Long-time Gramophone contributor, and keen gardener, Alan Blyth has been commemorated in a clematis – officially named the Alan Blyth Clematis. The plant, with its striking purple flowers, appeared in his garden in Lavenham, Suffolk, some years before he died, and each year has returned ever more healthy. His widow Sue wondered what variety it was and following some research was unable to identify it, so she applied to the International Registrar of Clematis Names and last week was informed that it had been registered. The task now is to propagate enough cuttings to send the Alan Blyth Clematis out into the world: the beneficiary of any sales will be the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.