C. heracleifolia 'Cassandra' and C. 'Eclipse' had been standing in big pots either side of my north facing front door for some years when I spotted a seedling growing in the gravel nearby. It had the golden tinted leaves of C. 'Eclipse' and in autumn 2010 I dug it up and placed it in a south facing but shady site. By late summer 2011 it flowered for the first time. The leaves were now slightly greener than C. 'Eclipse', the flowers were twice the size and it had the deep violet-blue colour and heavenly scent of C. heracleifolia 'Cassandra'. I had been looking for something to name after my late husband, Chris, who died at the beginning of 2010. Mike Brown agreed that this was an exceptional plant in the making and worthy of naming, which I duly did. C. 'Chris' is more compact than any other named heracleifolia in my garden, with shorter stems and an abundance of closely spaced, richly perfumed clusters of deep violet-blue flowers of similar size and colour to C. heracleifolia 'Cassandra'. It seems likely that C. 'Eclipse' and C. heracleifolia 'Cassandra' are the seed and pollen parents as they were the only heracleifolia plants in my garden at the time. Marcus Dancer Plants took dozens of cuttings in late spring 2012, selling the plants at British Clematis Society (BCS) meetings and Farmers Markets until he ceased trading in 2021. The plant was entered into the BCS International Trials and C. 'Chris' was awarded a Certificate of Merit in 2016. My Chris would have been so proud of the honour. Fiona Woolfenden has an original plant from the Trials Ground and Julian Noble and Keith Shortland both have cuttings taken from my original plant. On 22nd September 2019, Fiona Woolfenden posted pictures of her C. 'Chris' on the IClS Facebook page, writing "This is C. 'Chris' which is growing in a pot on my patio and has (performed) far better this year than the more well known similar heracleifolia, C. 'New Love'. We can smell the scent (whilst) sitting outside in the evening. It is still in flower now. C. 'Chris' was named by Val Le May Neville-Parry after her late husband." C. 'Chris' taken 7th September 2013
On 4th September 2022 Keith Shortland reported the following: "Some years ago Val very kindly gave me a small rooted cutting of C. 'Chris', a lovely herbaceous specimen named after her late husband. It is noticeably deep violet-blue when it opens and has smaller leaves than other heracleifolias. My specimen has been planted in a container by the front door all its short life and thrived. Both its flower colour and their fragrance are an object of comment through late August and September. This year, it has battled the unusual conditions but is surviving very well, and even flowering. It has done considerably better than some of the older and deeply planted clematis vines. My intention to take cuttings may have to await its recovery and the better weather of next spring. Perhaps, in due course, a brace of C. 'Chris' could decorate the entrance."
C. 'Chris' in the British Clematis Society Trial Ground, September 2017
C. 'Chris' in the garden of Fiona Woolfenden, end of July 2022
C. 'Chris' growing well in a pot in the garden of Fiona Woolfenden, August 2017
Julian Noble, Secretary of the British Clematis Society, has also grown the plant from a rooted cutting taken 2013. Nine years later, on 26th August 2022, he reported "It is looking really good, still growing in a large pot", attaching the picture below.
C. 'Chris', by Keith Shortland
It is clear to me that C. 'Chris' is a beautiful, healthy, long lived and relatively compact cultivar, both in the ground and in pots. It tolerates a range of soils and geographical areas around England. With its many gloriously scented, deep violet-blue flowers it would be a welcome addition to any garden. I must register the plant and ensure that a clematis nursery can continue to supply C. 'Chris' whilst there is still cutting material available from reliable sources such as Fiona, Julian and Keith. Smack on my wrist for the delay in registration! It clearly deserves formal recognition and commercial propagation so that more gardeners can enjoy this remarkable plant.
C. 'Chris', taken 25 August 2022 by Julian Noble. Note the bright slightly lime-green, relatively small leaves and deep violet-blue flowers just opening.
Val Le May Neville-Parry
