ARCTIC QUEEN CLEMATIS FLOWERING IN AUTUMN

I mentioned back in a post in September that clematis Arctic Queen had collapsed and picked itself back up again after I cut the whole thing right back to its base.  While I hoped that the climber would grow again and maybe produced one or two flowers this year if I were lucky, I never expected that it would grow back to full height, and produce lots of buds and flowers which are continuing right through autumn towards winter.  But it has.

Arctic Queen in a south-facing container, November 2014

Although I have had to move this climber a few times to try to try and ascertain where it is happy - it's a fickle thing - it seems to be content on my front porch/doorstep, facing south, protected a little against the wind which blows across the Pennines.  It looks really pretty when I approach the front door of my home.

 

I think that one of the reasons that it has recovered and done so well is that we have had a mild summer and are having a mild autumn.  Soon though, when winter truly arrives and it gets icy cold (I am assuming it will), I shall move the plant in its pot to the back of the house, against the wall, where it is more protected against wind.  Then, if it survives winter, and it is a hardy climber, then it will go back to the front of the house again next spring.

 

Reproductive organs of clematis 'Arctic Queen' - macro photograph

See the tiny insect, centre left of the image?

Reproductive organs of clematis 'Arctic Queen' - macro photograph