Clematis 'Stand by Me Pink'

Clematis 'Stand by Me Pink': Pink Bells on a Clematis That Won't Climb

Soft pink bells on a bush that refuses to climb anything, because frankly it has better things to do. Thread-like seed heads follow, like the plant got a little wild after the party. PRETTY IN PINK, FEET ON THE GROUND.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Clematis hybrid
• Common Name: Bush Clematis
• Series: Stand by Me, a Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 97–107 cm (38–42 in)
• Spread: 61–66 cm (24–26 in)
• Flowers: Soft pink, nodding bells, followed by thread-like seed heads
• Bloom Time: Late spring through summer (June to August), with rebloom
• Foliage: Broad and green, on upright, non-vining stems
• Features: Non-vining, rabbit resistant

Where to Plant: Plant it mid-border in a sunny cottage garden, where the pink bells can mingle with the plants around it. It needs support, so give it a peony ring or place it among sturdy neighbours. It's also lovely in a big container with a cage hidden inside.

Companion Plants: Plant 'Stand by Me Pink' in a sunny or part-shade bed with deep red peonies and blue lupines. Paeonia 'Buckeye Belle' opens glossy deep red peonies at 60 to 75 cm in late May and early June. Lupinus 'Gallery Blue' adds deep blue spikes at 45 to 60 cm in June and July. Hemerocallis EveryDaylily™ Orange® brings bright orange daylilies at 35 cm from June to September. Pennisetum 'Piglet' fills in at 40 to 50 cm with soft, fluffy plumes from August to October.

Plant Care: Grow it in full sun to part sun in average, well-drained soil, ideally neutral to slightly alkaline. Keep the base shaded with mulch or low companions so the roots stay cool and moist. Water regularly through the first year and during dry spells. Set up the support early in spring. This clematis is herbaceous, so the stems die back each winter. In spring, cut them down to 8–10 cm (3–4 in), and fresh shoots will come up from below the soil.

History: 'Stand by Me Pink' was bred by Hans A. Hansen in Zeeland, Michigan, in 2013, by crossing the original 'Stand by Me' bush clematis with a pink-flowered Clematis integrifolia. That species is a non-climbing clematis from Europe and Asia that gardeners have grown for centuries.

Final Thoughts: No trellis, no ties, no deer damage. Just plant it and stand back. LOW EFFORT, HIGH ROMANCE.