Take three clematis

... and enjoy flowers month after month. Tamsin Hope Thomson’s combinations provide blooms in spring, summer, autumn and beyond and are ideal for small spaces

- Tamsin Hope Thomson’s

IF you’re looking for a climber for a small garden, a clematis is ideal. For although there is no shortage of climbing plants to choose from, few take up as little room in the border. In fact, no matter how tiny the space, or how packed with plants, you’re unlikely to struggle to fit in a clematis.

However, the appeal of clematis goes way beyond the practical. Spacesaving aside, one of the reasons clematis are so popular is the sheer variety of flowers they offer. From tiny drooping, bell-like blooms to large, dramatic summer saucers – the range of sizes, shapes and colours is huge.

Most clematis are self-clinging and will scramble up fences and trellises, through shrubs and up trees, creating striking planting combinations or bringing privacy to overlooked gardens. And you don’t have to wait long to enjoy the benefits: plant a late-flowering clematis in the spring and your boundary will be covered in blooms that summer.

The best known are the summer flowerers, but there are some beautiful varieties that will bring your garden to life in winter. C. cirrhosa cultivars flower from December to February – ‘Wisley Cream’ has beautiful cream, bell-shaped flowers that light up a grey day; or there’s ‘Freckles’, which has red and brown speckles. In spring, look for C. armandii and C. alpina cultivars; then, as you go into summer, the viticella varieties will transform fences and walls with their large, vibrant blooms.