Clematis 'Guernsey Cream'

These are really lovely, Shirley!!!! I'm loving it's name too! Very apt.

Kate, I planted this back in 2011 ... it blooms regularly each year.

I have better luck with the pale varieties than the deep coloured ones. 'Guernsey Cream' is a pretty. She's out early for you, Shirley.

Ange, considering the dull weather and the low temperatures I am very surprised it is in bloom in April.

That’s a beauty.

Thanks Josie, I took off two blooms this morning as they have been decimated by critters.

Beautiful, Shirley!

Thanks David, sadly some critters have decided to nibble away at those blooms so the flowers are not looking so good today.

That's a shame, Shirley! 🙁

Oh well, I guess there is a reason all the critters need to be in the garden!

I've had to spend the last 8 or 9 moths trying to eliminate the Carnation Tortrix moth caterpillars for the balcony & from the kitchen!

Well, after that amount of time I just hope they are now gone!

I didn't seen any this morning when I potting up some of the seedlings, Shirley, so I hope you are right & that I've seen the end of them!

They attacked nearly all my plants, not just the Carnation seedlings. They ruined my Cyclamen, apart from the bad weather that didn't help them, by getting in the plants, rolling up the leaves & munching their ways through the plants!

The Geraniums I overwintered in the plastic mini-greenhouse, which I checked very carefully before putting them inside, were hugely affected with a few of them denuded of their leaves. Particularly one variegated one, that has almost yellow leaves when still young, was eaten back to almost bare stems! This particular one is now just beginning to regrow, but it was touch & go for a long time.

Oh David, isn't it a struggle being a gardener?!!!

I was doing a bit of deadheading of the Primroses on the balcony railings when I found a couple "glued" together - the culprit? A Carnation Tortrix Moth caterpillar! I found it & before it could escape threw it into the grass outside the balcony! Perhaps it will be a tasty snack for some bird - I hope so!

I do hope it becomes a snack for a bird and doesn't return to your balcony!

I hope it doesn't make its way back either as these caterpillars can make long journeys! I threw a couple in the rubbish bin in the kitchen & the next day it had got out, crossed the kitchen floor & climbed up the opposite wall & somehow got on to the fridge where our granddaughter saw it the next day & told me about it! I made sure it would never do so again!

I hope it doesn't make its way back either as these caterpillars can make long journeys! I threw a couple in the rubbish bin in the kitchen & the next day it had got out, crossed the kitchen floor & climbed up the opposite wall & somehow got on to the fridge where our granddaughter saw it the next day & told me about it! I made sure it would never do so again!

GoY was playing up all weekend ... hence your comment has appeared twice. I gave up, this morning all seems right, hooray!