Looks superb at this time of year. Covers the fence with evergreen foliage without taking up too much depth, and may be the way forward with Plan B for the E fence.

The cistus in F2 has flopped over towards the street. This part is still flowering well, although quite a few stems facing up died and were cut away. This leaves space for something – bluebells, wood anenomes, primroses?

The hibiscus in F1 by the front door has never flowered, in spite of various pruning regimens and lots sulphate of potash. Its leaves are quite attractive in spring, summer and autumn, but I really need something with year-round interest next to the front door. There used to be a clematis ‘Mme Julia Correvon’ behind it but this never got going – probably too shaded. How about Nandina domestica?

The N half of the E fence needs covering all year round. The winter jasmine in the NE corner is slowly recovering from being pruned to the ground a year ago. I need a clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’, an ivy, possibly another ‘Sulphur Heart’, or ‘Goldheart’ if it’s vigorous enough, and another trachelospermum, perhaps asiaticum for a change. The hardy fuschia does a good job, but not in the winter months. It may survive the evergreen climbers for a few years. It’ll certainly be a useful support for them to get going through.

I’ve always thought the gap between the pittosporum and the pond wall was a mistake. I need something reasonably substantial and evergreen here. A pampas grass?

The clematis armandii is doing a superb job of covering the fencing in the SE corner. I need a plant growing in the bed. Fatshedera, bamboo, pittosporum? I cut the red-leaved elder back to the lowest shoots. Probably not far enough. At the National Botanic Garden they coppice some of theirs. The pyracantha never did anything (why?) and has been cut back to a stump preparatory to being dug out.

Rather earlier than previous years, even though it’s a cold Spring. Doesn’t seem to have done any harm.

White mophead on N side of house.

Hydrangea serrata ‘Blubird’ next to Bay tree. I could still go quite a bit lower, I think.

Pinkish lacecap against E fence. It was much too tall, and being used as a support for the Clematis armandii.

Much better now, and the clematis is independently supported by the rope. It would be nice if it became lower and wider, without overwhelming the snowdrops beneath.

More frogspawn than in previous years. I culled about 40 of the biggest great pond snails. There are still plenty. I’ll try to keep moving them away from the spawn.

First tablespoonful seen this morning. More at midday. Lovely sunny afternoon. Quite a lot of frog activity.

I’ve never cut back the Miscanthus in the past, even though it’s said to be deciduous and very much obscures the Helleborus ‘Harvington Pink’ at this time of the year. Let’s hope it recovers well.

First frost to affect plants last night.

Bedding begonias in pot at back look as though they have been hit, although those at the front are fine.

Conversely, the two brugmansias still out at the front look rather bedraggled, while the single one at the back is as good as ever, with 12 flowers out, and more apparently coming.

I brought two of the small brugmansias indoors a couple of weeks ago, cutting one right back and putting its cuttings in water, as usual.

This big one at the back is the best it’s ever been. It gets blown over if it’s left on the astro platform in the wind, and it has to be moved out of the way if I need to get a telescope out. I stopped my weekly feed a week or so ago.

The big and medium plants in the front are looking a bit battered. They can’t be moved out of the wind.