Clematis napaulensis - open flowers 2009

I saw this last year in your garden - It's a beauty, Andrew! Isn't it a bit fragile where temps are concerned?

According to Graham Stuart Thomas, it is only suitable for "southern walls in sheltered counties". Having said that, mine is trained over a viburnum x bodnantense growing in the open garden (and has been for seven years).
I don't think it would take a very exposed position and it would help if its first few winters were mild, but the recent cold spell doesn't seem to have affected it at all

This is gorgeous for this time of year Andrew...

Andrew, is that a Japonica Corn leaf in the bottom left of that photo?

Tammielee - it's phormium 'Dazzler'

Thanks! It is beautiful, I love variegated leafs, even more when pink is involved. The Clematis is lovely, too!

Gone on favourites with the photo of its buds.
Wonderful :o)
The phormium leaf looks really good alongside.

Brill.. I have put the phormium 'Dazzler' on my wish list, not sure that the Clematis would survive OOP NORTH!

Sal - just to warn you, phormium 'Dazzler' gets BIG. I planted mine in 1991 and in the hot summer of 2006, it produced one flower spike (the only time it has ever flowered) and it was twelve feet tall!

Is this hard to grow? I have a soft spot for clematis and passion flowers, and would love to add this to my collection.

Although the books say it is on the tender side, I think it will be fine in the south of the UK as long as it's not in an exposed position.Planted mine in November 2001 - it took a couple of years to get going and now there's no stopping it. Grows to fifteen feet or more so give it lots of space (mine is growing over viburnum x bodnantense). One thing to note - it goes into a summer dormancy so all the leaves drop off in June/July and it restarts into growth in autumn

Yikes, thank for the warning... perhaps I haven't got room for it!
or maybe I have but then nothing left for anything else!
hee

I would love to grow this - I am seriously thinking about it, Andrew. Would facing west suit it?

I think t would be very happy in that aspect spritz. Usual thing with clematis - head in the sun, roots in the shade

No problem with that. WHEN I can get out, I shall look for it. (it seems that the main roads may still be pretty bad)

Maybe I'll do a search on the Plant finder......and YES! there is a Nursery quite near, where I often go - which has it listed. No chance of visiting them for a while, though. They are up in the hills where there's LOTS of snow!