I agree with Obelixx, but....... I have a clematis Pink Champagne which is trying to grow up my purple leafed cherry tree and a Clematis cirrhoris "Freckles" which is now very established and vigorous. It is now growing along an east facing fence and stray bits have now latched onto a nearby 40 ft silver birch tree so it will be interesting to see how far it gets (can't reach the bits to cut them down).
A poster above mentions silver birches not being long lived. These ones were put into the soil over 40 years ago as 10” high seedlings. Be sure to give them the required space.
They are lovely trees if they are in a space that allows them to grow to their desired height but certainly not a tree for a suburban garden. They look blinking awful when they are pruned/lopped. I have one in my garden and for various reasons had to get it lopped - interfering with telephone lines and it overhung the church next door quite a lot giving them extra work to sweep the leaves and brittle twigs etc. Anyway, it was taken down to about 25ft and every year it grows at least another 6-10 ft straight up. It looks ok in the summer when clothed with leaves but in the winter it looks ***** awful. Seriously considering getting it taken down altogether and getting another tree planted.
'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
My cirrhosa curled up from the cold in Belgium despite being in the most sheltered spot I could give it. I've bought another for this garden - Freckles this time - and expect it to do much better. Just need to get beds made and supports in so I can enjoy it and all the others to the full.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I love the picture of the s.b. Picidae - there are many different types of s.b. - ours are (I think) called Snow Queen which are upright so there shouldn't be any branches hanging down. We have two already that are approx 15 years old and yes they do grow extremely quickly, especially where the water table is high. We have two willows too, and they also soon took off growing enormous in just a few years. We are lucky to have so many trees - the moss on the lawn like them too.
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.