I found an old wooden stepladder in the barn when we first moved here. I moved it out into the garden and stapled some chicken wire to the front. It makes an interesting support for climbers. For a couple of years, I grew annual vines such as scarlet runner beans up the ladder. Last year, I decided to do something more permanent, and planted a Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) at its feet.
In its first year, the vine just made it to the top of the ladder and only flowered modestly. This year, it has settled in and now looks very showy. As its common name suggests, this is a late-blooming clematis, but it is well worth the wait and makes a star attraction in the autumn garden, just when other plants are calling it a year. I had in mind that the vine might swing over the entrance to the larch tree tunnel, twining over the tree branches, and it is making a start. Maybe next year, it will fully embrace the entrance. Or perhaps I should start a second vine on the other side to meet it halfway.
Willow House Chronicles 