The memorable climber in question had draped and looped itself along a high sunny wall for six or seven yards near the entrance to Fernhill, a 40-acre garden of great interest and great views nestling on the eastern slopes of the Dublin Mountains near Sandyford and opens to the public all year round.

That was very many years ago now but I clearly remember the sight and, as I drew nearer, the extravagant, utterly delightful scent it released on the cold air all around.

This clematis seemed to have everything you could want: beauty, fragrance, exoticism, hardiness. It was evergreen and obviously vigorous, flowered profusely in late winter and spring, and was most exotically Oriental looking.

Of course, I went straight off and found out everything I could about it from older gardeners and from books, though few people were writing about growing conditions here in Ireland until fairly recently. Mary Toomey's exhaustive Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Clematis was far in the future.

The English books I consulted, including the oracle, the late Christopher Lloyd's Clematis, published by Country Life in 1965, all declared most definitely that it flowered in April-May.

Other than my knowing that, in fact, it flowered as early as February at the foot of the Dublin Mountains, there was nothing in the books to put me off my interest in clematis, so I went out and bought three of the selection Snowdrift, which has the largest and whitest blossoms.

One was for me and two were to give away to careful northside gardeners, in case mine popped its clogs. Mine and one other are still going strong 18 years later.

The main thing to know about Clematis Armandii is that, being from southern and central China and slightly tender, it likes a warm spot in sun, preferably against a wall, although it is also perfectly capable of climbing through a big tree in a sunny spot, using it for shelter as well as support.

Another thing to be aware of is that it gets very bare and woody at the base after a few years, so keep this in mind when deciding where to plant it; it's not one that needs any regular pruning, which encourages basal growth in other varieties. You could always mask its legs with something structural, perhaps a clipped evergreen or a big urn, or an arbour over which it could loll decadently.

Otherwise, this plant is a near-paragon of virtue which . . . touch wood . . . has always regenerated after cutting, no matter how severe.

One of the earliest clematis to flower in the new year, Clematis Armandii is in plump bud now, preparing to burst into perfectly poised, truly fragrant white bloom that will last for at least two months, often more.

Last year, ours flowered in the middle of a mild January and went on for an incredible three months; then it started blossoming all over again during the prolonged Indian summer we had, if you can remember that far back.

Introduced to Europe by the plant hunter Ernest Wilson in the 19th century, Armandii was named for Pere Armand David, a French naturalist and missionary priest.

Although it likes sun, it doesn't insist on facing due south; a southwesterly aspect will also do it very well. Its evergreen leaves are long and lanceolate . . . soft and bronzypink in youth then turning leathery and clattery with age, before browning and dropping off in summer, though it is never left bare.

The flowers, depending on variety, are white or creamy, or white suffused with pink, and smell very good, indeed, particularly when brought into the warmth of a house, where just one long stem in a vase has superb poise.

In my opinion, the variety Snowdrift is the loveliest of them all, with great swags of pure white flowers measuring about two inches across.

Some people swear by the pink-tinged Apple Blossom, though, which is also beautifully fragrant.

Both selections can go to 20ft (6.5m) and more, so give it lots of space to climb or clamber. No pruning is necessary, but if you do need to cut it hard back for any reason, it's best to do so immediately after flowering.

Afterwards, give it a feed of compost, old rotted manure or a handful of dried seaweed gently worked in around the roots by hand.

A word of warning: the leaves of Clematis Armandii can be poisonous to dogs if ingested . . . it didn't kill ours but made her face swell up alarmingly . . .so don't leave any cuttings lying around where a pet can get at them. Perhaps there is a good reason for that barelegged habit of the Armandii: to keep the toxic leaves out of reach of foraging livestock and other animals.

GARDEN WORK

>> Second-year foxglove seedlings can be moved now to their final flowering positions.

>> It's a good time to buy hellebores, when they're in flower and you can see what you're getting.

>> Birds are prepared to work for you in return for extra rations. On a day when the soil is not too wet, stir it gently to loosen the surface, particularly around emerging bulbs but other plants too, and in any other place where slugs lurk. Rout them from their hiding places, expose them to the hungry birds and they'll eat them. Unfortunately, they like bene"cial earthworms too, but that can't be helped.

DIARY Thurs 9 Feb, 8pm, Botanic Gardens Glasnevin: 'Some Rock Plants in NW Yunnan, China' by Jens Nielsen, who travelled and collected extensively in the region.

Organised by the Alpine Garden Society. Admission free.

GARDEN OPEN

FERNHILL, on the DublinEnniskerry Road at Sandyford, Co Dublin, is a large garden for all seasons, with many rare and delicate plants, including a fine Michelia doltsopa which produces masses of Magnolia-like white blossom, a densely planted rock garden, roses, herbaceous perennials, rhododendrons and camellias galore. Sheets of daffodils will soon spread over grass and woodland.

Among many fine trees are towering Wellingtonias and Giant Redwoods (Sequoiadendron), now topping 130ft, which were planted in 1860, 200-yearold beech trees along the avenue, and an equally old sweet chestnut spreading its charms over the tennis court.

Because it is heavily wooded it's very sheltered and many tender specimens thrive.

Open Tues-Sat & bank holiday Mons, 11am-5pm; Sun 2-6pm. Wheelchair access. Adm 5, concessions 4, under 5s free. Tel. 01-295 4297.