Clematis 'Balearica'

This climber has it all, it is evergreen, produces perfumed flowers in winter and is quick to establish!

The abundant blooms (6cm) are cream to lemon with decorative maroon speckles. The soft, citrus perfume is delightful but certainly not overbearing. Once the flowers have finished they are followed by whorled, silver seed heads. The pendent flowers are best enjoyed from below. It holds the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit so you know it not only looks good but grows with ease.

The fine, deep green foliage has a purple/bronze blush in the cool of winter. It is from the Balearic Isles, where it was discovered in 1783. It is commonly known as Fern Leaved Clematis

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica is in pruning group 1, which is easy to care for, they flower on old wood, so you just have to trim to tidy once the flowering finishes.

Hardy to frost and suitable for gardens or pots. Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica is simple to grow, up trees, pergolas, fences or rambling through beds. They will flower best in a spot where they can enjoy winter sunshine.

As a rule of thumb, Clematis tend grow well where Roses grow well. They are also excellent in combination. You can use similar colours for a lovely blend or create some drama with complimentary shades. In fact, Clematis intermingle well with many plants - trees and shrubs especially as they can be used for climbing in a beautiful symbiosis. They are so versatile, you can even grow them in pots.

The old adage is to plant your clematis so their 'head' is in the sun and their 'feet' are in the shade. In other words they like their root zone to be cool and protected, and the stem to grow up into a sunny position. You can protect the root zone with mulch and/or by using other plants to shield them from the sun.

Grow Clematis in humus rich, moist, well drained soil. They need good drainage or the roots can rot. Plant so they will receive around six hours sun a day and are shielded from the hot afternoon rays. To perform at their best they should be fertilised well, to do this you can use a Rose Fertiliser every three months or so. Clematis get better and better as they establish, they have a large root system that takes time to establish. So while the first season might be a bit ho hum, prepare to be amazed in the next.