Clematis 'Keith Treadaway'

Clematis of the Month for July 2024

Described by Richard Hodson

C. 'Keith Treadaway'

[Editor's note: Richard Hodson holds the UK National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella, viorna & texensis groups.]

In 2005 I was very pleased to be awarded the status of UK National Collection Holder of Clematis Viticella Group, a position which I still hold. This role involves searching for some of the older varieties of the chosen group of plants, many of which have been sadly lost over the years, then propagating, and making them available again to the gardening public. Also keeping stocks of the newer, more readily available forms. Plus, of course, plenty of paperwork. Over the years I have learned so much from other UK Collection Holders of this fabulous genus, people like Mike Brown, Charlie Pridham, Val le May Neville-Parry, and Keith Treadaway. All legends in my eyes.

Keith was UK National Collection Holder for the Viorna Group of clematis from 1st September 2003 until 1st January 2011 and I had plenty of dialogue with him over that period. He was always ready to help with problems, as were the other Collection Holders.

I only met Keith once. He called here at our Hawthornes Clematis Nursery in Lancashire in August 2007, as he was on his way to the Lake District with his wife Jan. I was aware that he was going to call in and we had arranged to exchange bits of viticella and viorna clematis plant material and seeds.

I was really pleased when he gave me some young Viticella Group seedlings, which he had grown from C. 'Joan Baker' seed from the British Clematis Society Seed Exchange, probably donated by Mike Brown, who I obtained a piece of the much-coveted C. 'Joan Baker' from a few years later.

I grew Keith's Viticella seedlings on until flowering stage when one of them really stood out so I planted it in the garden, probably 12 years ago, possibly more. It is still in the same position in the garden, growing through a pink rose, R. 'Reine des Violettes', through a very tall metal obelisk together with a pink Viorna Group cultivar, C. 'Odoriba', which I like very much.

It is a fabulous plant, receives no attention apart from hard pruning every February, but does receive a lot of comments from garden visitors. The flower shape very similar to C. 'Jolly Jake' or C. 'Carol Leeds', but a very unusual silvery-blue colour. Superb foliage, disease-free, very floriferous over a long Summer period. Immaculate.

C. 'Keith Treadaway' - striking bloom and very floriferous

All this time I had the plant labelled as XJB2×KT. (Sadly, foolishly, I lost another seedling from the same batch which I had grown on for a few years, labelled as XJB1×KT, a lovely flower.)

Every year I looked at the plant XJB2×KT and I ask myself, why have I not propagated it, then I always reply, yes, I will do next year.

So now after the very sad news that Keith had passed away, with the approval of Keith’s family, the plant labelled XJB2×KT has been registered as Clematis 'Keith Treadaway', and I hope we that will be able to have plants available soon.

[Editor's note: Unfortunately, due to the difficulties and costs of exporting plants, I believe it is likely that these will only be available within the UK.]

Keith Treadaway, with thanks to Family Treadaway

Richard Hodson