Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’

Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’ is a classic French cultivar, first introduced in 1899, and it has remained a firm favourite in our nursery for its sheer exuberance and reliable performance. We particularly love its generous, cup-shaped flowers, which emerge a rich carmine red, often deepening to a crimson edge with age, and are beautifully complemented by creamy yellow stamens. It’s a vigorous grower, quickly covering its support, and we’ve observed it to be incredibly floriferous, providing a long season of interest.

To get the best from ‘Ville de Lyon’, we recommend planting it in a spot that receives full sun to partial shade, ensuring its ‘head is in the sun and its feet in the shade’ – this means keeping the root area cool with a layer of mulch or by planting some low-growing perennials around its base. It thrives in fertile, moist, and well-drained soil, tolerating a range of soil types from chalk to clay, and prefers a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. It’s fully hardy across the UK.

As a Group 3 clematis, ‘Ville de Lyon’ flowers on new wood, so we give it a hard prune in late winter or early spring. Simply cut back all stems to a pair of strong buds about 15-30cm (6-12 inches) above ground level before new growth begins. This encourages a fresh flush of growth and ensures a spectacular display from July through to October. Its vibrant blooms attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it a wonderful addition to wildlife gardens. We often pair it with climbing roses for a truly romantic and long-lasting summer spectacle.