Ornamental Seedheads - Clematis

Clematis are a staple in my garden. Most are species or Clematis viticella cultivars for several good reasons: they follow the late spring/early summer flowers, bringing a new and different look to the garden; they have smaller flowers, but many more of them than the dinner-plate types; they don't suffer from the dreaded clematis wilt which can destroy a seemingly healthy plant in less than 24 hours; when they die back in late fall, you cut them down to knee-height and they remain tidy through to the following spring; quite a number of them are scented.



This year, a long and unusual hot spell has driven all but one into shedding their petals early. However, their seedheads add subtle interest to much of the garden.



'Willy', a spring bloomer starts off with tufts of fluff that slowly turn to silver spirals.

'Miss Bateman' prefers the look of brass.

'Nelly Moser', a volunteer that I may not keep because I don't care for its candy cane flowers, presents blond fright wigs.

Little Clematis ochroleuca has a cluster of pea-green seeds with curling shreds of palest yellow.

Clematis  integrifolia is still producing a few cobalt-blue flowers alongside its spidery white seedheads

And Clematis recta is a mass of green fireworks.

Eventually, those green stars will turn to iridescent blue and the wispy tails will turn white and feathery, as they are in last year's post "November Colours"