"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Charlie Pridham" writes:
|
| Yes its the fighting for control, the constant cutting back that
effects the
| flowering, my officinal 'Affine' flowers well as does stephanense but
they
| certainly occupy their space (although I grow clematis in them so I
shant be
| ripping them out just yet!)

What sort of growth does J. officinale flower on? Too much pruning
could have been my problem, so I should like to know how to do it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Well I made the classic mistake of planting officinal too close to a path!
but this is what I do. I leave around 2' of new growth on each green stem in
winter, I also remove completely some old brown wood lower down (otherwise
there is a steady build up), but will admit the most flowers are nearly
always on the bits that haven't needed cutting back!
The stephanese flowers its socks off because it is over an arch and can be
just left alone.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)