The Exuberant Hops

I cut these back really hard in early spring and did they ever like that. It was as if I had dared them and now it's all grow, grow grow. Tendrils fluttering in the air trying to grasp any thing in reach. And in the grasping the tendrils make the best garden graffiti. Marks, letter forms, they are some of the best artists in the garden. Some other posts that I have done on hops, [you can tell I love them] are linked here; And More Drama Queens, Getting Closer, Secret Places and Drawing.

Exuberant hops

Alphabet hops

And More Drama Queens

As you can see I have a new obsession, Drama Queens, but I think it is almost worn it's self out. It's been fascinating to go back through my files and see if I could create dramatic lighting in some of the photos. And while I love hops with their curling tendrils that wrap about everything in their path; trees, barns, telephone poles, it's time to move on as they say. The world is no longer green and vibrant, snow is on the ground, so this is my last gasp of summer. Today I face reality, winter is coming and this won't make it go away.

Fascinating hops

Secret Places

There are always places in the garden that I call secret places. Some designed and some just happen. This is one of those. The hops [link here] has had a banner year and run rampant over a honeysuckle, a rose and a yew. And while I have pruned the growth over the yew I have let it have it's way with the rose and honeysuckle.  As you can see it has covered most of the rose and honeysuckle creating a wonderful hiding place, the best kind to find when you were a child. Actually a very fine one to find as an adult. It will only become more beautiful as the leaves turn colour . And when they drop just the bones will be left in their stark beauty. I am hoping the structure will be strong enough to support the snow creating another kind of secret place.

Secret Place

Drawing

I love this plant with its fabulous ability to draw lines. It uses last year's old wood [the silvery gray color] to curl around and twine with, and if it can't find any old wood it is quite happy to stretch out into space, growing madly, until it finds something to cling to. So you see these reddish tendrils waving in the breeze and the next day it has found something new to clamor over. A brave plant.

Hops, old and new wood