This is said to produce flowers, and possibly fruits, but I’ve never seen either. It’s a bit overshadowed by the solanum and the summer jasmine, but good at this time of the year.

5 May 19

Here are some flowers

Ladders adequate, if rather wobbly. I’d rather not rest the top of the ladder against the gutter. This shouldn’t be necessary in the future if I do this cutting back every year. It’s hard to tell which way the stems are growing, so there may be some orphaned stems.

19 May 19

Could this rather bare (of flowers) patch, just where I had the ladder, be due to this late cutting back? Get both clematis monata out of the eaves after they’ve flowered this year.

10mm synthetic hemp rope is stretched between the NE corner of the house and the fence along the N side of the back garden to allow Clematis montana and Rosa ‘Albertine’ to reach the house. Simpler and less obtrusive than a pergola. They shouldn’t be visible in a year or two

The wisteria on the back (E facing) wall of the house has now reached the roof. It was planted just over two years ago, is obviously healthy, but hasn’t flowered yet. The variety is Wisteria floribunda ‘Yae-Kokuryu’ (Black Dragon) and it has an AGM.