Clematis patens Multi Blue

Clematis 'Multi Blue' is undoubtedly a beautiful double-flowered mutation of the excellent C. 'The President'. This small liana of less than 3m (10ft) blooms from May, rests a bit in summer, then blooms again with abandon in September. Its large flowers will be double in spring, more often single in late summer. They sport a superb deep blue-violet colour on the top, more silvery on the reverse, and gradually lighten to pale-mauve. In the centre of the corolla sits a pompom with steel reflections, opening onto a chartreuse green stamen heart. All these shades blend together in a superb gradient throughout the plant. Like all clematis in the Patens group, it will appreciate having its feet in moist soil and its head in the sun, whether in the ground or in a pot.

Clematis belong to the Ranunculaceae family. They are found in both hemispheres, particularly in Europe, the Himalayas, China, Australia, and North and Central America. The 'Multi Blue' variety, introduced from the Netherlands in 1983, is a mutation of the famous C. 'The President', an old horticultural hybrid belonging to the Patens group, among others. 'Multi Blue', perfectly perennial and hardy, is a semi-woody climbing plant that will reach about 2.5m (8ft) in height, with a minimum spread of 1m (3ft). Its stems are quite slender and brittle, especially in windy conditions.

This clematis bears double star-shaped flowers with a diameter of 8 to 12cm (3 to 5in), which appear in May-June (sometimes as early as April) on the shoots from the previous year's wood, and then again on the current year's shoots, in late summer, from August to September. The upright flowers are solitary or grouped in clusters and are particularly abundant. They open as single corollas around a petal-like stamen heart that gradually unfolds, giving the corolla a distinctly double appearance. Each pointed, undulating petal has a rich, bright blue-violet colour, with a steel-coloured median vein, highlighted by a lighter, silvery reverse. At full bloom, the centre of the flower, which has turned mauve, reveals a hairy pompom tinged with silver and chartreuse green. The leaves are pinnate with ovate, glabrous leaflets. They are of the patens type and are fairly dark green. This clematis clings to its support or to other plants using petioles that have transformed into tendrils.

Plant your clematis alongside climbing roses or lianas to extend the flowering of your walls and pergolas until the end of summer. This genus is rich in diversity, with clematis of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of their easy cultivation to give your garden, as well as your balcony, a romantic and bohemian touch. 'Multi Blue', just like sweet peas, morning glories, and nasturtiums, loves to climb among bushes and performs very well in a large pot, with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun. The blue-violet flowers of 'Multi Blue' go well with the soft pink flowers of C. 'Josephine' and the blue-pink of C. 'Vyvyan Pennel', both in the garden and in bouquets.

Tips: light and regular watering, accompanied by mulching, help maintain moisture at the base of the plant. Pruning helps it to branch out and regain vigour after very cold winters. You can prune it in March to a height of up to 50cm (20in).