The perennial vine Clematis, also known under the names Clematis and Lozinka, is one of the most beautiful flower crops that adorn gazebos, house walls, and hedges.

Thanks to the extraordinary variety of flower colors, their different sizes and long flowering period from late March to early October in temperate climates, clematis attracts the attention of not only land owners, but also those who like to grow plants on balconies. We would like to dedicate this article to clematis, planting and care on the balcony and some features related to plant physiology.

Origin of the species

Clematis is a perennial semi-shrub vine, widely distributed in nature in the temperate and subtropical climatic zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Clematis grows in forests, along river banks, on hillsides in the steppes and in thickets of bushes, using as a support either a vertical surface (rock, cliff, house wall) or other plants that are densely entwined with their shoots.

Clematis were presumably introduced into cultivation in Japan, earlier than the 15th century; in Europe, they began to be cultivated as garden and greenhouse plants in the 16th century. In Russia, clematis appeared in greenhouses at the beginning of the 19th century, since they required constant care.

Currently, there are from 240 to 260 varieties developed through selective breeding. They differ in flower color, size, the way flowers form on the shoots of the previous or current year, and a number of other care features.

For growing on balconies or loggias, clematis with a vine (stem) length of 2.5 to 4 meters are most suitable.

It is easier to place them on a trellis or other support and care for rapidly growing shoots.

Requirements for growing space

Clematis are thermophilic. They do not tolerate frosts and drafts. Therefore, the balcony on which you plan to grow clematis should be oriented to the south, southeast, or southwest. Shading and lack of sunlight lead to changes in the color of flowers, shredding of buds and general decline of the plant.

Clematis is a long vine with a well-developed root system. Its cultivation requires a significant amount of land.

The minimum height of the container must be at least 70 cm, and the length of the side of the container must be at least 50 cm.

Containers can be made of either plastic (cut polyethylene barrels) or wood. The instability of the tree when in contact with the ground is not a problem in this case, since clematis requires renewal every three years, during which time the wooden container will not have time to rot.

When planting a seedling grown by sowing from seeds or from cuttings, you should pay attention to good soil drainage; to do this, lay a layer of gravel or expanded clay at the bottom at least 8 cm thick. The soil should be well fertilized, preferably the same composition in which it was grown the escape. Clematis tolerates fairly wide fluctuations in soil pH: from slightly alkaline to slightly acidic. To neutralize large amounts of organic matter or peat placed in the planting soil, it is recommended to apply increased doses of chalk, slaked lime or dolomite flour, as well as mineral fertilizers.

Since clematis seedlings are usually 2-3 years old and before they were planted in a container on the balcony they grew in open ground on personal plot, there is no need to thoroughly disinfect the soil. But if they were grown at home by sowing seeds, then it is better to cultivate the soil.

Plant care

After planting clematis in a container, care consists of regular and abundant watering, application of mineral and organic fertilizers every 2-3 weeks, as well as tying the growing branches of the vine to the frame (trellis, trellis, mesh) and forming the crown in the desired directions of growth.

Often a large-mesh fishing net is used for the plant, stretched on support posts; clematis shoots independently and very intensively entangle it during the growing season, and in the fall, when growth and flowering stop, the plant is cut off for the winter at 60-70 cm from the base, and the net, along with the branches entangled in it, is thrown away.

In addition to watering, soil care is necessary.

To prevent the soil from becoming too compacted, loosen it periodically. It is especially important that the soil surface is not exposed to direct sunlight and does not dry out.

Plant pruning

Clematis are divided into groups according to which shoots they form inflorescences on.

