Clematis 'Etoile Violette' is one of the long-established favourites. This outstanding deciduous vine produces masses of small, nodding, dark violet-purple flowers, up to 4 in. wide (10 cm), with a creamy boss of stamens. Each flower bears 4 to 6 broad, velvety petals that are well spaced. You will see very little of its fresh green foliage once the plant gets into bloom, so great is the outpouring of purple flowers.

'Etoile Violette' is a member of the small-flowered 'summer' Clematis called 'Viticella', a group including strong vines, easy to grow, amenable to training early in the season, with profuse flowering over a long period.