By
the late Victorian age there were many hybrids of the
clematis available, many based on the Clematis patens,
C. lanuginosa, C, viticella and C. Fortunei.
Two of the most famous were those raised by Mr. George
Jackman in 1858, the C. Jackmanni and the C.
rubro-violacea (pictured) which produced spectacular
late summer flowerings.
Hibberd
advised that, if planting hybrid varieties, they should
be planted in rich soil. They must be left to their
own devices for three years, then (and only then) be
fed.
Once
the plants became 'leggy' and the flowers small, then
they should be cut down to within eighteen inches of
the ground at the start of the year (January). In February,
remove some of the soil from over the root ball (but
trying not to disturb the roots) and replace it with
a mixture of well-rotted manure and fresh loam, at the
same time dig out a trench two feet deep and one wide,
two feet from the stem, and fill this with a similar
mixture. Then spread over all a coat of fat stable manure,
leave the rest to nature, and enjoy the results.
Victorians
grew clematis as bedding plants as well as climbers.
Planted into a bed and trained over low convex shaped
hoops they would form a mass of shield shaped green
leaves and flowers. The Jackmanni were best
for this purpose, but also Rubro-violacea, Alexandra,
Magnifica, Rubella, Star of India and Tunbridgense.
See
also Sweet Clematis.