1. The first group includes plants that form flowers on the shoots of the previous year. Therefore, pruning should be done in the fall, after flowering has ended. First of all, the shoots that formed flowers this year are pruned in order to stimulate the growth of new ones that will bloom next year. Since clematis of the first group not suitable for growing on the balcony, since their shoots need to be covered with snow for the winter in order to prevent them from freezing, you are unlikely to face the problem of identifying young and last year’s shoots.
2. The second group includes plants that produce flowers both on last year’s shoots and on young shoots that have grown this year. Flowering in such plants occurs in two stages: first, flowers are formed on last year's shoots (March-June), and then (July-October) on young shoots. Unfortunately, this group is also not suitable for growing on a balcony.
3. The third group produces flowers only on young shoots that have grown in the current season. It is the varieties of this group that are grown on balconies. After the end of the season, the plants are completely cut off for the winter, leaving a piece of the stem 60-70 cm long.

Wintering the plant

Clematis does not tolerate severe frosts, much less complete freezing of the soil. Therefore, the container with the roots of the plant should be either well insulated for the winter and left on the balcony if it is glazed and the air temperature on it does not fall below 0 ° C.

Either it is moved for the winter to a basement, cellar, cold greenhouse, or buried in the garden at a depth that does not allow freezing, and additionally covered on top with an inverted wooden box and a layer of leaves or grass. If clematis is stored in the garden, it is necessary to place mouse repellents under the box to prevent them from nibbling on the shoots over the winter.

After wintering, clematis should be moved to the balcony in early January, when the air temperature on the glazed balcony reaches +8-12° C.

At this temperature, the plant begins to bud. At higher temperatures, the plant will not be able to “rest” during the winter and flowers may not bloom. As soon as traces of bud formation become noticeable on the shoot left after pruning, the air temperature is increased to 18-20° C. At this temperature, clematis begins to bloom in late February or early March.

When choosing plants for planting on the balcony, be sure to ask which group according to the timing of flower formation the variety you have chosen belongs to. Sowing clematis seeds is only advisable if you want to grow small-flowered plants. Germination after sowing seeds of large-flowered clematis occurs after 1-15 years and is very uneven. Sowing wild non-selection species makes it possible to obtain a large number of rootstocks for grafting more heat-loving breeding varieties. Sowing is carried out before winter; immediately after harvesting or before sowing, the seeds are subjected to stratification at 0-5 ° C for 2-3 months and planted in the spring.

For forcing on the balcony, clematis transplanted from a garden plot are suitable for 2-3 years.

After this, the flowers begin to shrink, the plant grows poorly and must be replanted in open ground and allowed to rest for 3-5 years. On average, clematis bushes live for about 20 years.

Let's sum it up

Lush greenery and flowers of amazing beauty and variety of colors make clematis a favorite among perennial flowers grown on balconies. True, it requires a lot of care. But if this does not scare you, then blooming clematis will delight not only you, but everyone who can see your balcony from spring to autumn.

Clematis is a flower grown in the garden, on the balcony and loggia. There are several hundred species of this plant that can be planted using various supports.

This is a perennial vine in the form of a bush, other names are clematis and vine. It grows in temperate and warm climates throughout the world. The genus includes 260 species, and only some specimens are winter-hardy. Flowers are often single, sometimes half or full. Over the course of several weeks, the plant's leaves can take on different colors - white, yellow, blue and purple in different shades. Clematis on the balcony, with proper care, blooms from spring to autumn.

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Main varieties

Clematis are found in a wide range of varieties of different colors and sizes. Large-flowered varieties look especially impressive - Nelly Moser, Dr Ruppel, The President. Mountain clematis (Clematis montana) is often found on loggias and balconies. Its flowers are smaller than those of large-flowered species, but they grow densely.

If you need climbing plants with a growth of up to 10 m, which will cover a significant surface, it is worth planting grape-leaved clematis (Clematis vitalba) or Tangut clematis (Clematis tangunica). Plants of this genus that grow strongly in length (up to 5 m) include southern clematis (Clematis flamula), alpine clematis (Clematis montana) and their varieties.

Clematis varieties with weaker growth vigor are also grown on balconies and terraces. All varieties from the Viticella group are suitable for growing in containers.

