Hail the King of Clematis: An audience with horticultural royalty

Raymond Evison is the King of Clematis. How has he earnt this title? By being the most successful breeder of new varieties in the world and running a Guernsey-based business so important to the island that it has won him an OBE. And all this while remaining so passionate that his idea of a holiday is to go off and look for new species in the wild.

Stunning new clematis varieties appear from Evison's nurseries with dazzling regularity, especially when you consider the eight-year trialling he insists upon to check his creations are garden-worthy. At Chelsea 2008, it was his "Rebecca" that won worldwide fans for its seductive, velvety, Routemastery red. There may be other clematis breeders; there may be more subtle flowers on offer; but Evison is the undisputed title-holder for creating blooms that can cheer up your entire day.

This year, with his book Clematis For Small Spaces (Timber Press, £20), Evison extends his remit to those of us gardening on patios, decks and balconies. "The idea was to select clematis that would give a maximum amount of flower over the longest period," he explains. Full of helpful advice and planting combinations, the book is a must for any enthusiast.

It's not too late in the year to seek out clematis colour: hundreds of varieties are happily flowering as temperatures cool. Evison is also a fan of the elegant wiry seedheads, and advocates removing half to let the plant recover while leaving a good few for decorative wintry effect.

Success with clematis requires following a few simple rules. They need their roots to be shaded, however hot their tops are; this can be done by putting other plants in around their feet, and by making sure that any container is substantial and won't heat up in sunlight (not plastic or galvanised metal). Prevent the dreaded clematis wilt by digging a deeper hole so your plant will be a couple of inches lower than the soil, rather than level with the surface.

It's the pruning, though, that people generally find the most off-putting. If you are buying late-flowering clematis now (from so-called "group 3"), plants will not need pruning until early spring, using a technique Evison likes to call a "ponytail cut": simply gather up all the stems at about 30cm above soil level, and chop them all at this height. Establish your clematis group when you buy – it should be on the label – and then check with a reputable website such as the RHS before pruning: a tiny bit of fuss in exchange for the most delicious burst of brightness.

www.raymondevisonclematis.com. Raymond Evison is at Wisley for a clematis day today giving talks at 11.30am and 2.30pm. Full details at www.rhs.org.uk

Crowning glories: Three Evison specials

Fleuri

An outrageous little clematis, growing to only 4ft, whose deep-purple flowers are streaked with a fantastic fuchsia

Ooh La La

One for a shady location as its candy-pink-and-white stripes will fade in stronger light. Suitable for a container, this produces an outstanding number of flowers for its size

Galore

Another beauty, with large royal purple flowers in a classic five-pointed star. Put it somewhere sunny to get the richest colour and expect it to grow tall

All £12 from www.raymondevisonclematis.com or reputable garden centres such as Hilliers (www.hillier.co.uk)