There are a couple of old Captain Rawes camellia bushes in the NW corner of the walled garden that needed pruning this week. They were leaning away from the wall and in danger of toppling over. When I climbed the step ladder to get on with this job there in front of me was a lovely bright green scented flower from the Sargentodoxa climber which I hadn’t noticed from the ground. It was half hidden in the camellia foliage but now it is clear of the bush and on display properly, looking stunning. The leaves are showy and unusual as well, as shown in the lower image emerging a dusky red/brown colour and comprising of three leaflets on a common stalk.

It cant be seen all that often in cultivation as it doesn’t appear in the Hillier Manual but does rate a mention in Bean. This entry is mostly interesting for the fact that it first flowered in the UK in Horsham, May 1922, exactly 100 years ago to the month. Hopefully it will still be in flower when the Tregrehan Rare Plant Fair is on this Sunday. Entry is free to the fair and half price to the garden, see you there….