Duo 'The Giants' - Clematis montana Tetrarose and Wisteria sinensis

A wonderful duo of giant and robust climbers, both originating from China: easily reaching or exceeding 8 metres (26 feet), the vigorous Clematis montana and the indomitable Wisteria sinensis complement each other perfectly to celebrate spring in the most beautiful way. The combination of these two inhabitants of wide open spaces offers a rare visual and fragrant spectacle in April-May. The pale lilac pink stars of the clematis, which exude the scent of vanilla and carnation, blend with the almost mauve clusters of Chinese wisteria, with their heavy floral fragrance. Make sure to provide enough space and a strong support to accommodate these two wonderful 'titans' of vegetation, whose stems can easily reach the tops of tall trees.

This duo 'The Giants' consists of a Clematis montana Tetrarose and a Wisteria sinensis plant.

The mountain clematis, in Latin Clematis montana, from the Ranunculaceae family, is a vigorous climbing plant with woody stems that loses its leaves in winter. This excellent hardy and accommodating garden plant is abundantly planted in many regions.  The variety 'Tetrarose', can reach or exceed 8m (26ft) in height depending on the specific research area. Its leaves, a pretty bronze-green colour, turn purple when budding, and are composed of leaflets whose petioles wrap around any accessible support. Its 4-sepaled flowers appear in April-May. They are a pretty pinkish mauve, 4 to 6 cm (2in) wide, and are so numerous that they almost hide the foliage. They give off a sweet fragrance with hints of cloves, cocoa, and vanilla, and are followed by decorative feathery and silvery fruits that last until late winter.

Chinese wisteria, in Latin Wisteria sinensis, is an exuberant climbing plant belonging to the large Fabaceae family, just like clover, alfalfa, and lupins. Its long voluble stems, which can reach 10 to 20 metres (33 to 66 feet) in length, become woody with age. From spring to autumn, they bear light green, rounded, and numerous leaflets, giving the foliage a light appearance. The main flowering takes place in April-May, depending on the climate, at the same time as the clematis. It develops on almost naked branches located near the woody main stems. These are long lavender-coloured flower clusters that spread a sweet and flowery fragrance in calm weather. They open from the base towards the tip of the cluster. The plant reblooms slightly during the summer.

Both are deciduous plants in winter, perfectly resistant to cold, and undemanding in terms of soil (although Wisteria dislikes excessive limestone and Clematis montana does not like overly dry soil in summer). They will adapt to any good deep and well-drained garden soil, and a sunny to semi-shaded position.

Plant this duo of giants in a large informal hedge, place each plant on either side of a very solid long trellis, or let these two freely climb an old tree. The combination of mountain clematis and Chinese wisteria is one of the most romantic there is. These queens of climbing plants are capable of enhancing any structure, no matter how modest, sometimes ignoring the limits of your garden. Often surviving in old gardens from one generation to the next, when left to their own devices, they are faithful and extremely durable plants. To extend their wonderful flowering, one could associate this duo with a third scented giant: the rose 'Paul's Himalayan Musk', with pink flowers in June, or the 'Filipes Kiftsgate' climbing rose, covered in white clusters in summer.