimetres across.

• Plant two different varieties side by side for a spectacular bicolour show of flowers.
• Or, to prolong the floral display, plant adjoining spring- and summer-blooming varieties so that you'll have flowers for months instead of weeks.

If the foliage of your clematis withers and dies from a girdling stem canker at the soil line, it's a victim of a common disease: clematis wilt.

• Remove and burn diseased stems, cutting well below the infected area. Plant new plants in a new location in moist, neutral, well-drained soil.

In the spring, let your clematis cover—and beautify—a blank wall or fence by training it on a plastic-covered wire grid secured to the surface with nails.

• Plastic-covered wire is preferable to bare wire, which can often heat up and burn the plant.
• Position the wire at least one centimetre from the surface so the tendrils have room to twine.
• For smaller wall spaces, a narrow-lath trellis makes a good support.

• Clematis that flower in spring do so on the previous year's ripened wood and require only light grooming.
• Late-blooming types flower on young wood produced the same year, and require a hard annual pruning in late winter or early spring.

For winter decoration, leave the feathery fruits on your clematis.

• With the first frost or snow, the fruits will be transformed into dazzling little jewels. If you want to use them in a dried arrangement, cut them before they mature and fall from the plant.

• Slide the framework of an old umbrella into a metal pipe driven into the ground.
• Plant two clematis at the foot of the frame. The flowering vines will quickly blanket it.

• Blanket soil around your clematis with an eight-centimetre layer of good compost every spring.
• If your soil is naturally acidic, add a little lime to the mixture before spreading it on.

• Give your clematis—and other flowering, alkaline-loving plants, such as delphiniums and dianthus—an occasional shower with a mild solution of 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) of baking soda in two litres (two quarts) of water.
• They'll show their appreciation with fuller, healthier blooms.

• Many small-flowered varieties make excellent container plants, although you need to provide them with a twig or wire trellis.
• If you have a deck, try positioning the pot so the vine can find its way to the railing and spill over into a cascade of flowers.