When there’s not alot else going on in the middle of winter the backlit frothy mass of wild clematis is a lovely thing to see.
This is a plant I wasn’t particularly aware of until this winter. When I first began to be interested in horticulture I was drawn to the showy blooms of high tea roses and exotic colour of agapanthus. Since becoming a dog owner (and therefore walker) I am finding myself more and more drawn to the plants that define Britain and it’s wilder, softer landscapes with messy hedgerows and un-mown verges.
This winter, while out walking on a cold day the low afternoon light was illuminating the frothy flower heads of wild clematis. Wild clematis is by all accounts considered a thug in our woodlands and hedgerow. It forms thick arms that drape themselves over the plants around it like a jungle vine. It is found in the south of England and is an indication of chalk soil. Wild clematis has two common names. The first is old man’s beard. When you see the fluffy seed heads the similarity to an old man’s beard is apparent.
According to the woodland trust it has the medicinal properties of being an anti inflammatory and can be used to treat skin irritation, hence the second common name of traveller’s joy. It is also the food of a very specific moth, the chalk carpet moth which reminds us that all plants have important roles. Don’t plant this one in a small town garden but do take a moment of appreciation in the cold winter months.
