Clematis Blue Boy

A gently rambling vine with an abundance of dainty, blue bells. The rich blue colouring is a real stand out. The mid green leaves grow along the stem in groups of three (compound trifoliate) and are around 5cm long. This long standing variety was bred in Canada in 1947 by Frank L Skinner.

It can sort of climb by itself, but is better with a little assistance, and once shown the way will happily bloom.

A deciduous, climbing Clematis in pruning group 3, they will only flower on new growth, so simply prune hard, to the first set of new buds, late winter/early spring. It will reshoot with great vigour in spring.

Clematis make a statement of beauty without being overpowering. They are easy to grow and ideal for beginners, requiring little in the way of care and offering bountiful rewards.

Clematis grow well where Roses grow well, and 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 different plants – trees and shrubs especially as they can be used for climbing in a beautiful symbiosis. They really are versatile, and what’s, more, you can 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 stems to grow up into the sunshine. 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 may 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 when they are actively growing.