Clematis New Love

Clematis 'New Love' is a rare herbaceous clematis derived from Clematis heracleifolia which is more like a perennial plant than a climber. It seduces with its very long summer flowering of an almost unreal blue, and the astonishing architecture of its spherical flower clusters arranged towards the top of bare stems emerging from a dense foliage clump. Its vegetation does not completely disappear in winter but takes on a greyish hue. Its modest size and surprising flowering make this very hardy clematis an ideal variety for pot cultivation and cut flowers, also an excellent perennial for borders and semi-shaded slopes.

The Clematis genus belongs to the buttercup family. 'New Love' Clematis is a horticultural variety derived from Clematis heracleifolia (the clematis with large leaves), a herbaceous botanical species native to China. It is a herbaceous and slightly climbing perennial with a woody base, forming a clump of upright and semi-spread angular stems, giving it a width of about 60 cm (24in). Trimmed back every year to 30 cm (12in), the old stems turn woody and branch out, the new stems bear beautiful dark green leaves with three large, slightly greyish and downy leaflets. As the plant ages, it forms short stems, giving it a ball-like appearance when in flower. Long flowering stems emerge in August, reaching a height of 80 cm (32in) to 1m (3ft). Small, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers, 2 to 3 cm (1in) long, are gathered in globular whorls. They are composed of 4 recurved deep blue petals, lighter in the centre, and a throat with yellow anther-bearing stamens. When they fade, the seeds form small green and silvery plumes, characteristic of clematis, but their arrangement in balls around the stem accentuates the decorative effect. The plant is a little slow to establish as it roots deeply in the soil before showing exponential growth in the following years. Like its parent, this variety prefers semi-shaded, non-scorching locations.

This 'New Love' Clematis brings a breath of fresh air to borders. Plant it alongside your perpetual roses to accompany their successive blooms and fill in their sometimes bare base. Clematis are a diverse genus, with varieties available in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. The astonishing 'New Love' variety, thanks to its herbaceous growth habit, will thrive perfectly in a pot on a balcony, or on a slope invaded by perennial peas, variegated ivy, small-flowered periwinkles, Coreopsis, and euphorbias. It extends the summer, blending so easily with other perennials or grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium, Miscanthus sinensis Adagio) in the garden or in bouquets.