New Varieties and Sustainable Practices Lead the Way
For over six decades, Raymond Evison has dedicated his life to searching for, breeding, and developing clematis plants. With almost 40 years of experience growing clematis young plants on the island of Guernsey, Evison embarked on his own clematis breeding program in 2014. Now, nearly a decade later, the first varieties from this program have emerged. At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year, they unveiled their inaugural offering, Clematis Tumaini™ EviGsy151(PBR), with two more slated for release next year. These varieties are carefully bred and propagated at the Guernsey Clematis Nursery and are distributed worldwide.
Sustainability at the Core
Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd is a major producer of around 2.5 million young clematis plants each year, occupying 3 acres of land, which meets 20% of the world’s annual demand for young clematis plants. Their primary markets include North America, the UK, and Europe. Sustainability has always been a top priority for the nursery, and their commitment to environmentally friendly practices was recognized when they received a Royal Warrant last year. This prestigious honor, granted by HRH The Prince of Wales at the time, acknowledged not only their role as a supplier of plants to the Royal Household but also their high level of sustainability.
Evison explains, “95% of the materials we use are recycled or recyclable, we harvest rainwater from our glass houses and use it for 3-4 months, and now we have solar panels that generate 80% of our electricity needs.” In addition to these efforts, they have significantly reduced their use of peat, with plans to be 90% peat-free next year.
Breeding Excellence
After many years of successful collaboration with Poulsen Rosea A/S, Raymond Evison embarked on his own breeding program, the Raymond J Evison Ltd breeding program, in 2014. Although they have been breeding for nearly a decade, the real journey has just begun. “It takes about 8-10 years from pollination to market launch,” says Evison, emphasizing that 2023 marks the beginning of the next phase in their breeding journey.
What sets their varieties apart, according to Evison, is their strength, ability to bloom repeatedly, and extended flowering period. “We aim to produce plants that are easy for growers to cultivate, easy for retailers to sell, and easy for consumers to nurture.”
New Varieties on the Horizon
Clematis Tumaini EviGsy151(PBR) made its debut as the first offering from the breeding program at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show earlier this year. Two additional varieties, Clematis Guernsey Flute EviGsy153 (PBR) and Clematis Lindsay EviGsy152(PBR), are scheduled for release next year. Evison provides insight into these newcomers, saying, “Guernsey Flute is a white, long-flowering variety that can bloom for about 8 weeks, offering an attractive option for consumers. Lindsay is a deep purple/blue clematis, named after our director, Lindsay Reid, who has worked alongside me for over 30 years and is set to retire at the end of this year.”
Thriving Clematis Market
Evison observes that the clematis market is thriving, with sales on the rise worldwide, except in China, where plant material imports have seen a downturn for some time. Overall, Evison is optimistic, stating, “Clematis remains in high demand; there is always room for a clematis in a garden, and it is easy to grow and a rewarding plant with lots of flowers.”
High Hopes for New Varieties
When looking to the future, Evison has high hopes for their new varieties. He highlights their extended flowering periods as a significant advantage, benefiting both retailers and consumers. He notes, “Many traditional varieties only bloom for two weeks, whereas our new varieties can extend to up to 8 weeks, offering exceptional shelf-life. Retailers will have a more extended selling window because consumers prefer plants with flowers. Additionally, our varieties are easy to prune; we call it the ponytail cut.”
To support their new selections, they entered into a working relationship with Plantipp BV earlier this year to manage plant patents and plant breeder’s rights. Evison views this partnership as mutually beneficial.
To further assist retailers and consumers, they have engaged with them through social media, extending their support throughout the supply chain. By helping others succeed, they aim to stimulate demand for their clematis plants.