Description and subtleties of growing clematis varieties Princess Diana

Clematis Princess Diana has uniquely shaped flowers and lush foliage. A powerful vine is planted next to gazebos, terraces, and hedges. The hybrid is easy to propagate. It is not difficult to care for, which is why Russian flower growers love it. It is grown in different climatic zones.

History of selection

Flower growers have been growing Clematis Princess Diana since 1984. It was bred in England and named after Lady Diana. The author of the hybrid is Barry Fretwell. During hybridization, he used representatives of the Clematis texensis group. These varieties have an original flower shape that resembles a tulip.

Other varieties of this group are popular among amateur gardeners:

• Odoriba;
• Etoile Rose;
• Lawrence

They differ only in the color of the petals. All adapt well to any climate zone. They are not afraid of heat or low temperatures. Clematis texensis varieties belong to the 3rd pruning group.

Description and characteristics of clematis Diana

Hybrid Princess Diana blooms long and profusely. The buds bloom from July to September. The flowers are funnel-shaped, similar to a tulip. The color of the pointed petals is bright pink, the color of the stamens is bright yellow, white or cream. The flowers of the vine are quite large. Their diameter is 5-7 cm. They are all directed upward.

Flower buds form on this year's young shoots. They bloom from late June to October. Hybrid 3rd class pruning, all shoots are cut off for the winter. During the season, new ones grow from 1.5 to 2.5 m long. Clematis Princess Diana can be grown in regions of the 4th winter hardiness zone. The underground part of the perennial does not freeze out at -35 °C.

Advantages and disadvantages of culture

Clematis Princess Diana has a drawback. The perennial is not resistant to fungal diseases. There are several advantages:

• winter hardiness;
• long flowering;
• original flowers;
• There are no special requirements for soil or care.

Features of growing flowers

Liana Princess Diana, planted with love and according to the rules, lives long. In summer she decorates the garden with her bright flowers.

Landing dates

Princess Diana seedlings are planted in a permanent place in spring and autumn. The exact timing depends on the climatic conditions of the area.

Region	Term
	Autumn	Spring
North Caucasus	October (beginning of the month)	April (beginning of the month)
Krasnodar region
Leningrad region	August (end of the month), September (beginning of the month)	May
Siberia
Ural
Middle lane	September (until mid-month)	April (end of the month), May (beginning of the month)
Moscow region

Preparing the site

The root zone of clematis should be in the shade, and the above-ground part should be illuminated by the sun for at least 5 hours a day. For Princess Diana, areas located in the lowlands, in a draft, or in the shade are not suitable. Perennials cannot be planted along the walls of a house if there is no drainage on the roof. The soil needs to be loose, fertile, neutral or slightly acidic.

Selection and preparation of planting material

For a beginner, it is better to buy a seedling in a container. He will settle in well. Planting dates do not play a big role. When purchasing a Princess Diana cutting with open roots, evaluate:

• condition of the roots;
• appearance of the shoot(s);
• the presence of dormant buds.

The absence of mechanical damage is an important condition. Planting material is stored in a cool room.

Planting process

To fill the hole, prepare a mixture of humus and garden soil in a 1:1 ratio. It is filled with superphosphate and dolomite flour. For 2 buckets they spend:

• 150 g superphosphate;
• 400 g dolomite flour.

The dimensions of the planting holes are 60 * 60 * 70 cm. They are dug no closer than 30 cm from the support or fence. The bottom is covered with crushed stone, broken brick or a mixture of both. To prevent water from stagnating, maintain a thickness of 20 cm.

Seedlings with an open root system are placed on a small mound, which is poured into the center of the planting hole. It is covered with the prepared fertile mixture. The root collar is buried. After planting, it should be at a depth of 10 cm. There should be a support next to the vine; its optimal height is 1.5-2 m.

Further care

Care is simple, but requires a systematic approach. Only if all the activities are carried out, clematis Princess Diana blooms profusely and for a long time in the summer.

Watering

If the plant lacks moisture, the flowers and leaves become smaller and fall off. It loses its decorative effect. Young vines are watered at least once a week. In hot, dry weather more often - once every 5 days. The need for watering arises when the soil dries out at a depth of 20 cm.

Top dressing

In the first year of life, the vine is not fed. Starting from the second year, nutrients are added annually:

• in early spring - fertilizers containing nitrogen (urea, ammonium nitrate) and milk of lime;
• when buds appear - fats containing potassium;
• in autumn (after flowering) - superphosphate;
• complex fertilizer for clematis - in late autumn.

Mulching and loosening

Princess Diana likes the soil around the bush to be moist. To create comfortable conditions for the plant, the root zone is mulched with peat, humus, and compost. To provide oxygen access to the roots, the soil is loosened after watering (rain).

Trimming

The vine shoots are cut off in the fall. Small stumps 10-15 cm high are left. In the southern regions, if they want early flowering, 1-2 strong shoots are left. In summer, pruning stimulates abundant flowering. Remove faded tops of shoots.

Preparing for winter

When weather forecasters predict the first frost, Princess Diana's bush is spudded. A mound 10-15 cm high is formed around the stumps. It will protect the perennial from the first frosts. The soil around the bush is sprayed with a fungicide solution and sprinkled with ash. This is the prevention of fungal diseases.

Shelter for the winter

Flower growers in the Urals and Siberia do not deprive themselves of pleasure; they grow Princess Diana clematis on their plots. To protect against severe frosts, an air-dry shelter is built over perennials:

• install a frame 40 cm high (boxes, arcs);
• throw on insulation material (film, foam rubber, reed mats).

The shelter is installed when the temperature reaches sub-zero temperatures at night.

Protection from diseases and pests

The hybrid is resistant to powdery mildew pathogens, but may suffer from other types of fungus. The vine must be protected from wilt (verticillium wilt):

• in the spring, water the soil around the bush with Previcura solution, add 25 ml of the product to 10 liters of water;
• Spray growing shoots with a 3% solution of copper sulfate;
• Dust the root zone and soil with ash.

If brown spots appear on the leaves in summer, the bush is sprayed with cuprum oxychloride. At the end of summer and autumn, they are treated with copper sulfate against cylindrosporiosis and ascotychosis.

Reproduction methods

Princess Diana is propagated vegetatively. The old bush is rejuvenated by dividing the rhizomes. In the fall, they dig it up, divide the root into parts, leaving 1-2 buds on each division. In the spring, when the vine produces young shoots, it is propagated by layering:

• dig a shallow furrow;
• they put the shoot in it;
• pinned;
• The groove is covered with soil when the shoot sprouts 10 cm long shoots.

In summer, the tops of the sprouts are pinched. A year later, the rooted vines are separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a new location.

At the end of May and early June, the Princess Diana hybrid is propagated by cuttings. Each plant leaves 2 buds and one internode. The material is rooted in fertile soil, which is poured into a container, glass, or on a ridge.

Using Diana in landscape design

The liana is used as an element of vertical garden compositions. Princess Diana decorates gazebos, terraces, and disguises work areas in the local area. If the landscape has complex terrain, the hybrid is used as a ground cover plant.

Clematis Princess Diana is planted in the center of flower garden arrangements. Annuals are planted around the vines. They cover the lower part of the bush, creating a useful shadow, and hide the shoots exposed below.