Most clematis grow best on the southeast or southwest side. But there are also varieties that prefer partial shade and grow well on the north side, for example, Carnaby, Dr Ruppel, Nelly Moser, Ville de Lyon. And any varieties from the Viticella group should be planted in a sunny southern location.

Correct fit

To grow this type of vine, it is better to choose sunny places, protected from the wind, since the shoots of the plant are rather weak. The soil should be fertile, with humus and a pH of 6 to 7. Clematis on balconies are kept in a pot and wooden boxes. When planting, a layer of gravel or coarse sand is placed at the bottom of the container, then it is filled with soil with the addition of compost, well-decomposed manure and peat. Plants should be placed slightly lower than they previously grew in the container, i.e. the root system must be covered with a 10 cm layer of soil.

To plant clematis, you should only buy plants in containers. They can be planted throughout the growing season from spring to autumn, but the best time for planting is autumn.

Clematis are climbing plants and require adequate support. Here you need to remember that clematis cling to them with the help of petioles, so elements for fastening more than 2.5 cm are not suitable. The best supports are a lattice made of thin bamboo rods or wire. Since clematis shoots are very delicate, the plants should be planted next to a support so that they grow vertically upward (sometimes it is necessary to tie the plants to it at the beginning of cultivation).



Watering and fertilizing

These plants are sensitive to drought and low air humidity. In this regard, it is necessary proper care. The base of the bush and the soil around it should be in the shade. To this end, low perennials with similar requirements should be planted next to climbing plants and the soil should be loosened frequently. It is necessary to remember to regularly water the clematis so that the soil is constantly moist. Clematis begin to be fed in early April, using multi-component fertilizers or special fertilizers for vines. When choosing granular complexes with microelements, they are sprinkled under plants and added to irrigation liquids. Such fertilizers are applied several times until July. Or you can apply a slow-release fertilizer once in April until the end of the season.

When choosing a feeding method, you need to remember that clematis are sensitive to excessive soil salinity. It is better to use fertilizers in small doses (the risk is only weak plant growth and less abundant flowering) than in too large quantities (this can be detrimental to the flower). When using a slow-release fertilizer, it is easier to avoid overdose. The shoots are pruned by removing the plant from its supports. If the balcony on which the vines are grown is open, the bases of the bushes are covered with bark or sawdust before the onset of winter. The container should be wrapped in old blankets, coats or placed in a plastic bag. Thanks to this, you can protect the lower parts of the clematis from freezing.

Nuances of pruning

The method of pruning clematis varies depending on the flowering period. Before going into detail, keep in mind that most wild species (such as clematis alpine) require little or no pruning.

Regular removal of unnecessary shoots is necessary only for large-flowered varieties. For them, this procedure is a condition for obtaining a strong, abundantly flowering bush. Pruning clematis must be done very carefully so as not to break the fragile shoots. The procedure is performed over a pair of buds or at the place where they become a branch.



Pruning clematis blooming in spring

Species and varieties that bloom in early spring form flower buds already from the previous year. Pruning these clematis in the spring, just before flowering, would cause the removal of set buds and ultimately poor flowering. Therefore, the procedure should be carried out immediately after flowering, before buds form for the next year. As soon as the plant fades, remove weak and dried shoots, and if the bush has become too dense, shorten healthy branches. This group of clematis should not be pruned too much; sometimes you can do without it altogether.

This is how they are cut:

• Columbine;
• Constance;
• Pink flamingo;
• Lagoon;
• Freda;
• Meiling.

Pruning clematis that bloom in spring and summer

Large-flowered varieties bloom twice a year - first in spring on short side branches (which grew last year), and then in summer, on new shoots. These plants are pruned in early spring, removing the most vigorous shoots. Carrying out the procedure at this time somewhat limits flowering in the spring, but promotes abundant summer flowering. In the case of varieties that bloom in summer and autumn, the simplest pruning is used. Flowering is observed only on new shoots, so abundant pruning of branches in early spring will not harm them. You can remove shoots radically. In the spring, every year, all shoots at a height of 30 cm are removed, and those that have dried out are removed completely. After this procedure, the plants are characterized by lush flowering.

