I moved into my current house way back in 1982 and a couple of years later we bought a tiny half dead looking wisteria from a local garden centre. I planted and chucked horse muck all around it and over the years it grew bigger and bigger.

I have a 8ft high pergola than runs for 20 meters against the back wall of the house and last year it had four trunks, all about 3" in diameter that ran the full length. Every May it was a mass of pale blue flowers and it was just gorgeous and I often flew back from Spain just to look and marvel at it. I pruned it twice yearly and it got better and better every year.

I went out a few hours ago to give it the usual March prune and it's dead, totally and utterly dead. Evidently Wisterias are prone to this.

I have hacked it back to a few feet above the ground hoping it will generate some new growth but I am not holding out much hope for it.

Rather sad really because at the age of 69, I will never see it in its full glory ever again.