Climbing hydrangea

Four to five years ago when I decided to have a raised garden in my back courtyard, I had generous help with planning and accessing plants for the Roma Garden, named after Mum.

A friend of a friend helped with the plan and suggested a deciduous climbing hydrangea in the coolest corner with the most shade. I'd never heard of them, a combination of my lack of knowledge and climbing hydrangeas being out of fashion.

Before the most destructive earthquake I had a small garden centre nearby and got to know one of the woman there well. I bought some plants and was given others. Climbing hydrangea's were hard to access but she had one at home and gave me cuttings from hers.

I popped them into the ground against the fence and did everything she suggested. She'd given me many cuttings and correctly reckoned I'd be successful with the 2 or 3 I needed. I carefully nurtured them up the fence and at some point they established and took off. I always thought it should flower but in the end decided it just wasn't meant to.

I was surprised and delighted to see several clusters of buds a couple of weeks ago and now the first of the flowers are appearing. I'll watch with interest to see what they're like and if they have a scent. It's one of the times where I miss not being able to show Mum.

Here is a bit about climbing hydrangeas.