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Growing helleboresA must-have for the winter garden, hardy hellebores flower from late-winter to early spring. They also make great cut flowers - simply snip off flower heads and float in a shallow bowl of water.There are many varieties of hellebore

to flower.My hellebores are out now too, and most are looking good. Unfortunately some are showing signs of hellebore leaf spot disease. The characteristic purple-black blotches are spreading from the foliage to some of the flowers. The best I can do is pick

More information on plants for small gardensDividing snowdropsHand-pollinating helleboresPlanting out lettucesGrowing wildlife-friendly plants

Will our love affair with Verbena bonariensis ever wane? This fabulous flower looks as good growing individually among low border plants as it does planted en masse. The open, airy quality of the stems only adds to the appeal. Wildlife loves V

plant family (Ranunculaceae), which contains such diverse plants as aconitum, hellebores, clematis and thalictrum. Anyway, we are mildly overrun by creeping and field buttercups. Creeping buttercups lodge in my lawn and many happy hours are often spent

AstilbesAstrantiasBegoniasCrocosmiasEuphorbiasFernsFuchsiasGrassesHardy geraniumsHelleboresHydrangeasJapanese anemonesLady's mantleLavendersLilium henryiPelargoniumsPenstemonsRosesSedums20 top slug-beatersDon't overfeed young plants in spring, as this only encourages soft growth, which slugs love to eat.Top tips for foiling

of the soil. Plants suitable for dry shade include:lords and ladies, barrenwort, cranesbill geraniums (left), hellebores, masterwort,Viola labradorica,sweet rocket and mourning widow.Dry shadePlants that will grow in these conditions typically suit boggy areas

flowers for sustenance, and flowers need bees for pollination. But it's important the flowers you grow provide the food bees need.Most double flowers are of little use, because they're too elaborate. Some are bred without male and female parts, while