[chrissie B]

can anyone tell me the name of the lovley lilac coloured clamatis I see , it grows over every thing and has a thick tree like stem , I have about 5 in my garden but they are all thin weedy type stems although they do get wonderful flowers , my favourite is the white one but would love one of these lilac coloured one at the front of the house .
chrissie b

Title typo edited for future search purposes.

[JayG]

Gurgle "Clematis Montana" - that's the one with the growing habit you're looking for I believe, and there are a few different colours to choose from.

[chrissie B]

thank you.
chrissie b

[Debz]

I agree with Jay about Montana.  The one called Elizabeth also has a perfume which is not what you would normally think for a clematis.

[Paul Plots]

Montana has a very fast growing habit -15' a year. Plastered in small flowers - comes in a range of colours - elizabeth = white, rubens = pink. Often flowers around May with some repeat flowering later in the summer but nothing like the main flush.

Several have a mild scent.

Do not pay a bomb for these. Keep an eye open in places like Wilkinsons / Lidls. A £2 plant will grow perfectly well. It is possible to take cuttings but layering is easier and more reliable.

[mumofstig]

Sorry to disagree Paul - but Elizabeth is pink. It is a variety of Rubens

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/210260/Clematis-Elizabeth-(M)/Details

The white one is grandiflora the anemone flowered clematis

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/210221/Clematis-montana-var-grandiflora-(M)/Details

[Paul Plots]

You are correct Mum. 

So... perhaps Alba is the white montana I was thinking of? It looked like your grandiflora but I'm pretty sure it didn't have such a posh sounding name.   

I could have sworn the one we planted when we first married was Elizabeth and white... It was a long time ago.   

It covered the new garden shed in a season and then rambled belted along the fences too. It was gorgeous in a small back-yard garden. Brightened the whole place up all the more so as it was a large Victorian town house with high narrow windows and grey walls.