Today was another nice day, so I decided to prune the clematis and solanum that grow together up the side of the kitchen window. I usually do them about now, and they both look a real mess when I’ve finished, but it’s not long before they begin to put out shoots and very soon they will both be thriving. In fact the clematis already has lots of buds on, so I’m not a moment too soon.

The clematis is Vyvyan Pennell who grows very vigorously on this south facing wall, producing huge purple flowers for most of the year. The solanum is Solanum Jasminoides Album, commonly known as the potato vine. This produces tiny white flowers and is also pretty vigorous in it’s growth. One year their leaves were so dense that a blackbird made her nest in them. If I leaned over the sink and looked right I could actually see her sat on her nest through the kitchen window.

I also took the opportunity to cut back one of the hardy fuchsias in flower bed 4, plus a hypericum and two clumps of iris. As I was clearing up I also noticed that the hemerocallis have new green shoots poking through last years dead leaves. I’m having to pinch myself once again to remember it’s only the middle of January.

vyvyanpennellsolanum1