FLOWER FRIDAY - CLEMATIS "BLEKITNY ANIOL"

We had a good meeting last night - although there were several away, on holiday and not skiving off to watch the football - but when Mr. HCB saw The News and heard the score, he didn’t seem too bothered that he hadn’t watched the game.

I was in bed before 11 p.m. last night - quite unusual for me, but this heat does make one quite tired.  I was quite surprised when I looked at the clock this morning to find that it was 8.45 - but of course, Mr. HCB was already out in the garden.  When I saw him, he said that he had had a lie-in and hadn’t got up until 6.30!

I had my shower and donned my pink robe and pink flip flops and went out into the garden, thinking I might cut one of the Clematis “Blekitny Aniol” commonly known as “Blue Angel” flowers and bring it indoors to photograph.  However, it looked so beautiful against the already deep blue sky, that I decided to leave it on the plant.  

In the catalogues it says the Blue Angel has pastel blue blooms with crinkled sepals and pale yellow anthers, but I actually think the blooms are pale mauve, which was the reason we chose it - but perhaps growers see the colour differently.  When I counted up the blooms a couple of days ago, there were well over one hundred and there are many more buds to open.  It certainly looks good against the blue fence - see extra.  

There is a beautiful “Paul’s Scarlet” rose on our back fence and last year I had a little talk with it - it hadn’t bloomed well, so I told it when I cut it right back that it had two chances - either it bloomed or it was out!  It obviously listened, because this year, it is blooming profusely.  We have a gate in the fence and went through to our neighbours on Tuesday evening for a drink and chat - I took the second extra looking through the gate - with the clematis on the side fence and the “Paul’s Scarlet” rose on the back fence, I think you will agree they look beautiful in the evening sunlight.

“Happiness held 
     is the seed; 
          happiness shared 
               is the flower.”
John Harrigan

P.S.  I forgot to tell you yesterday, but I bought my first Christmas present on Tuesday!