AS climbing plants such as clematis make new growth, we must carefully encourage the soft brittle shoots in the direction of supporting wires or trellis. Left to their own devices, the plants will sprawl and stems will quickly break when blown about. This is especially important when plants are grown on walls. Where clematis are trained to scramble through a rose or another shrub, there will usually be enough twiggy growth to allow the plant to twine and climb without fear of mishap.
Now the season of celandines and dandelions is upon us, and their cheeky yellow flowers taunt our weeding efforts. A long trowel or sharp knife is essential for removing roots completely, as the carrot like root will re-grow if it is merely decapitated. Celandines which we often grab wildly at in leave tiny bulbids behind which establish and make a new colony. Their season is short enough, and they are never as pernicious as weeds such as ground elder or bindweed.