Later flowering clematis include the easiest to grow of all, the viticellas. These flower after midsummer and are cut back hard in March to produce strong new shoots. Some viticellas can have asymmetrical flowers blotched in green, but the most popular tend to have regular flowers in deep-purple and wine-red. They are splendid follow up acts to once and only flowering roses. Try twining the apricot rambling rose 'Goldfinch' and the purple Clematis 'Étoile Violette' around an old post in the garden. The Clematis Society voted this purple clematis, raised by Morel in France in 1885, into top spot in 2006 - so it must be good! This is the desert island clematis then, early to flower ( by July) and always pristine due to its golden eye.