Photo by Gayla Trail All Rights Reserved

I should amend the title to say, Clematis ‘Vienetta’, Or, Err, At Least I Think.

The genus clematis is certainly not my area by any stretch. I fall into the category of How do you pronounce it? and please don’t hurt me if I’m wrong. Basically the whole culture around clematis kind of freaks me out so I stay away from the plants with a ten foot pole. Please, there’s already enough drama in food gardening.

Mind, I used to be like that about roses too, so I suppose there is hope for me yet.

But my neighbour garden pal Barry, who is very close to needing his own category on this site given how many recent photos were taken in his garden, is a very friendly clematis aficionado who does not jump on your back for your terrible pedestrian ignorance. He almost makes it seem possible. Almost. And the plants he grows very nearly make you want to risk it. But you really don’t have the space anyways, so don’t even go there. And by you, I mean me. Carry on.