In article ,
jane wrote:
On Wed, 9 Apr 2003 16:26:42 +0000 (UTC), "Jayne"
wrote:

~I have taken a photo of my clematis - I'd like to know what it is & also if
~I can cut it right back as it is growing up our garage which needs to be
~painted - this plant is as high as the garage roof.
~You can see it here (hopefully):
~http://www.geocities.com/bramblebears/clematis.jpg

It's a Clematis alpina, and looks like a fairly standard form of it to me.
They are in pruning group 1, which means you normally don't, but my book
(RHS practicals) says you can cut back hard after flowering if necessary.
Then it has enough time to grow new shoots through the summer which will
hopefully flower next spring.

You can. It does. I do. Because it shoots from its roots, you can
even mow it after flowering and it will regrow happily! I have never
done that with an old plant not accustomed to that treatment, though.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.