Flowers for bees and butterflies
Most wild animals and insects need our help and gardens are an important refuge for them. Unlike fields and hedges,... Read More
Flowers for cutting (part 2 of 2)
Another must-have is antirrhinums – not the dwarf kinds that have one flush of flowers and then give up, but... Read More
Flowers for cutting (part 1 of 2)
Gardeners are divided into those that love to bring the garden inside and those who think it is a crime... Read More
Peonies – queen of border flowers (part 2 of 2)
In wet seasons, flowers may be scarce because of peony blight, a fungal disease that kills the buds when they... Read More
Peonies – queen of border flowers (part 1 of 2)
Peonies are the queen of border flowers with their huge, often fragrant, sumptuous blooms. Though their flowers may be fleeting,... Read More
Dahlias – star of the summer (part 2 of 2)
Dahlias love the sun and they like moisture and lots of feed so it pays to dig in plenty of... Read More
Dahlias – the star of the summer (part 1 of 2)
A few years ago dahlias were in the doldrums, often regarded as better suited to flower shows than borders. But... Read More
Growing vegetables for colour and flavour
Now that the soil should be warming up and frost-free days are not too far away, it is time to... Read More
Anemones for everyone (part 2 of 2)
Anemones are my Mother’s favourite cut flowers and in times past the brightly coloured blooms of the ‘poppy anemone’ were... Read More