Clambering Clematis Batman!

that's what I thought when I entered my conservatory this morning. After a dry spell that lasted for 2 weeks it finally started to rain last night which was great as my garden could do with a bit of rain. So I was a happy bunny with all that rainfall until I spotted this
one soaking wet sofa

and this
a puddle of dirty water on the conservatory floor

caused by this.
a leak in the roof of the conservatory!

Arrrrrggggggg!

OK, this is your chance, dear reader, to commiserate with me, say nice things, do a spot of hand holding and it is also a very opportune moment to pass the tissues, although even 20 boxes of tissues will not get rid of all that wetness in my sofa or that puddle on the floor. We need much more drastic action than that. So out came the mop and to work I went. The floor is dry now, I've put a bucket underneath the leak in the roof as it has started to rain again, phoned a man about the leak and I'm blow drying the sofa with not a lot of success yet as it really is soaking wet.

And all this on the birthday of my lovely Willow, she of the incredibly beautiful eyes.
Willow, 8 years old today!
Willow getting her birthday tummy rub

My beautiful Russian Blue girl is 8 years old today. It's hard to belief as it wasn't all that long ago when she looked like this.
The 3 sisters f.l.t.r. Paloma, Willow and Ravenna
Baby Willow with mama Majalis Yolanda (yes, she was named after me), her 2 sisters and 3 brothers Villa, Vivaldi and Volodja.
Here's another look at Willow's beautiful Mum Nina (Majalis Yolanda).

Happy Birthday Willow!!!

And then I find out that my blog has won another Mousie for Best International Garden Blog of 2008! So let's open a bottle of champagne, get a few other mousies out for the kittycats before they get jealous of my new Mousie and let's party!
Cheers!

A warm thank you to all of you who voted for Bliss for Best International Garden Blog of 2008 and to Colleen who has done such a lot of work organising the Mousie Awards and who gave birth to a bouncing and beautiful baby daughter in her spare time. :-) Can anyone top that? I thought not. ;-)
Vita: We're supposed to get jealous about that? Fat chance!

Yes, yes, yes, I hear your inner gardener complain, that is all very well YE, commisserations, congratulations and other ations but what about them clematises, clematisiseses errrrr youknowwhatsits. Aren't you going to show us any? Well, gentle reader, when have I ever let you down? Feast your eyes on these little beauties.
Showstopper Clematis montana rubra
the same Clematis montana rubra on the other side of the fence my favourite Multi Blue
Multi Blue
The first bloom of Hagley Hybrid, such a lovely pink that almost doesn't fade in the sun
Gipsy Queen in the potager Gipsy Queen
Snow Queen climbing up the pergola
Snow Queen, a white flower with a lilac heart
Another first bloom, this time Rouge Cardinal growing in the strawberry patch in the potager

I'm leaving you with a pic of a different climber, one that I'm very proud of, my lovely white Wistaria blooming for the first time.

Have a great weekend!

Copyright 2008 Y.E.W. Heuzen

Strong plants are less likely to be destroyed - and you only get strong plants by good cultivation and manuring. You must not expect insecticides to make up for deficient cultivation and manuring.
Ministry of Agriculture, Allotment & Garden Guides, April 1945