Duo Chic - Clematis montana Sans Soucis and Actinidia kolomikta

A Chic and Bohemian duo to celebrate the arrival of spring in the garden: combine Clematis montana Sans Soucis, covered in pink flowers in April-May, with the beautiful spring foliage of the Kolomikta vine, Actinidia kolomikta, initially silver, then variegated with green, pink, and cream white. At the end of the season, the feathery and silver fruits of the clematis, as well as some flowers, accompany the soft tones of pink, yellow, cream, or mauve that paint the foliage of the variegated Actinidia. These two climbing plants require little maintenance and do not need pruning.

This 'Chic' duo is composed of Clematis montana Sans Soucis and Actinidia kolomikta plant.

Clematis montana, from the Ranunculaceae family, is a vigorous climbing plant with woody stems that loses its leaves in winter. This excellent hardy and accommodating garden plant is abundantly planted in many regions. Clematis 'Sans Soucis' reaches or exceeds 8 m (26ft) in height depending on the growing conditions. The remarkably abundant flowering occurs in April-May, and again in September. Its leaves are composed of leaflets whose petioles wrap around any accessible support. Its 4-sepaled flowers are a pretty pale pink shade, 5 cm (2in) wide, marked with a lovely bunch of yellow stamens. They are so numerous that they almost conceal the foliage. They give way to feathery and silver decorative fruits until late winter.

Actinidia kolomikta, also known as the Kolomikta vine, is a vigorous vine native to China, with stems that climb up to 5 to 6 m (16 to 20ft). This plant is remarkable for its young green foliage coloured with pink and cream white. Male plants are mostly cultivated for their ornamental qualities. The discreet flowering of female plants in June is sometimes followed by the production of small edible but not very aromatic kiwis in the presence of male individuals. 

Both are deciduous plants, undemanding regarding the soil as long as it is deep, fertile, moist, and preferably non-calcareous. They will tolerate a sunny to semi-shaded position.

Place this Chic duo against a wire fence,  in an informal hedge, plant each plant on either side of a grid, or let these two vines freely climb a tree, a garden shed, an old barn... The combination of flowers and foliage will surprise all your visitors! To add a wispy touch to this duo, accompany it for example with an evergreen climbing hydrangea like Pileostegia viburnoides or  Hydrangea petiolaris Winter Surprise, tinged with red in winter.