How to plant a clematis

Plant them deep so they make more stems, says Ruth

- Ruth Hayes

THIS week I planted a clematis ‘Arabella’ to mask a bare area of wall and provide some shade and shelter for a nest box.

It is an attractive variety with deep mauve flowers that appear from June to September. It is said to be easy-going and happy in any aspect and most soils, though it prefers a free-draining, fertile spot so I added lots of well-rotted manure and homemade compost to the soil a couple of weeks before planting.

‘Arabella’ will also grow well in large containers and is a scrambler, rather than a climber, so will need tying in.

When it comes to pruning, our new clematis falls into Group 3, so all the stems are cut back to 12in (30cm) above the ground in late winter or early spring.

When planting summer-flowering clematis, make sure the top of their rootball is 2-3in (5-7cm) below the surface of the soil.

This will encourage the development of more shoots from the base and also make it easier for plants to recover should they suffer from the disease clematis wilt in summer.