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Dog violets, Viola riviniana, appeared almost as soon as I laid the topsoil of my new garden. They’ve been here for three years now, slowly bulking up in corners where nothing else grows.They thrive in the shadiest parts of my garden, flowering just

What's the difference between wildflowers and weeds? They're at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to acceptability in the garden, but are they really so different? A weed is a essentially just a plant growing in the wrong place. But what

, no I. reticulata 'Sir Topham Hatt'.Others worth growing include I.  reticulata 'Cantab', I. reticulata 'Violet Beauty', I. reticulata 'J.S.Dijt' and I. reticulata 'Katharine Hodgkin'.They look particularly fabulous in gravel, as the flowers stand out

in spring. But it's suited to larger ponds. There's water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) and frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae), which are both adorable and suitable for growing in part-shade. The Postcode Plants Database also recommends water-violet