Spring Duo - Clematis and Honeysuckle Collection

A winning spring duo! The brightly coloured flowers of the 'Gold Flame' Honeysuckle intertwine with the beautiful soft pink inflorescences of the 'Mayleen' Clematis, against a backdrop of abundant green and bronze foliage. Both winners of the prestigious Garden Merit RHS Award, these vigorous climbers will prove irresistible, whether due to their enchanting fragrance or the true vitality they display from spring to autumn. It's all about the harmony of contrasts: the colours, the distinct shapes of the foliage and flowers... The long stems of these two varieties will twine around any support provided. They will enthusiastically cover a pergola, gazebo, or embark on conquering a somewhat sad old hedge...

This duo consists of one 'Gold Flame' Honeysuckle and one 'Mayleen' Clematis.

'Mayleen' is an excellent variety of early-flowering Clematis: from May onwards, it is covered in abundant pale pink fragrant blooms. Notable for its green-bronze foliage, this very vigorous and resistant climber can cover very large areas, reaching a height of about 8m (26ft) when mature! It is derived from the Clematis montana, native to the Himalayas, an excellent garden plant grown abundantly planted in many regions. It does not require pruning below a height of 2m (7ft), and only after flowering.

The Lonicera (x) heckrotii 'Gold Flame' is an improvement of a horticultural hybrid resulting from the cross-breeding of L. sempervirens and L. americana. This hybrid Honeysuckle is more a bush than a true climber, with moderate dimensions. It stands out for its long, brightly coloured summer flowering with pronounced floral and spicy scents. Its beautiful large, bright pink tubular flowers opening onto a yellow-orange throat, succeed one another over a very long period. 'Gold Flame' is a deciduous variety. The adult plant will not exceed 3m (10ft) in height or length and 1m (3ft) in width. The abundant young branches are reddish, as is the juvenile foliage, adding an ornamental touch of colour to this delightful Honeysuckle. The foliage is composed of 5cm (2in)-long leaves, taking on a lovely green-blue hue when mature.

These vigorous and fragrant plants can be used to climb through a hedge or on an unsightly tree, where they will bring brightness and colour from spring to the end of summer. They can also adorn a gazebo or pergola, as they offer the advantage of shading a terrace in summer while letting the sun through in winter. Planted close to the house, one can fully enjoy their fragrant blooms. They can also be trained along a fence or stone wall, gracefully cascading down according to one's desires and tastes.