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BCS
AWARDS |
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In 1995,
the BCS started a trial ground near St Albans which
has now moved to Wisley. The purpose of the trials
is to judge cultivars for their value as garden
plants, not as commercial or exhibition plants.
Clematis chosen for trialling are
planted out at the trial ground for a period of
three years and are then judged anonymously by
a panel drawn from the British Clematis Society.
Clematis chosen as winners are awarded the Certificate
of Merit.
In addition, from 1999 onwards,
the best cultivar will be awarded, in perpetuity,
the "Valarasan-Toomey Award", in the
form of a silver medallion, which has been donated
by Dr Mary Toomey, for many years the editor of
the Society's journal The Clematis.
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Unfortunateley, due to the relocation
of the trials ground to Wisley there have been no awards
since 2003. Previous to this year, awards have been
given as follows:
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| Awards for 2002 |
| A single award has been
given for the year 2002. The Certificate of
Merit is awarded to Clematis 'Emilia Plater'. |
| Clematis 'Emilia
Plater' was raised by Brother Stefan Franczak, an
85 year old Polish monk, who has been collecting,
growing and breeding clematis hybrids for over 40
years. He has raised and introduced over 30
varieties, many of which are grown widely in the
UK, including C 'Blekitny Aniol' (BLUE ANGEL), C 'Kardynal
Wyszynski' (often labelled 'Cardinal Wyszynski' in
the UK), C 'Warszawska Nike' ('Warsaw Nike'), C 'Westerplatte'
and the very popular C 'Polish Spirit' AGM. |
| Clematis 'Emilia
Plater' is named after a 25 year old heroine who
was killed in the Polish uprising of 1830 against
the Russian occupation.
Clematis 'Emilia Plater'
is a cultivar of the viticella group, which flowers
from mid- to late-summer, with mid-blue/violet
tepals that have a darker central bar and veining
and creamy/green anthers. It is a fully hardy,
vigorous climber up to 10 feet that should be hard
pruned in early spring (Group 3) and is an excellent,
wilt-resistant garden plant.
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| Awards for 2001 |
Two cultivars were
awarded a Certificate of Merit for 2001.
Clematis 'Pink
Ice' was raised by Malcolm Oviatt-Ham in 1995 from C
integrifolia and C 'Royal Velours' at his wholesale
nursery in Willingham, near Cambridge. C 'Pink
Ice' is a non-clinging, Group 3 plant that can
grow to 1.5m (5ft) through support. It has abundant,
unusual, deep-pink blooms showing slightly twisted,
well-separated tepals, and flowers from late June
to September. Tests in the USA and Sweden suggest
that 'Pink Ice' is frost hardy. In addition to
the BCS Certificate of Merit, the cultivar was
awarded the Valarasen-Toomey medal. As a recently
bred cultivar, C 'Pink Ice' is not yet generally
available.
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 Clematis montana 'Jacqui' was introduced in 1998 by Pennel's Nursery in South
Hykeham near Lincoln. It was grown from a seedling
found by Jacqui Williams when she was working at
Priorswood Clematis in Hertfordshire.
A striking, vigorous and disease-resistant montana,
'Jacqui' can grow to over 6m (20ft) and is absolutely
covered with pinkish buds that open to semi-double,
pink-tinged, white flowers with yellow centres.
This is an outstanding, Group 1, slightly-scented montana flowering
from April to late June which is now widely available
from specialist nurseries.
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| Awards for 2000 |
This year two cultivars
were outstanding. The first was Clematis 'Vostok',
which was raised by Mr M. L. Orlov of the Central
Republic Botanic Gardens of the Ukranian Academy
of Sciences in Kiev. The flowers are large reddish
purple and the flowering time is between July and
September. Although this cultivar was raised in 1963,
it has only recently been introduced to Britain.
The judges decided that C. 'Vostok' was worthy
of the Valarasan-Toomey Medal and the BCS Certificate
of Merit.
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 The second cultivar
is Clematis 'Anita', a selected seedling
of C. potaninii var. fargesii raised at the
nursery of Rinus Zwijenburg in Holland. The small,
semi-nodding white flowers unfurl from creamy yellow
buds and the flowering time is between July and September.
The judges felt C. 'Anita' was slightly let
down by rather straggly growth habit and while deserving
of a Certificate of Merit failed to reach the standard
for the top award.
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 Following the award
ceremony, the judges decided that they should "recommend" to
members any other cultivar that they believed would
be of particular interest to them. Clematis 'Pendragon'
was entered for trial by Mr Robin Savill. It is a crispa-viticella hybrid,
which was raised by Mr Denis Bradshaw and named by
Mr Savill. The flowers, similar in shape to those
of C. 'Etoile Rose', are small, nodding and
reddish purple in colour. The judges concluded that
the plant, although it failed to reach the standard
for an award, exhibited possibilities for inclusion
in a breeding programme and may well yield some interesting
plants for the future. Some members may find C. 'Pendragon'
interesting to grow.
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Awards for 1999 |
The year was not
one that will be remembered with much pleasure
by gardeners in Eastern England. Due to the vagaries
of the weather the level of disease seemed to have
been higher than we would normally have expected.
Those of us that grow roses and clematis saw levels
of mildew at an all time high. Any clematis that
came through 1999 relatively unscathed is entitled
to be called exceptional.
Only one cultivar was selected at
the 1999 trials, described as "a confection
of bright yellow open flowers and fresh green foliage
with silvery seed-heads". This description
refers to Clematis 'Kugotia' (Tangutica
Group), Tradename: Clematis GOLDEN TIARA®.
The judges were unaminous in their verdict. The
plant had already received an Award of Merit and
a First Class Certificate from the Royal Boskoop
Horticultural Society in Holland. |
Clematis GOLDEN
TIARA®, as it is commonly known, was
raised in Holland by Mr. H.J.M. Kuijf from Uithoorn.
It was submitted for trialling by Mr. John Fopma,
the well-known and highly respected Dutch nurseryman.
This is an outstanding plant, not just another
yellow tangutica, but a plant that will light up
your garden.
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Awards for 1998 |
In 1998, the BCS awarded
its Certificate of Merit to four cultivars.
Below
are the four prize winners.
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 Clematis montana 'Broughton
Star' is a quite unique Clematis montana,
with lovely pink, semi-double flowers and beautiful
bronze foliage. Raised by Vince and Sylvia Denny,
who were also awarded the Fame Check Cup, as the
top breeder on the UK mainland.
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 Clematis 'Romantika' is
a very robust, late flowering variety, with dark
violet flowers, suitable for any aspect in the garden.
The plant was raised by the late Estonian breeder
Uno Kivistik, who sadly died earlier in 1998, before
receiving his award.
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 Clematis 'Alionushka' is
a herbaceous cultivar that can grow, with support,
to 2m tall or more in any aspect. This is a beautiful
plant, with rose pink flowers with fleshy, often
twisted, sepals. Raised by A. N. Volosenko-Valenis
and M. A. Beskaravainaja of the Nikitsky Botanic
Gardens, Crimea.
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 Clematis PETIT
FAUCON™ 'Evisix' (N) is another herbaceous
cultivar and a little gem from Raymond Evison.
The cultivar has semi nodding flowers of deep violet
purple, with yellow anthers. It grows to 1m tall
and is suitable for any garden aspect.
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