CLEMATIS 353 



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always advisable to add this. I have seen from experience how much 

 better some species thrive with lime or chalk present. 



The methods of pruning clematises depend on the position and 

 space they are intended to occupy, and on their time and mode of 

 flowering. The early-flowering sorts like patens, florida, Armandi, 

 montana, and alpina must not be pruned in winter ; whatever pruning is 

 necessary should be done as soon as the flowers are past, and it should be 

 done chiefly with relation to the space the plant is desired to occupy. 

 The late-flowering sorts, those, that is, which flower on the growths of the 

 current year, may be pruned back as much as desired about February, 

 late enough at any rate for it to be ascertainable how much of the stems 

 is dead or alive. Several of the species discussed in the following notes 

 are only semi-shrubby, and much of the summer growth dies back 

 naturally during the winter. It is desirable to remove as much of this as 

 possible. The Viorna and Viticella groups are of this type. Others, such 

 as the Jackmani group, Flammula, and part of the lanuginosa varieties 

 do not die back, but form in a short time a heavy tangle at the top of 

 their supports whilst they become quite naked at the base. With these it 

 is a good plan to prune a proportion at least of the stems well back, so 

 that in breaking into new growth they provide a furnishing for their 

 supports near the ground. 



The provision of support for clematises in gardens must remain a 

 matter largely of discretion and opportunity. At Kew, where a collection 

 of some forty to fifty species is grown in close proximity, most of the 

 climbing sorts are trained over untrimmed branches of oak or other wood 

 stuck in the ground. Three or more of these are put in a bed, and the 

 tops are fastened together so as to form a tent-like structure. The 

 stronger species soon cover this, and in a few years a dense tangle of 

 stems is formed which become almost self-supporting. For the species 

 like Viorna and fusca, which die back almost to the ground in winter, and 

 send up shoots several feet long during the Slimmer, ordinary pea-sticks 

 are suitable. Pergolas, trellises, and arbours are of course admirable 

 places for most species, and the stronger species may be used for covering 

 the butts of trees and mounds. 



An imitation of the natural conditions under which many of the 

 clematises live should more frequently be attempted in gardens. They 

 should be planted near shrubs, over which they can climb. Such shrubs 

 should not be of great value, or very rank growers. Mr Robinson has 

 adopted this system in his garden at Gravetye, with happy results. 



The leaves of Clematis vary much in size and form on the same plant, 

 so that some of the descriptions in the following pages must in both 

 respects be taken as approximate. It is also difficult in this genus to 

 draw a line between the shrubby climbers and the herbaceous sorts. 



Whilst many of the species described in the following pages are of 

 great beauty, it has to be admitted that the interest taken in clematises at 

 the present time is chiefly centred in the large-flowered garden races 

 which have been raised by hybridisation and selection from C. lanuginosa 

 mainly, but also from C. patens, florida, and Viticella. These varieties are 

 more particularly alluded to under their respective type species. 