This is how they cut:

• Italian clematis (Clematis viticella) Marie Rose and Black Prince;
• Tangut clematis (Clematis tangutica) and Rehdera (Clematis Rehderiana).

Possible diseases

The main problems when growing clematis include:

1. 1 Withering, or wilt. This disease most often affects large-flowered varieties that bloom in spring. Late blooming varieties are less susceptible. The cause of the disease is spores of the Fusarium fungus located on the root system of vines. Signs of the disease are wilting and death of individual shoots or the whole plant. The development of the pathogen is facilitated by moisture and a temperature of about 25°C, damage to shoots or an overdose of mineral fertilizers. Wilt attacks clematis before thick, woody shoots form. The problem is observed mainly in young seedlings during the first two years of cultivation. You need to carefully inspect the large-flowered clematis seedling before purchasing to be sure that it is not infected. If symptoms of the disease are noticeable, the affected areas of the shoots must be removed below the healthy leaves and burned. After removing diseased shoots, water the plant and apply appropriate doses of fertilizer. From mid-spring to early autumn, the soil around the clematis should be watered once a month with water containing a fungicide.
2. 2 Clematis can be attacked by gray rot, which in the plant causes browning and death of the tips of shoots up to several cm long. Round spots may appear on flower petals. Spraying the plant with Teldor 500 SC (0.1% concentration) helps fight the disease. The affected parts of the bush should be pruned.
3. 3 Powdery mildew, leading to the formation of a white coating on leaves, shoots and flowers. The disease is promoted by too dense plantings and high air humidity. Infected specimens should be sprayed 2-3 times with an interval of 7 days, using alternately two different antifungal agents, for example, Score 250 EC, Nimrod 250 EC, Topsin M 500 EC.

Reproduction

Young plants are obtained by cuttings. Clematis is propagated by cuttings in summer and winter. Clematis can be propagated by seeds, but in this case only botanical species and varieties that arise through cross-pollination retain their species characteristics.

The cuttings are cut starting from the middle part of the shoots. The top and nodes with buds are unsuitable for this purpose. Cuttings should be cut with one internode and two well-developed buds in the leaf axils. Leave a stem length of 3-4 cm under the node, and 1-2 cm above the nodes.

To ensure that cuttings take root, plastic cups are usually used. Drainage outlets are made in them and filled with soil. Afterwards, water it abundantly and stick the cutting there so that the internode is half in the soil. Future seedlings should be kept in warm conditions (+25 C). It is necessary to spray them with water 2-3 times a day and once every 5-7 days with a zircon solution. Sodium humate is used for feeding once every few weeks. The cuttings take root within a month.

Nedyalkov S.F.

Nowadays, flower growers have a great interest in growing garden plants in containers for home decoration. Clematis It can easily grow on a window, as well as on an open terrace, balcony or loggia as a potted plant.

Growing clematis on a window

For window forcing, clematis varieties that bloom on the shoots of the previous year that do not produce too long shoots are suitable (for example, varieties Jeanne d'Arc, The President, Mrs. Cholmondeley and etc.). Seedlings with a well-developed root system, obtained either by dividing an adult plant or specially grown for 2-3 years, are selected for planting in a container.

Start planting clematis in a container in the spring, using a tall pot (at least 30 centimeters in diameter) or a wooden box. The container is filled with drainage (for example, gravel) to 1/8 of the height. The following is used as a substrate for clematis: turf or garden soil - 4 parts, compost or humus - 2 parts (humus can be replaced with 1 part of humus from California worms), sand - 1 part, peat - 1 part. Add half a glass of superphosphate and a glass of chalk or dolomite flour to this mixture; the neutralizing material can be replaced with 0.5 cups of slaked lime. Simultaneously with planting the clematis in a pot, a support is installed (in the form of a ladder, a trapezoid 1-1.5 meters high), on which the growing shoots will need to be secured every 15-20 centimeters.

