On 06/05/20 14:45, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
On 06/05/2020 12:51, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 06/05/20 11:26, Charlie Pridham wrote:
On 06/05/2020 09:41, Jeff Layman wrote:
I bought this a few years ago, but the label has disappeared.

It is in flower now, and the flowers are around 15cm across.Â* I though
they were just doubles, white to off-white, but the second photo showing
the outer petals with quite strong green markings, and some in the
centre is something I haven't noticed before. Even the first photo shows
some light greenish shading towards the centre.

https://ibb.co/hLrfj9B
https://ibb.co/fd3dxPJ

Its Duchess of Edinburgh

Thanks Charlie - spot on!

I remember now when I bought it, at the same time as "Barbara
Harrington", that I thought the name "Duchess of Edinburgh" was very
unusual. Despite "Duke of Edinburgh" being heard everywhere in relation
to a certain Royal, I'd never heard the term "Duchess of Edinburgh"
until then.


Per WikiPedia, the title of Duke of Edinburgh has been created three
times. The second creation, of 1866, was for Queen Victoria's second
son, Prince Alfred. I'd guess that this is an old variety, named after
his wife (Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia).

Yes, I had a look on the internet after Charlie had named the plant.
There was surprisingly little original information, excepting that on
Maria Alexandrovna. Most of it was very recent tabloid nonsense about
who will be the next Duke (and his wife would therefore be the Duchess)
when the current one "moves on".

I'd tried looking through the various photos on Google images for "white
double flower clematis" but soon gave up as there were so many. I did
come across a nice clematis though - "Miss Bateman". See he
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/265712446741124457/

Trouble is, that green stripe appears to have been photoshopped to make
it more intense according to other photos of it. Pity - a clematis like
that would be a very welcome addition.

--

Jeff