Full petal jacket

WHILE its later relatives are only just beginning to put out tentative new growth on their thin brown stems, Clematis armandii has got all systems going and is travelling full pelt into bloom.

This is not a plant for the faint hearted. It will cover a wall within a couple of seasons and fill any available, and not so available, space with long leathery evergreen leaves and many clusters of white flowers in early spring.

Ours, which is clematis armandii Apple Blossom, has come into flower later than usual this year. I am not sure if the weather has held it back. Flower buds appeared in January and would often have opened by mid February, but they held on this year until a week or so ago.

The other reason for the delay could have been the hard pruning that had to be carried out last summer. It was done as a necessity since pruning is not usually recommended for this plant which can happily grow to 7.6m/25ft or more when mature.

I stubbornly insisted planting this potential monster in a garden that is perhaps a little small for its reach. So me and the plant had to take the consequences last summer when the plumber employed to service the boiler tutted and shook his head on seeing how close those stems were to the outlet pipe.

On his stern advice, at least ten feet were regretfully cut away.

However, my doubts that it would bloom this year have been unfounded and it is covered in a mass of lovely flowers, basking on the sheltered, south-facing brick wall underneath my daughter's bedroom window. It is lovely to open her curtains and see the flowers peeping over the windowsill.

Clematis armandii is a woody climber which can be used to cover walls and fences or to climb through trees. It can be a dense and heavy plant once established and needs the support of wires or trellis.

The dark, glossy leaves usually stay in tact through the winter but can drop in severe conditions. They will be replaced once the plant starts into growth.

The best flowers are usually produced at the top of the stems, which should be taken into account when planting.

Allow for this by putting the plant a good distance away from where the flowers are wanted and train the stems to reach this point. Mine, for example, is planted more than 5m/16ft from the main flowering point. The lower part of the stems cover the wall with leaves and a few later flower trusses, leading the eye to the stars of the early spring garden.

Plant Clematis armandii in soil that remains moist but doesn't get waterlogged. It will cope with both alkaline and acid conditions.

A sheltered aspect is needed with protection from cold winds and, like many clematis, it prefers to have cool feet and a hot head. That is, roots in shade and flowers in sun. There are a few varieties available as well as Apple Blossom, which has pink-suffused flowers, including Snowdrift, Bowl of Beauty, Enham Star and Little White Charm. Apple blossom is usually easy to find at garden centres and in nurseries but the other may require a specialist supplier - these can be found listed in the Plant Finder.

The National Gardens Scheme

THE National Gardens Scheme in Yorkshire is getting into its swing with three gardens open over the next week and an increasing number to follow as the season moves forward.

There are 114 garden participating in the region this year, including nine new ones, and the organisers are hoping to equal or better the £100,000 the gardens raised for the scheme last year.

More than £1.75m was raised by the scheme throughout the country last year, all of which was donated to nursing, gardening and caring charities.

Many other charities and private individuals also open their gardens for good causes.

If you are participating and would like to be included in this column, please send your details to Gina Parkinson, In The Garden, Features, Evening Press, York, YO1 9YN about two weeks in advance, or email features@ycp.co.uk.

As many gardens as possible are included although at busy times, especially from mid May to mid July, it is not always possible to list all the gardens.

Open gardens

Tomorrow

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Bridge Farm House, Long Lane, Great Heck, six miles south of Selby. Parking in a field next to the house. Large garden with some mature trees, long double herbaceous borders backed by newly planted hedges, spring-interest borders, named varieties of snowdrops and hellebores, developing small woodland area and interestingly planted gravelled area around a pond. Teas and plants on sale. Open midday-3pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free.

Wednesday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Londesborough Cross, Shiptonthorpe, off the A1079 York-Hull road, the garden is at the bottom of Town Street. A former railway goods yard turned into a garden with ponds, bog area, herbaceous borders, rock garden and woodland garden planted with a large collection of hardy ferns, many rare, and shade-loving plants such as trillium and meconopsis. Teas and plants on sale. Open 1pm-4pm. Admission £3 adult, accompanied children free.

Thursday

Manor Farm, Thixendale, turn off the A166 at the top of Garrowby Hill and follow signs for Thixendale. A one-acre garden in a frost pocket and wind tunnel but nevertheless featuring two alpine areas, a small knot garden, lawn surrounded by mixed beds, courtyard, pergolas and shaded area planted with special hellebores and bulbs. Plants, teas, soup and rolls on sale. Open 11am-4pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children free.

Gardening TV and Radio

Tomorrow

9am, Radio Leeds. Tim Crowther, Joe Maiden.

Noon, Radio York, William Jenkyns. (Repeated on Wednesday at 8pm).

2pm, R4, Gardeners' Question Time. Pippa Greenwood, Bob Flowerdew and Matthew Biggs help gardeners from the Hambleton Horticultural Society in Hampshire. Peter Gibbs keeps order and the gardening weather forecast is at 2.25pm.

Friday

8pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World. We know spring is really here when the Gardeners' World series returns to our screens. The team is back at Berryfields with Monty Don planning the vegetable garden, Joe Swift pruning the cottage garden and Sarah Raven sorting out the long borders. Meanwhile, Carol Klein visits Marwood Hill in Devon to see the magnolia blossom.

Updated: 15:58 Friday, March 24, 2006