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are a magnet for pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.BorageLavandula angustifolia is one of the best plants to grow for attracting bees and butterflies. There are hundreds of species and cultivars to choose from, producing attractive

Jekka McVicar's 10 companion plantsJekka McVicar's organic herb garden achieved a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009. We caught up with her at the show to discover her top 10 herbs for growing as companion plants.Companion planting

Unlocking the power of plants A herb garden is not only a place of beauty, it's also a medicine chest, holding remedies to many ailments. Discover the healing properties of the herbs in your garden.Find out how to... grow garlicUntil the 17th

year if kept in a cool cupboard out of direct light.AdamIf you're feeling indulgent, replace the olive oil with avocado or almond oil.You can also use this as a massage oil, but it is not suitable for human consumption.More on growing lavender

of lavender, covered with fat bumblebees and the odd butterfly.Honeysuckle, which I’ll train to grow up my house so, when I open the windows in summer, I can smell its sweet fragrance.A large patch of viper’s bugloss, one of the best plants for bees.I’ve never

the surface. Also unpopular are those with pungent-smelling foliage, such as lavender. The fragrance is contained in vessels that fracture when touched to release essential oils, which, for slugs, must be like gargling perfume.We've found the following plants

, comfrey and lavender in a pot and it's going to look great in July. It will be also alive with the buzzing of bees (I hope my whole garden will be).I'd love everyone to grow such plants in their gardens, but I realise this isn't realistic. Wild flowers

't overwater. Remove flower buds and brown leaves.Remove black or wilted cuttings as these may harbour a disease, which could spread to other plants.More on taking cuttingsHow to take summer cuttingsTaking lavender cuttingsAdvice on taking leaf cuttings in a

flowerheads in summer. It will perform equally well in a sunny border or a container.Jarava ichuThis easy-to-grow bearded iris, with butter yellow and lavender petals, will flower from late-May to mid-June.Iris 'Lullaby of Spring'This short, smoky yellow iris

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