Clematis Cloudburst

Clematis 'Cloudburst' is a wonderful recent Polish selection, bearing large blue-violet star-shaped flowers with a white heart, delicately veined with pink. In the centre of the star sits a cluster of cream-yellow stamens beautifully tinged with purple. This variety is particularly generous. It blooms from June to September with such abandon throughout summer that its foliage almost disappears under a gleaming cloak. With its modest growth, it works well in all gardens. It is also ideal in a large pot on patios and balconies.

Clematis belong to the Ranunculaceae family. They are found in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia, and North and Central America. The 'Cloudburst' variety was obtained in 2014 in Poland by the nurseryman Szczepan Marczyński. It is a perfectly perennial, semi-woody climbing plant that will reach a height of about 2.5m (8ft), with a minimum spread of 1.5m (5ft). This clematis bears large open flowers, about 12cm (5in) in diameter, which appear on the current year's growth. They bloom in successive waves from June to the end of summer. The flowers are solitary and have 4 to 6 distinct undulating petals. They are blue-violet becoming gradually white towards the base, veined with pink-purple. The centre of the flower is adorned with a small crown of purple-tinged stamens with a cream base and purple anthers. The flowering is followed by decorative silver-grey feathery fruits that persist until winter. The dark green glabrous leaves are divided into 3 elliptical to lanceolate leaflets. This clematis firmly clings to the support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.

Plant your clematis in the company of climbing roses ('New Dawn', 'Mme Caroline Testout', 'Zéphirine Drouhin') to extend the flowering period of walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a genus rich in diversity, with flowers of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Cloudburst' will pair well with the pink flowers of C. 'Mon Cherry', the violet flowers of C. 'Romantika', or the white flowers of the variety C. 'The Bride', for example, to climb a fence or cover a wall exposed to the morning sun.

Avoid excessive applications of fertiliser that stimulates foliage at the expense of flowers. Do not mulch in order to avoid excessive moisture.