Big decisions and very big jobs.

Good gracious Links......I guess it was Montana......It will I,m sure be all the better for it
Is the wood ok it looks fine but what a job you had!

I hate cutting things back,but some times you have no choice do you.You have a lovely garden.:O)

I'm sure I heard the arch breathe a sigh of relief :)) Great job and you will probably enjoy it all over again as it puts on new growth!

No, its Wisley Cream on the label Pam, I`m a bit confused as it does have freckles on the flowers..

Wow you have been busy, think I might have panicked a bit about the arch falling down. You done a good job there Lincslass:O)

I`m pleased to say that although the arch is very wonky it is in fact ok, I might ask hubby if he can erect new posts and then I can disguise it, failing that I`ll laugh and say its creative designing and matches the sloping garden..

lol :o) that is the sort of thing that I say. :O)

Lincolnshires wit at its best Olive, lol..

Its great to see a job done well Lincs, bet your relieved its all over. Your rustic looking arch can now get ready to receive all that lovely new growth from a rejuvinated clematis.

lol but I am a Yorkshire lass living in Lincolnshire, Lincs. lol. maybe the wit has rubbed off eh!!!! after nearly 45 years think it maybe has. lol.

I think it will appreciate the 'trim' very much,Sue..both the Clematis and the Arch..the latter for taking the weight off it ..phew! .:o)).

Its definitely rustic Stroller, I`m weird, I prefer anything to look weathered in my garden, thats one of my excuses for not painting my sheds and fences, plus the fact that I can`t stand painting, lol, I much prefer the gardening bit..

I love your garden Lincs, so if you`re weird then so am I ~ I prefer the lived in look.

You've done a great job with that. It's good to give things a drastic pruning sometimes. It seems to envigour them. The arch is saved aswell :o)
I love that view looking back down to the house, through the arch.

Another good term is ''adding character'' - that one covers a multitude :)

i just got an arch from wicks in sale half price at £60 sue, must post a pic, iv only waited 4 years for one haha
need to plant something in spring which will cover fast :o))

Wow, didn't you work hard and in one of the hottest days of the year! What a difference this has made. Definitely worth feeling hot and dusty.

Good job I did then as our weather has certainly changed, Monday I dug over the bed and removed my sweetpeas, it was very hard work and the ground was really dry, ,today its cold and wet so getting a drink as well as a battering, had to turn the heating on for a while as well....

I know what you mean Lincs! Its a shock to the system after the little Indian summer!

That looks like hard work Lincs. We have had nothing but rain in Glasgow. Barry and I gave up and went to Greece for a week. Winter would have been unbearable if we had had no sunshine.

That was a job and a half I'll bet Lincslass. Worth the effort though. I too like the rustic natural look in the garden but I think sometimes it depends on what your house looks like, new house - smart uniform garden. Old house - I think you can go either way, well-kept and neat all modern with exotic plants or rustic and a little bit wild.:) I do like to see a neatly trimmed garden but it's not for me, havnt got the time to keep it up.:)

Great work done there Lincs. such a pretty garden too. Next spring you probably wont notice the arch again as I am sure your clem will grow.

Good work, Sue. I've added to GoYpedia :o)

You're very brave Lincs, I have quite a few things I'm going to attack this year, just got to get in the right frame of mind:-)