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, or a recent favourite, the fan flower (scaevola).But these large-flowered busy Lizzies kick many other summer bedding plants into second (or third) place. They're stunning! Find a spot they like, which is thankfully a shaded position that most other sun

Who could ever produce enough compost for all their needs? I remember watching the late Geoff Hamilton at Barnsdale week after week on Gardeners' World, using countless buckets of beautiful home-made compost. Every planting hole was filled

In the past, either greed or wishful thinking has tempted me to cram far too many sweetcorn plants into my vegetable beds, resulting in very disappointing yields. This year I was determined to supply my family with a decent crop of sweetcorn, which

of paying pounds for tubers. Of course they take time to grow and mature, just like any bedding plant, but seed-raised dahlias form tubers too. That means they can get through winter and grow up again the following year.The main gripe I've got with the seed

in height its spreading branches cast quite a shadow over the bed below. Being a deciduous tree its full canopy doesn't really develop until later in May, so many early flowering plants have time to bloom before the shade takes over.My star performer over

A wide variety of pots have graced my patio all summer, hosting a wide and varied range of plants from agapanthus and phormium to miscanthus, eucomis, pelargoniums, and an assortment of colourful bedding - to name but a few.I love growing things

-stop, producing these beautiful floral discs continually - new ones opening as quickly as faded ones are snipped away.Like most tender perennial summer bedding plants these osteospermums have three requirements. First they need regular water, and soon tell you

the pots of bedding.I've a second pot-grown acer as a companion, this time a finely split-leafed Japanese maple with a lovely green leaf. Both plants can suffer from leaf scorch during bright midday sun.So, for tiny gardens think tiny trees in pots

'm choosing mine. Of course, I'm keen to make them welcome, and a dense bed of mixed salad leaves provides the perfect summer residence.I know the word 'organic' is batted around a lot nowadays, but possibly not always fully understood. Organic gardening isn