Another surprise today....Akebia Quinata flowering

Lovely colour

Thanks Sheila. This climbing shrub has so much going for it. The foliage is early and elegant, it grows fast, so is great for covering a fence or wall, the flowers are strange and fascinating and they also have a vanilla/chocolate scent. In a very mild situ. it will be semi-evergreen as well. There is also a cream form, which I planted last year...so I'm hoping for my first flower on that one soon!

I remember this plant from last year in your garden Karen, it is so unusual, and as you say, it ticks all the boxes, I love it..

thanks Ydd! I've been hauling it back from over the fence today....it was making a bid for next door's garden! It is a bit rampant, but you can prune it back with no ill effects.

Karen, you wrote it has also a chocolate scent - I found its English name is chocolate vine :). Bring a photo in the summer, please, how it looks like on the wall after few months. It really seems an interesting climber. I also have several shady walls...

One link, which might interest you:
http://growingpeople.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/edible-of-the-week-akebia-quinata/

Will do Katarina, thanks! :)

This is another to try in the next garden :o)

A really unusual plant Karen.

it is lovely - mine is nowhere near as far on as yours, in fact it looks still asleep, but it was the same last year too.

That's a bit strange....I wonder why....it does get a bit of sun for a short time in the morning, but mostly in the shade. I think there are a couple of flower buds on the new cream flowered one I planted last year, which is exciting!

Wow , yours is early , mine is way behind. Perhaps its because mine is in the shade, although they're not supposed to mind this.

No, and mine is also in the shade apart from about one hour or so in the morning. I don't know why it has come out so early this year Rose, but isn't it a lovely surprise! :) We have had a relatively mild winter this year, although not nearly as mild as 2007 when we had no frost at all to speak of! We have had lots of very hard over-night frosts this year, but no prolonged cold spells or snow and ice.

Ours is way behind yours.......it died! moved at the wrong time of year..I was rather fond of it too.

Lovely :))) mine is in bloom too, I thought the same, I have never seen it in bloom so early before. :))

Oh DD, you can easily get another..they are so lovely! No flower this year on the white one, but perhaps next year..something to look forward to.

Thanks Michaella. A lot of things are early this year.

Homebird...you'll love it! :)