I have way too many HOSTAS , plain green, variegated, and giant leaf in green.

I have become convinced that ND is not suitable for an arbour unless you combine it with a swag and then diligently train the canes onto the swag. In late July we will be cutting our ND back completely, to the top of the arbour and starting over, swagging every cane of a suitable size from the begining. The consensus of rose folks seems to be that ND will survive the treatment. We didn't start swagging our ND until there was already a thick accumulation of canes on the top of the arbour and dangerous tentacles reaching out everywhere - those thorns are NASTY! Even with the swag, the volume on top of the arbour has grown, because it's not easy to work with the stuff up there because of the thick tangle of older canes - not to mention at least three different clematises... I am concerned at this point that ND will bring down the arbour/south alley gate if we don't do something about it! So it's time to clear the slate an start again. My advice is only go for it if you've got an appropriate set-up to control it and are willing to be diligent in controlling it (which we weren't for the first few years, and then it was too late...) Given our experience I really think the appropriate place for ND is trained along a relatively low fence (4' or so); tie it in to the fence as if the fence was a swag. A low fence would make it easy to work with it - as opposed to needing a stepladder in the case of an arbour. Good luck.

You are a trooper Kay if you are allergic to the sun. There is a sense of satisfaction when you work so hard and your plans begin to come together. I do the same. Each early spring I can't imagine how I will get it all done by myself. 93 million people out of work and I can't find anyone who is willing to help me with the initial boring (and dirty) chores of spring clean-up and maintenance. And I pay what I consider good wages (more then Walmart that's for sure). So I'm left to do it all myself with an occasional shovel/heavy lifting assist from my DH. So when, like you I begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel I sure wish it wasn't 90 degrees already outside. But of course, as my DH says, I do this gardening bit to myself, so what do I expect-lol...........Maryl

I am happy to say she is now a permanent keeper here. And she has buds on her too!!! Two or three of them I might add. May not get the required amount of sun but once it gets to about 2:30 or so in the afternoon she gets lots and lots of sun until it sets. So I am curious to see how she reacts to it.