 C. 'Sophie Camilla' on 05.10.22 - note the deep veined, wide, spatulate sepals on stems 12cm long and delightful bright green leaves - this was the first time I noticed the plant though it was already over 3m tall and had clearly been growing for some years |
'Sophie Camilla' is a self-set Montana seedling which I first noticed flowering in early October 2022. The stems were already at least 6m long when I first saw the plant and took pictures of the flowers, so I believe the plant must have been growing for more than three years without my noticing (it's in a very full bed along with Clematis Montana 'Freda' and other montana seedlings).
 C. 'Sophie Camilla' - 04.05.23 - with the lovely deep pink montana C. 'Freda' top right - Freda was the name of Sophie Camilla's grandmother who taught me to garden in the late fifties. Note the beautifully shaped bicolour C. 'Sophie Camilla' buds above the flowers which are 7cm in diameter |
 Growth points low down on the old stems - suitable to cut back to here - prune one stem a year for 3 years to keep compact |
All three thick stems now have tiny leaf growth emerging within a few centimetres of the stones. It should, therefore, be possible to cut one stem down to a low growth point each year to keep the plant within its self-allotted space. I plan to do that after the early flowering this year, before watering and feeding the root area. I want to prevent it scrambling up and over the felt tack-room roof where it might burn in the intense heat. Given the lack of soil in the rooting area, for the last three years I have been feeding and watering around the roots on 'feeding Friday' when watering and feeding the numerous pot plants around my home. The root area is kept cool with copious leaf mould. This treatment has been carried out for every good seedling that has emerged from the cracks between my bungalow walls and the adjoining stones or concrete – it seems to work well and the seedlings flourish.
 C. 'Sophie Camilla' - 08.05.24 |
 C. 'Sophie Camilla' - 27.08.24 - shows the reliable second flowering of the seedling with flower shape and colour both front and back at every stage of opening |
C. 'Sophie Camilla' has proved its worth for the last three years and will be registered in 2025. The flowers are initially pinky-white, lightly ruffle edged, deeply veined, finally opening to white with hint-of-pink-edges and centres. Flowers are uniformly 7cms diameter on 12cm stems, standing proud of the surrounding viburnum and clematis leaves. Sepals are gently reflexed along the edges and tips when fully open. There is a hint of light green on the reverse of the sepals. Sophie Camilla visited me on 07.02.25 and I pictured her standing by the emerging stems. As I write on 27th March 'Sophie Camilla' is budding up nicely. The flowers weren't open when Jonathan Buckley came in early May 2024 to take pictures for an article for Country Life UK magazine, so pictures of C. 'Sophie Camilla' won't feature in the article, which is planned for the 9th April edition of the Magazine. I have, however, mentioned the cultivar in the text as a plant to look out for. Richard Hodson has kindly offered to cultivate, promote and sell some of the best montana seedlings. I plan to get material to him as soon as it's available.
 Sophie Camilla holding a stem of the seedling named in her honour on 07.02.25 - note how close to the wall the plant has set itself - shows three strong stems |
 New buds appearing by 27.03.25 - a bit late this year owing to the bitter winds throughout spring |
Val Le May Neville-Parry