Clematis alpina 'Constance'

With such TLC it's no wonder it's showing off. Good job.

I had to 'invent' this system last year, when my Clematis near the stone walls kept being gobbled by snails - It works really well. If I find a snail climbing up the plastic, I have a pot of vaseline to foil it! :-)

I saw one of these in a garden centre this week and I was going to buy it, but I saw that it had nearly 2 ft of bare stems and then lots of leaves and flowers on the top. I left it there but am looking for one now - it's really nice and on my want list.

Good idea..... well worth saving...

My 'Mrs Cholmondely' got eaten three times, and I thought she would give up - but she sprouted from the roots and has a plastic bottle guard now. They are not very pretty, but once you grow foliage round them, they can't be seen.

I shall do ANYTHING to foil the dreaded snails!

Hywel, you can always plant something to cover the bare stems.

Yes well it's too late now. The garden centre was where we went last Wednesday. It's about 30 miles away. I'll see one somewhere else no doubt.

They're pretty easy from seed, Blod - not named, of course but quite a variety of pinks and blues.

Thanks. Never seen those but it's worth keeping an eye .

I think I shall have to move to Somerset, you are obviously so much warmer, all our clematis are still in bud.

My C. alpina 'Jaqueline du Pre' is in bloom, and the montanas are juuuust about to open their buds, so yes, we probably are! Not a lot, but just enough to be a couple of weeks ahead, maybe.

Yes another few days of sunshine should do it now, and with a bit of luck I will have some flowers!!