Clematis ‘Markham’s Pink’ (Atragene Group)

A ravishing and early-flowering Clematis hybrid, ‘Markham’s Pink’ is a deciduous climber with double, cotton-candy pink flowers, 3-4 in. across (7-10 cm), adorned with 4 slender sepals surrounding a boss of paler staminodes and creamy-yellow stamens. The undersides of the sepals are darker than their interior, adding depth and beauty to the floral display. Blooming in mid to late spring, the flowers are followed by very ornamental, fluffy, silvery seedheads, which remain on the plant throughout the summer and fall, adding further interest. Vigorous and prolific, this small-flowered clematis features attractive, sharply pinnate, pale green leaves. It is a great choice as a groundcover and looks ravishing cascading over a pergola, wall, or garden fence. Lovely when sprawling through large shrubs too.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society for its noteworthy qualities.
• Thrives in moist, well-drained soils, in full sun or part shade. Ideally, Clematis prefer having their ‘heads in the sun and their feet in the shade’. Keep the roots cool and shaded by other plants or add a layer of pebbles or flat stones at the base.
• Hardy, this clematis can quickly grow up to 8-10 ft. long (240-300 cm).
• Propagate by layering or semi-hardwood cuttings
• This Clematis belongs to the first group of Clematis – a group including Early-flowering clematis which flower on shoots produced in the previous summer: No regular pruning is required. Just clean them up after flowering.
• Native to Asia
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.

As climbers, Clematis are unsurpassed in their long flowering presence, their rich diversity of flower shapes, and their wide array of colors and tolerances in terms of exposure and climate. It is no wonder they are so popular! From tree huggers to container varieties, there is a Clematis for every garden and flowers for almost every month of the year! Members of the Ranunculaceae family, they include more than 300 species and hundreds of hybrids. They create year after year a ravishing colorful show in the garden whether solely trained on walls, arbors, or trellises, or grown in association with other climbers. They are divided into 3 groups which determine how they should be pruned. Regular pruning of Clematis is important as it promotes strong growth and flowering as well as a harmonious plant. If left unpruned, Clematis can turn into a mass of tangled stems with a bare base and flowers well above eye level.