Clematis x viticella 'Ville de Lyon'

The Clematis 'Ville de Lyon' is an old French variety still highly regarded for its vigour, disease resistance, and generous flowering in a vibrant carmine red. Its large, vibrant red flowers, enhanced by yellow anthered stamens, bloom abundantly from June to September on a climbing plant reaching a height of 4m (13ft). It is a climbing plant that is easy to grow in all regions. A reliable choice!  

Clematis belongs to the Renunculaceae family. They are found in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia, and North and Central America. The 'Ville de Lyon' variety, obtained in France in 1899 by Morel, is derived, among others, from the Clematis viticella, which has given it its good resistance to wilt disease. It is a perfectly perennial and hardy semi-woody climbing plant that will reach about 4m (13ft) in height, with a minimum spread of 2.50m (8ft). This clematis bears large, fully open flowers that can reach 10 to 13cm (4 to 5in) in diameter and appear in waves from June to the end of summer on the year's shoots. The flowers are solitary, with six wide, undulate tepals overlapping at the base. Their colour is a deep pink-red, marked with slightly lighter stripes in the centre. The centre of the flower is adorned with a beautiful crown of creamy stamens with yellow anthers. The flowering is followed by decorative feathery grey-silver fruits that persist until winter. The glabrous leaves are carried by a reddish petiole and are divided into three elliptical to lanceolate leaflets of relatively light green. This clematis attaches itself to the support or host plant through petioles transformed into tendrils.  

Plant your clematis in the company of your climbing or rambling roses ('New Dawn', 'Mme Caroline Testout', 'Zéphirine Drouhin') to extend the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. It is a diverse genus, with varieties available in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their ease of cultivation to give your garden a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Ville de Lyon' will complement well with the white flowers of 'Superba' or 'Miss Bateman' clematis, for example, or the blue of The President, to stagger the flowering. These charming climbers are perfect for climbing a fence or covering a wall exposed to the morning sun.

Tips: Avoid excessive fertilisation that stimulates foliage growth at the expense of flowers. Do not mulch to avoid excessive moisture.