Clematis Royal Velours'

On 24th June I planted this clematis in my garden. It had no flowers or buds when I bought it and I thought that I'd scuppered it's chances of looking good this year when I snapped one of it's two stems while getting it out of it's pot.

As you can see, in just under a month it has grown like Jack's beanstalk and is covered in blooms that the hoverflies love. Yesterday I planted a spring flowering one further across the fence. I hope that it's as successful.

I've been gardening this afternoon doing a job that I hate - weeding the drive. I didn't think of the weeds when I chose bricks rather than tarmac all those years ago!