The container with planted clematis is completely dug into the ground in open ground. During the season, the clematis seedling takes root well in the container and forms developed shoots. In late autumn, the pot with the plant is dug up and the upper part of the shoots is cut off. The lashes where the flowers were are left tied to the support. The pot with clematis is placed in the cellar at a temperature of 0...+2 degrees.

At the beginning of January, the container with the plant is transferred to a glazed veranda or loggia and placed in a bright place. Here, at a temperature of + 8 - + 12°, clematis budding takes place. If the temperature of the plant is higher, the buds may not appear. But as soon as the buds have formed, the temperature is raised to 15-18° or the clematis is transferred to a room with the same temperature. It blooms at the end of February and beginning of March.

Clematis growing in a container is watered moderately (from a tray) and systematically fed with mineral and organic fertilizers diluted in water. Lack of light during budding and flowering can change the color of clematis flowers. For example, instead of lilac-pink flowers, white-green or milky pink flowers will suddenly bloom. Additional lighting and fertilizing of the plant with calcium nitrate will correct this deficiency.

The same clematis seedling can be used for forcing for no more than two years in a row, after which the plant is severely depleted. Then at the beginning of summer it is again moved to the garden, where clematis will grow for several years natural conditions, with good care. When the plant recovers and begins to bloom intensively again, it can again be used for forcing.

Growing clematis on a balcony or loggia

The south side is ideal for growing clematis; possible south-east or south-west side. An indispensable condition for growing is to protect the vines on the balcony or loggia from strong drafts.

To plant clematis, knock down a wooden box with a height of at least 65 cm, with sides of at least 30 centimeters. Along the entire length of the bottom of the box, two bars (3x5 cm) are nailed, raising the box above the floor so that water does not accumulate at the bottom. A pallet must be placed under the box.

Boxes with clematis are placed at the back or side walls of the loggia, and small containers with plants are hung on the walls or placed on shelves. In this case, the sun should not fall on the surface of the earth in the container.

The greatest difficulty is the construction of a support system for clematis shoots, because at the beginning of summer, even on a balcony, the daily growth of the vine can be 10 cm or more. It is advisable to install such a structure as a support so that shoots can be easily removed from it in the fall. To support clematis shoots, you can use a fishing net (with 10x10 cm cells), placed 15-20 cm from the ceiling. But in the fall it will be difficult to cut out the clematis shoots clinging to it from the net; the often used net is simply thrown away along with the cut shoots.

For planting on a balcony or loggia, medium-sized and low-growing varieties of clematis belonging to the groups C. lanuginosa, C. v iticela, C. jackmanii, C. patens are suitable. Place next to several varieties of clematis with flowers of different colors (pink, deep crimson, lilac, violet), then the spectacle will be especially colorful. Moreover, plant varieties in the neighborhood so that their flowers are located at approximately the same height.

For planting on a balcony or loggia, use clematis varieties that have the highest flowering coefficient - the most intensely flowering varieties that form flowers as close to the root system as possible. These are, for example, the following varieties:

• Jacmanii, Comtesse de Bouchaud, Hegley Hybrid, Star of India, Rouge Cardinal, Kosmicheskaya Melodiya, Lyuter Berbank, Nelli Mozer, Yubileinyi - 70(C. jackmanii group);
• Aleksandrit, Ville de Lyon, Huldine(C. viticela group);
• Madame Van Houtte, Nelli Mozer, Bal Tsvetov(C. lanuginosa group);
• Jeanne d'Arc, Mrs. Cholmondeley(group S. Florida).

