C. 'Kathryn Chapman'
At the International Clematis Society Conference in Cornwall in 2016, I had the pleasure of getting to know Sheila Chapman, a well-known British clematis nurserywoman (now retired) who has won multiple medals at the Chelsea Flower Show for her clematis displays. From her, I learned about Clematis 'Kathryn Chapman', a viticella cross between C. 'Minuet' and an unknown clematis, which she introduced in 1998. She was so pleased with the result that she named it after her daughter, Kathryn Chapman.
I have enjoyed growing C. 'Kathryn Chapman' in my Seattle garden for several years and think fondly of Sheila each year when it blooms in July and August. It is a tough and vigorous plant that grows to about 8 – 10 feet (2.5 to 3 meters). The dainty white blossoms are only 2 – 4 inches around (5 – 10 centimeters) with 4 – 6 blunt-ended tepals. The anthers are green with dark burgundy tips that contrast pleasantly with the pale tepals. Some say the tepals start out a lemony yellow that fades to white, but in my garden, they start white and stay white, except for a very pale pinkish streak on the backside. The flowers and buds have a charming habit of hanging downward on long stems and are seen best from below.
In my garden, by a charming happenstance, C. 'Kathryn Chapman' frolics with C. 'Vitiwester', a lovely red viticella hybridized by Ton Hannink, which is known in the US as C. BURNING LOVE. The contrast of the small white flowers dangling over, around, and through the larger red blooms is lovely. One could get a similar effect with any dark-tepaled clematis and, I think, with pink ones, like C. 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' as well.
If you can find one, get it! You won't be sorry!
 Fat little buds dangling from a main stem |
 Buds of C. 'Kathryn Chapman' cozying up to C. 'Vitiwester |
 The two clematis blooming together |
 Another photo of the happy pair |
Laura Watson