New week, new plants: March 6
‘Green Passion’ Copyright Thorncroft Clematis
Three new climbers today, all introduced by Thorncroft Clematis this year. Chelsea Flower Show in May will see the Launch of ‘Green Passion’, an extraordinary variety with truly green, double flowers, though later blooms may be partly white. It is said to thrive in part shade and, as might be expected, the flowers last for ages. I can see it becoming a popular cut flower. I am not quite sure what to think but I am convinced that it would be perfect to cut with old roses in summer.
Twinkle ‘Zotwi’ Copyright Thorncroft Clematis
Much more to my taste is Twinkle, which is a new variety of the herbaceous, gently scrambling Clematis integrifolia. The nodding flowers have twisted petals and are delicately shaded in white and sky blue and it will be launched at the Chatsworth Flower Festival in summer. I like this type of clematis in the border because they can be supported by an obelisk or twigs or allowed to mingle with other plants and then you just cut them back hard in winter or spring.
Schizophragma ‘Burst of Light’ Copyright Thorncroft Clematis
Rather different, and launched at Chelsea, is Schizophragma ‘Burst of Light’. This is a variegated form of what is basically a rather posh version of the climbing hydrangea. I know that it is only days since I criticised this kind of spattered variegation but I actually quite like this. It is perfect for a shady wall or fence and would brighten up a dark spot perfectly.
Sunday Puzzler solution.
Here is the answer to yesterday’s puzzle. The plants were:
Erythronium
Wollemia
Tulipa
Lavendula
Rhododendron
Hibiscus
Ceanothus
Acalypha
Lupinus
These give you: E W T L R H C A L
Mix those up and you get CHARTWELL in Kent, once home to Winston Churchill
The Biking Gardener 
i like the green passion and burst of light would look good on our plain wall . very nice .
I’ll keep an eye out for ‘Green Passion’ at the flower shows this year. The flowers are a nice mix of subtle and full-on flower power. I wonder if the leaves will still be rather wrinkled when they are fully open?
I love integrifolias too. They are beautiful as cut flowers, if you can bear to cut them. It’s rare to see them for sale – but even more rare for me to resist them if they are offered.
I have a feeling the flowers will spread their petals a bit as they age but I bet they last for months in water. Interestingly, not only do you need a license to propagate this for sale you also need a license to grow the cut flowers for sale so they must have high hopes for it!