Garden Q&A: Should I remove clematis from my wall? It looks dead in winter

'I wouldn’t be in a mad rush to remove the clematis as it is so lovely in bloom during the summer months,' says Peter Dowdall 

Clematis Ville de Lyon. File picture

I have a clematis growing on my wall and it is lovely when it flowers during the summer. However, it looks dead during the winter and I am thinking of removing it. Can you recommend a good evergreen climbing plant?

ANSWER

There are several factors to look at when you are choosing a climbing plant for your garden: Namely, is it evergreen or deciduous, does it flower or is it just grown for foliage, is it self-clinging or will it need a trellis or wire, and what aspect does the wall face?

I wouldn’t be in a mad rush to remove the clematis as it is so lovely in bloom during the summer months. 

Perhaps plant an evergreen, self-clinging ivy nearby and the two will grow through each other, the ivy providing an evergreen backdrop and the clematis livening it up during the summer, when in bloom.

Alternatively, you could look at star jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides. This is an evergreen climbing plant which produces beautifully scented, white flowers during the summer. It will need the support of a trellis or similar and it will want a good sunny wall.

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