Don’t dismiss early-flowering clematis, says plantsman Graham Rice. As winter fades and gardens begin to awaken, they bring a much-needed splash of colour. Whether pure white, deep blue or soft pink, these varieties are sure to bring elegance and charm to your garden. Here is a selection of ten of the best choices blooming in spring, all winners of the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Clematis x cartmanii ‘Joe’ has a profusion of small, waxy, pure white flowers on purple-tinted stems tha appear in April amid finely cut, deep green leaves. This dwarf, evergreen clematis requires a sunny site and protection against frosts. In all but the warmest areas of the country it’s best grown in a conservatory or cool greenhouse in a large patio pot. Height 1.8m (6ft). Hardiness rating H4.
With flowers of attractive simplicity and charming colour, Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’ has four broad, arching outer petals that are often attractively waved or twisted, in clear mid-blue. At the centre is a boss of slender white petals, which are sometimes a little blue-tinted. Opening in April and May, the 5-7.5cm (2-3in) flowers are followed by fluffy seedheads. Selected from plants grown from wild-collected seed. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
Named after the award-winning actress Constance Cummings, the 5cm (2in) long flowers of Clematis ‘Constance’ are a semi-double variety of a bright purplish-pink hue. The extra petals provide increased impact and the pale green foliage shows off the flowers well. Blooming in April and May, ‘Constance’ is also more prolific than most varieties. Like many of its kind, it is derived from both Clematis alpina and Clematis macropetala. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
Clematis ‘Frankie’ is another very elegant, blue-flowered cultivar for April and May, paler than ‘Frances Rivis’. Its pale violet-blue outer petals sometimes feature a slight bronze haze, while the white inner petals are tinted and tipped with the same shade of blue. The flowers often flare, resembling those of a double Campanula, and carry a faint scent. Raised in Lincolnshire by Frank Meecham. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Freckles’ is an unusually striking variety of an evergreen Mediterranean species, selected by nurseryman Raymond Evison. The inside of each nodding, creamy yellow flower is heavily patterned in purplish-red and has a citrus scent. Flowering can be in autumn, as well as winter and spring – depending on the season – and the slightly ferny foliage is attractive for the rest of the year. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H4.
Flowering in late April and May, Clematis ‘Helsingborg’ is distinctive in two ways. First, the inner cluster of petals shares the same mauve-blue shade as the larger, flared outer petals, which are also paler at the edges and tend to turn up attractively at the tips. Second, each 6cm (2in) flower is carried on a dark bronze-red stem. All is set off against pale green foliage. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
One of the finest spring-flowering deciduous cultivars, Clematis ‘Jacqueline du Pré’ features large 6cm (2-3in) flowers in bright rosy pink, with each outer petal edged in silvery-white, blooming in late April and May. ‘Jacqueline du Pré’ presents its flowers exceptionally well, sometimes turning up and flaring widely to show off the pink inner petals. Raised by clematis breeder Barry Fretwell, it is named after the famous cellist. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
The wide flowers of Clematis macropetala ‘Lagoon’, reaching up to 7.5cm (3in) across, open from mid-April to mid-May. They have four to six long outer petals in violet blue, with about a dozen inner petals in the same shade, creating a star-like effect. With its impressive flower size and the plant’s general vigour, ‘Lagoon’ stands out among the many blue-flowered varieties. Height 2m (6½ft). Hardiness rating H6.
Delicately veined in pink, with a richer pink zone towards the base of the petals, the balance of colours in the semi-double flowers of Clematis ‘Pink Flamingo’ varies slightly with maturity and growing conditions. Flowering in April and May, often with a second flush in July and August, the intriguing patterning of its flowers repays close inspection, so plant near a door or an arch over a path. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.
Noticeably the best of the white-flowered deciduous spring clematis, the nodding blooms of Clematis ‘White Columbine’ are pure white and the inner petals, in their tight cluster, are tipped in green. Blooming in April and early May, its pristine flowers and pale, fresh green foliage makes ‘White Columbine’ ideal for growing through dark-leaved shrubs such as purple-leaved berberis. Height 2.4m (8ft). Hardiness rating H6.