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Since Christmas the weather has been almost universally ghastly - rain, fog, leaden skies and general Januaryness. Over the last couple of days, however, I have noticed everything change; the skies are blue and the sun is shining. In the hedges buds

about eryngiums in the ‘We love’ pages of the July 2011 edition. I would like, if I may, to expand on that a bit and introduce you to a few more.I love eryngiums: they are about the only plants that manage to be architectural, delicate, pretty

and a sprawling midnight-blue sage. A spectacular display.The Korean chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum rubellum) is as tough as old boots. They were originally bred in about 1930 and can take temperatures down to about -20ºC. They grow about a metre tall

, leafless Himalayan weed sound as entrancing as drifting through a Venetian lagoon, while fireworks light the sky and nubile attendants serve rare delicacies from their navels. Roy is an outstanding writer (he just won Journalist of the Year at the 2008

further into the spirit of this historic plant and go for either the full Mel Gibson/Braveheart look, or perhaps just a few balls of wool for a cardigan, then it is my duty to warn of certain things. To get blue dye from the plant is quite hard work: 1kg

days, stretches of perfect white sand, bobbing seals, heathery hills, shining blue lobsters and lichened rocks. But, even though to the casual observer it may have seemed that I was lolling around all week doing very little, I have been diligent in my

and work well as part of a mixed border - I have a lovely white iris called Iris sibirica 'Snow Queen' and a blue one called 'Emperor'.These are fine, but they pale into insignificance compared to the huge, complicated flowers of their bearded cousins. Each

:Tulipa 'Ballerina': so many tulips, almost all of them gorgeous, but as I have to choose, I'll plump for this one. Water-ice-orange, a waist like Grace Kelly and the faintest scent of velvet glove.Bupleurum longifolia: the leaves have a slight blue tinge

ovoid leaves with inquisitive tendrils that stick to the brickwork like flies' feet. Very late in the season it produces propeller-like buds from which emerge gorgeous flowers that change from limey green to deep purple-blue as they age

TENA  Active Living Garden designed by Yvonne Matthews. Based around a bright blue pavilion there are vibrant pink roses, red peonies, blue salvias and pretty much every other colour under the rainbow.David Domoney is a perennial exhibitor at RHS Shows