Although the variety Rouge Cardinal After dividing the bush, it requires growing in a large pot for 2-3 years, but it is worth it: its color is extraordinary - velvety, cherry-purple.

Of course, other varieties of clematis can be used for growing in containers.

Small-flowered clematis are also suitable for this. Of particular interest is a very winter-hardy variety Fargesioides, which blooms all summer and does not require special pruning knowledge, as it is pruned freely. True, over the summer it grows very long shoots. When growing clematis of this variety, a larger box is used to accommodate its root system (it is not the same as that of ordinary clematis, but more reminiscent of the root system of a shrub).

Clematis planted in a container require moderate but more frequent (than in open ground) watering and fertilizing, careful and timely staking of shoots, mandatory mulching and loosening of the soil. The soil in containers with clematis should not dry out. If the soil is dry, water is not absorbed into it - this indicates that the clematis is watered too infrequently. When watering, one plant usually uses 3-5 liters of water. You can dig three small pots into the soil of a container with clematis, fill them 2/3 with gravel - then watering and fertilizing are carried out through them.

When the clematis vines along the ceiling reach the edge of the loggia, it is advisable to turn them back and tie them up so that the clematis flowers are grouped at the top of the wall or hanging from the ceiling.

On the glazed southern loggia, where in early spring the temperature in the sun can reach 30-40°, ventilation is necessary. Air stagnation, elevated temperature and humidity in a confined space contribute to the appearance of pests and the development of diseases in clematis.

Already in April, clematis of the C. lanuginosa, C. patens, and C. Florida groups will bloom on the glassed-in loggia, and by mid-May, varieties that bloom on the shoots of the current year will bloom.

Clematis are replanted every 2-3 years, usually in the spring (April - May), replacing “tired” bushes in pots with new ones dug up from the garden.

Covering a container with clematis for the winter

If the temperature on a glassed-in loggia is negative in winter, then the clematis shoots are cut off (according to the group to which the variety belongs), removed from the supports and the vine is laid on a box, covered with peat or dry sawdust. Cover the top of the box (with an old blanket, coat, newspapers) and place the wrapped clematis in a large plastic bag, be sure to remove it from the floor of the loggia and place it on a raised platform (on a shelf or box). It is important that the soil in the box with clematis roots does not freeze too much in winter. Therefore, this method of wintering is not guaranteed if it is not possible to regulate the temperature; and wrapped clematis takes up a lot of space.

It is quite difficult to reliably cover clematis on an open loggia or balcony, so the container with the plant is put away for the winter in the basement (in an underground, unheated greenhouse) or buried in the ground until next spring (covered like other clematis in the garden). If you decide to bury clematis in the ground, then you need to make sure that shoots from varieties of the C. lanuginosa and C. Florida groups are not eaten by mice. Clematis requires shelter for the winter so that the ground in the container does not freeze.

To protect clematis from frost, an air-dry shelter is used, which allows you to keep the plant itself dry and eliminate large temperature fluctuations and freezing. To cover clematis, it is best to take dry large leaves, cover the top with any frame (for example, an inverted box). An indispensable condition for such shelter is an air gap between the frame and the leaves. To prevent moisture from penetrating inside the frame, the top of the frame is covered with intact plastic film. Among the clematis shoots, you need to lay out any mouse repellent products. Compacting snow in winter on paths around sheltered plants prevents them from being damaged by mice.

As soon as the severe frosts are over, peas with clematis can be taken out of the shelter and placed on a glassed-in loggia or balcony. This can also happen at the beginning of March - provided that frost does not penetrate to the place of keeping the plants removed from the shelter and starting to grow. A short-term decrease in temperature (down to –3 degrees below zero) does not harm clematis at the beginning of their growth.

Stefan Fedorovich Nedyalkov (Belarus)
[email protected]


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- Mr. Evison, many cultivars were developed by you together with the Danish company Poulsen, which is famous for its roses. What are the benefits of such cooperation?

