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wigwam. New shoots caught onto the supports, twining their way to the top, and as summer progressed a succession of trumpet-shaped flowers opened on each. Although they weren't as floriferous as some bedding plants they certainly were different.Of course

that work well in a formal planting scheme. The bed of French lavender at the front of the garden was abuzz with honeybees, while the early bumblebee, Bombus pratorum, gorged on cirsium at the rear. Other plants worthy of note included Centaurea montana

and various garden beds. But elsewhere in the neighbourhood, the dense diversity of sheltered hidey-holes has been replaced by ... well, quite a lot of clipped lawn, wood chippings and the modern equivalent of concrete: decking.Where the foxes used to visit us

of long thin borders (I wrote about its birth about a year and a half ago). Some of the beds have worked really well, I think, like this arrangement of Phlomis amazone and Seseli libanotis. The central part, surrounding a pond, has some wonderful grass

in A-Z beds.Others have come down on my side, like the one garden centre owner, who is quoted as saying: "We agree with Adam Pasco - the majority of garden centres are uninspiring places to visit".I hadn't realised my comments would stir-up a hornets

elsewhere. Growing nectar-rich plants is a good way to entice them in, but they won't nest in your flower beds. Butterflies lay eggs in long grass, nettles and thistles (depending on the species), while bumblebees prefer undisturbed messy areas

, but of no consolation to Lucy now the damage is done. Checking the max-min thermometer, the temperature in my own greenhouse fell to -4°C.But look on the bright side! Deep and penetrating frost is just what you need on newly dug beds. Frost should kill overwintering

into the soil before planting. I crammed three plants into the end of one of my deep beds, where it can be left undisturbed to flourish. A deep compost mulch and regular watering during last summer's drought got it well established. However, this spring two

my car has a big boot and I can remove the rear row of seats to fit it pots of tomatoes and crops, summer bedding, compost, plant supports and much more.That's the joy of this show – bringing the pages of Gardeners' World magazine to life to both

raised bed, as you need to consider drainage issues and the additional weight put on the shed. But it can be done without buying expensive kits. And, while the plants won't put on much growth before spring, I think the roof looks great. The shed has