Golden Hop
This will sound like a nursery story, but once upon a time there indeed was a well behaved Golden Hop whose job it was to cover a tree stump. The rest of the story becomes a gardener's nightmare.
the golden hop in the beginning
The hop grew, and grew, and grew. It covered the tree stump, then it covered the nice neighbouring rhododendron, then the nice flowering cherry, then the nice Pittosporum...
Hopping Along Nicely
Many Years Later...
The Golden Hop soon becomes one of the great Moosey Garden Disasters. That nice rhododendron nearly dies. That nice garden border becomes a battle ground.
Brought in specially to climb upwards, the Golden Hop defies its nursery catalogue promises and decides to creep down and spread out, anchoring itself with thick impenetrable roots.
So the Golden Hop has become a bit of a family joke in the Moosey Garden, and should you want to read more...
Out, Out, Damned Hop...
Every year I promise that it is coming OUT. Every year my fingers twitch with manic excitement as I confront it, shovel in hand. Every year I return to the house with my gardening tail between my legs, so to speak.
And of course when it dies down in late April (Golden Hops are deciduous) I forget about it for one more year. Out of sight - out of mind!
The Disgraceful Golden Hop
Some of my photographs make the hop look a lime green in colour. But I promise you it starts off golden...