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Balling is triggered by cool, damp conditions, often in a partially shady site, where water-saturated outer petals fail to dry out before being scorched by the sun. The mushy plant tissue dries to form a stiff straightjacket around the petals, preventing the flower from opening. ...

and looks wonderful planted with woolly thyme, golden-leafed sage and low-growing rosemary.MayJune - September20 minutesSerrated-leafed lavender, Lavandula x christianaWoolly thyme, Thymus pseudolanuginosusGolden-leafed sage, e.g. Salvia officinalis

Jekka McVicar's 10 companion plantsJekka McVicar's organic herb garden achieved a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009. We caught up with her at the show to discover her top 10 herbs for growing as companion plants.Companion planting

medalist, Jekka McVicar.Grass varieties from the Great Pavillion at the Chelsea Flower Show 2008.Vegetables at the Chelsea Flower Show 2008, with Alys Fowler's top 10 veg varieties to grow for beginners.

Plant garlic cloves in midwinter to ensure your best harvest the following summer. It's always best to buy bulbs from seed merchants that are certified virus-free and bred for growing in local conditions. You can also use shop-bought garlic, but you

Follow Monty Don's video guide to planting courgette plants, which includes advice on planting depth and watering.summerMore on growing vegetablesMonty's video project on planting broccoliHow to plant sweetcornPlanting runner beansPlanting brassicas

Filling a large planter with sub-tropical plants is a perfect way to add instant impact to your garden. It gives you the chance to fulfill your wildest planting ambitions and grow bold, statuesque plants.Many sub-tropical or tender plants

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant a fig tree by lining a hole with paving slabs to curtail the roots and stimulate fruit production.spring or autumnAdvice on growing ornamental fruit Growing citrus plants, with Monty's video adviceTraining a

Growing new potatoes for Christmas dinner is easier than you might think - you just need to plant them a little later. Some of the best new potatoes are grown from early and second early varieties, usually harvested in June and July. So, when

Generate new plants from your hostas by following Monty Don's video guide to lifting, dividing and planting.spring and autumnPropagating plants by dividingIrisesHerbaceous perennialsAstersDay liliesView a selection of hosta plantsBrowse a variety of lilies