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New plants at Chelsea 2008The plant marquee is packed with new, and often awe-inspiring cultivars. Here are some of our favourites from this year's show.Jarava ichu, or Peruvian feather grass, forms mounds of bright green foliage with showy, silver

’t seed itself.Verbena hastata - I have written about this fabulous plant here before.Helianthus salicifolia - about the last thing to flower before autumn really hits. About eight feet tall with narrow willowy leaves.Geum 'Prinses Juliana' - I've always

Thank heavens for winter-flowering plants. These hardy specimens often have tiny, inconsequential blooms, but they more than make up for them with their powerful, sweet fragrance. I rarely notice the flowers of Sarcococca hookeriana, but I’m always

in summer to produce more plants. The tricky bit is remembering to order them in August, so long after they've actually flowered.Make notes, Ladies and Gentlemen, always make notes (says the man who always forgets everything).

For the past few weeks I've been enjoying the wonderful sight of my weeping wisteria coming into flower. I've grown it in a large terracotta pot, and as the compact branch framework has developed over the years it's produced more and more blooms

Although flowers usually steal the headlines, think how bleak a garden would look without foliage. Leaves are a vital part of every garden. Consider the contrast between the lushness of summer and the bleakness of winter, when tender plants have

Why is it that you rarely see zinnias in summer bedding displays? Do they give the impression of being an old-fashioned flower? Well, I think they're in for a revival, and with some stunning new varieties coming onto the market I'm recommending them

More gardeners choose pansies and violas as their favourite bedding plant than any other flower.These brightly coloured flowers with their cheerful faces brave the very worst of our weather to put on displays during winter and spring, and voting

carpeted with the things and the air filled with the faint scent of their flowers. That, combined with low rising sunbeams and the lettuce-coloured young leaves, is one of the most spectacular sights you could ever wish to witness.I have been unable

For me, the competition to grow a giant sunflower is over. My six sunflowers are either in flower or just about to bloom, which means they're not going to grow any taller. They look good, particularly the two that are providing support for the rogue