Another Spring Beauty

I knew that I wanted clematis on the wall in the back garden, but I hadn't realized how well they would show up against its dark, textured surface. Now I'm glad I resisted a brief urge to paint the concrete.This is 'Willy', a delicate Clematis alpina hybrid rescued from a friend's doomed garden.

The diagonal brown cane is part of a (very) rustic lattice to help it climb the wall. Last year, after a rough transplant at the wrong time of year, it hardly bloomed. This year it is making good headway through an adjoining hydrangea although I am encouraging it to opt for the wall instead. The alpina group are among the earliest clematis to bloom; most of my other acquisitions won't flower for another couple of months.