Clematis Bonanza

Clemtis 'Bonanza is a hybrid of the Italian Clematis or Clematis viticella, from which it inherited its robustness and long summer flowering. Its single flowers are shaped like small bluish-purple stars with delicately wavy petals, topped with bright white stamens. Over time, the centre becomes spotted with purple-red before fading to white, leaving a veined pink-purple border. Despite its small size, this deciduous climber is floriferous and transforms into a colourful cloak from June to September! It is an ideal climber for covering a boring hedge or an unattractive fence. Its small size makes it suitable for smaller gardens and pot cultivation. It is vigorous and hardy, it requires a bright exposure and its base needs a shaded location in permeable, light, deep, and moist soil.

Clematis belong to the Ranunculaceae family. They are found in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia and North and Central America. The 'Bonanza' variety was selected in the United Kingdom by Raymond Evison in 1996. It descends from the Clematis viticella, native to southern Europe, renowned for its natural resistance to clematis wilt. It is a perennial, semi-woody, climbing herbaceous plant that will reach an average height of 3m (10ft), with a spread of 1.5m (5ft). This clematis bears well-opened flowers, 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, which appear on the current year's shoots, from June until the end of summer, in successive waves. The flowers are solitary or grouped in small clusters. When they appear, they open into stars, revealing 4 to 6 delicately wavy, bluish-purple petals initially with purple-red infused central lines that fade to white, with veined margins. It is the clear heart of the flower that is most charming, the light yellow tips of the stamens beautifully enhance the purple and blue hues of the petals. The smooth leaves are divided into 3 elliptical to lanceolate, olive-green leaflets. The foliage dries up and dies in winter. This clematis clings to its support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.

Plant clematis with your climbing roses ('New Dawn', 'Pomponella', 'Bouquet Parfait'), to extend the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a diverse genus with colours, shapes, and sizes for every taste. Take advantage of their ease of cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Bonanza' pairs well with the blue-tinged white flowers of similar small climbers like 'Ice Blue' clematis, or the white flowers with purple-red stamens of 'Miss Bateman' to climb a fence or cover a wall exposed to the morning sun.

Tips: Avoid excessive fertiliser applications that stimulate foliage growth at the expense of flowers. Do not mulch to avoid excessive moisture.