Sweet Duo - Clematis Nelly Moser and Chinese Wisteria in pink

A duo of climbing plants as charming as they are vigorous and easy to grow, whose pink flowers blend gently in spring. In April-May, for 3 to 4 weeks, the two-toned pink stars of the Nelly Moser clematis mingle with the tender and fragrant clusters of the pink Chinese wisteria. The clematis, with a rather compact habit, often blooms again in late summer, and the wisteria bears a few flowers in July-August among its light foliage. Let them take over a tree, or let them climb a trellis or a wire fence. The vigour of the wisteria will be controlled by a fairly severe pruning in late summer.

This duo consists of Clematis montana Nelly Moser and Wisteria sinensis Rosea.

Clematis Nelly Moser is an excellent hybrid.  This vigorous woody climber, reaching approximately 3 m (10ft) in height, blooms early in spring, for about 3 weeks, and usually blooms again in late summer, with large single and star-shaped flowers that can reach 15 to 18 cm (6 to 7in) in diameter, composed of white-pink petals marked with a broad pink, almost carmine, central line. They give way to feathery and silvery decorative fruits until late winter. This very old variety is reliable and easy to grow.

The pink Chinese wisteria, Wisteria sinensis Rosea in Latin, is an exuberant climbing plant, its long stems, which can reach 10 to 20 m (33 to 66ft) in length, lignify with age. They bear leaves divided into numerous light green rounded leaflets, giving the foliage a light appearance. The main flowering takes place in April-May, more or less early depending on the climate, at the same time as the clematis. It develops on almost naked branches located near the main woody stems. These are clusters of pale pink flowers, 30 cm (12in) long, which spread a sweet and flowery fragrance in calm weather.

Both are deciduous plants in winter, perfectly resistant to cold, undemanding in terms of soil (although the Wisteria fears excessive limestone and Clematis montana does not like too dry soils in summer). They will thrive in any good deep and well-drained garden soil and in a sunny to semi-shaded exposure.

Install this duo in an informal hedge, place each plant on either side of a long solid trellis, or let these two vines freely take over a tree. The combination of clematis and Chinese wisteria is one of the most romantic. These queens of climbing plants are capable of enhancing any structure, no matter how modest, sometimes ignoring the limits of your garden. Often surviving in old gardens from the time they were planted, left to themselves, they are loyal and extremely durable plants. To extend their wonderful flowering, you could associate this duo with a fragrant climbing rose like 'Felicia', 'Crown Princess Margareta', or 'Matine Guillot' for example.