Natalie wrote in message
Sorry. Upon rereading, I had missed the "a bit". Yes, Akebia
quinata fits the description perfectly. It has a relative that
is sometimes grown in the UK, A. ternata, but I have never seen it.

I have this growing over my seated arbour. ATM it covered in flowers.
They
are reputed to smell of chocolate, but I'm not so sure ;-)

Incidentally, A. quinata layers readily, if you want to propagate
it. Just pin down a shoot in a pot or the earth and wait a year.

Thanks for that Nick because I was wondering which was the best way to
propagate.

Thanks to you two for that, looking around a GC I found it myself today.
Certainly an Akebia and I have to assume A.quinata.
I'll have to ask if that's the name the Head Gardener told her when he gave
her the plant.

Natalie, how hard is it to keep under control? Do you prune it like a
wisteria? Hard and often.
--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.