The Sun

Suddenly the sun appeared in the midst of a very dreary Spring and with it these two plants lit up the corner of the walled garden. Sophora cassioides looks as if it should be from New Zealand but in fact it comes from Chile. Very similar once mature this Chilean species doesn’t have a juvenile phase unlike S. microphylla from NZ which is presumably due to a lack of giant flightless Moa birds to mow the foliage in South America. It flowers early in the season as can be seen here on a young plant.

Growing above this is a recently introduced form of Clematis armandii var hefengensis from China. This variety was given to me by Chris Sanders who wasn’t sure that it was hardy. I planted it on the walled garden under a large camellia which it has vigorously started to monster covering the bush in only a few years. It has proved perfectly hardy and is worth growing when compared to the type with its more numerous and larger petalled flower with lovely dark staining to the underside .