We have been working together since 1992. Combining our knowledge of clematis and their selection experience gives a synergistic effect. As a result, there are now about 75 new varieties registered. And soon there will be even more of them.

- In how many countries are your clematis sold?

Our main market is the UK, then the USA and Canada, Europe. As well as Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. A network of licensed distributors sells our varieties. At our Guernsey nursery we produce approximately 3 million clematis per year, approximately 20% of the global market for clematis seedlings. We propagate clematis by cuttings. More than two hectares of high-tech intensive production.



- Will anything interesting and unusual happen in the world of clematis in the next 5-10 years?

For the last 15 years we have been concentrating on developing clematis that will bloom longer and have more open flowers at the same time, which should be located from the bottom to the top of the shoot. In old cultivars such as Lasurstern or The President, a single large flower at the end of a shoot. Our varieties bloom throughout the shoot.



We also want to breed many more double clematis in the future. However, they are much more difficult to obtain because most of our terry varieties are sterile sports and cannot be used in breeding. But we have developed a very serious breeding program and hope for impressive results. We are also paying more and more attention to flower size, because most of our varieties recent years- with small or medium-sized flowers. We have been breeding clematis for small gardens, which can be grown in a city garden, on a balcony, or a veranda. I am very interested in the Russian market and would really like to see more clematis of our selection growing in Russian gardens.



- When will they finally bring out truly red clematis?

Our closest thing to red clematis at the moment is Rebecca. And we have good preparations for the near future, even better, even redder. We also select truly blue varieties.



- What is the minimum temperature that clematis planted in a container can withstand?

We have a whole series of varieties - The Boulevard Collection- which can be grown in small containers, 60x60 cm. For Russian gardeners, I would suggest digging them into the ground for the winter or putting them in a cold, frost-free room. In England they can also overwinter in a container in the garden.



- Is it possible to grow clematis in a container for several years?

No problem. Choose compact varieties Bijou or Filigree– they are about 30 cm tall in flowering. They can even be grown as hanging plants in large hanging pots.



Do I understand correctly that clematis Viennetta, Peppermint, Pistachio and Cassis are intended for growing indoors?

In Russia, it is better to grow them in containers in the garden in the summer, and move them to a frost-free room or winter garden for the winter.



- Which perennials are the best partners for clematis?

Perennials are good because they can shade the root zone of clematis. They must have a superficial root system. The list is very long.

- What is the most common mistake of a beginning clematis grower?

Planting clematis at the base of the southern wall, where the soil is very dry and the tree trunk is heated by the scorching rays of the sun. It is very important to shade the soil around the clematis shoots - both perennials and annuals will do. For those who grow clematis in sunny areas, I recommend using red, white, deep purple or deep blue varieties - they do not fade at all or only slightly. Pink and pale pink varieties such as Sally or Oh La La more suitable for positions with sliding shadow, where direct sunlight is 3-4 hours in the morning or evening.



- Have you tried working with herbaceous clematis?

Personally, I like herbaceous and small-flowered clematis more, but the market prefers large-flowered varieties, so the main work is with them. We have launched a very interesting herbaceous clematis about a meter tall, but the demand for it is still very, very low. People want varieties with bright, large flowers. The businessman in me says: do what sells well, and the gardener loves species and herbaceous clematis with small flowers.



– Clematis and roses are classic partners. What varieties of clematis are best suited for this?

– You just need to choose a clematis variety of the third pruning group (heavy pruning, leaving up to 30 cm of shoots). Then there will be absolutely no problems. If you want to plant clematis of the second pruning group, such as double Diamantina or Arctic Queen, then this is not a very good idea - they bloom in the spring on old shoots, they need to be preserved. Therefore, from the point of view of reducing labor costs and reliability, it is more convenient to choose clematis of the third group, such as Rebecca, Ice Blue, Kingfisher, Amethyst Beauty, Shimmer, semidouble Reflections. They are all truly wonderful partners for roses.