Clematis

Hi, I'm new to this forum and would like some advice.

Due to ill health I am unable to look after my clematis. Its circa 25 years old and covers a wall at the bottom of my garden. It has grown up and beyond the gutter height of the wall (2 storeys). The wall is the rear of a massive shed owned by the local council. The rainwater now runs down off the roof into my garden turning my lawn into a swamp.

I have decided to remove the clematis and was wondering if I cut through the main stems (circa 75mm in diameter) and left it, would it just fall off the wall over time or will I have to cut it down completely?

Many thanks in advance.

 

Hello Alastair and welcome to the forum.
If you cut through the stems of the clematis everything above the cuts will just turn brown and die. You might be left with some thick, tangled branches which will take a while to biodegrade but they will go in time.
Below the cuts the clematis might break and grow again. How rampant that growth will be depends on the variety. Do you know what it is ? Or can you post a pic.
If it's Tangutica, Montana or even Armandii it could be back to the top of that wall in one year but at least the growth wouldn't be so dense.

 

Alistair, may I ask, how is the clematis growing up the wall?

 

3" diameter is a fair old size! I bet it looks amazing in flower! Are you sure it's a clematis?

 

Hi,

Alice, thanks for your advice. I'll reply to daitheplant and Rob Jones in turn.

Daitheplant,

Not sure what you mean. The roots come out of the ground at the foot of the wall and the branches attach themselves to the wall all the way up. There are green leaves all over but they do not flower.

Rob Jones,

3" is indeed a fair old size, however as I said above it doesn't flower, so maybe its not a clematis.