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Saving seed from your garden plants is easy to do and will provide you with plenty to sow next season. Leave a few seedheads on your plants after they've finished flowering, removing the rest to conserve the plant's energy. Alternatively the seedheads may be highly ornamental and...

Raising summer bedding plants from seed is easy, it saves you money and greatly extends the range of plant varieties you can grow.The secret of germinating summer bedding seeds is a plentiful supply of warmth and light. Most seeds need a steady heat of 18-21°C to germinate, so do...

Find out how to combine annuals and perennials of varying heights in a 'wave' planting, in this practical video guide from Carol Klein.springMore planting advicePlant a bare-root rosePlant a shrubPlant a bare-root treePlant a fig tree

Chris Beardshaw demonstrates how to lift and divide congested clumps of autumn-flowering Nerine bowdenii, and suggests growing Nerine sarniensis in a pot. springhalf an hourMore advice on growing flowersBrowse a selection of tender perennial plantsView plants by flower colourRead...

Learn how to plant and pinch out cerinthes with Sarah Raven's video guide, from the cutting patch at Berryfields.springMore advice on growing flowersGrowing lupins video projectSarah Raven creates a cutting patch at BerryfieldsChris Beardshaw gives advice on caring for peoniesGro...

California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) are hardy annuals that bring a vivid splash of colour to summer borders. After their long flowering period the plants will also readily self-seed.California poppy seeds eg 'Golden Values'Bamboo cane

There is a range of easy-to-grow, climbing annuals that will flower non-stop from June until the frosts, producing striking blooms and sculptural leaves. Because they grow 1.8m to 3m or more in a season, half the joy is amassing so much plant from

major 'Purpurascens' x3Multi-purpose compostTin bath or similar containerIf you're using a metal container, line the sides with cardboard to prevent it from heating up and drying out the compost.Half-fill with multi-purpose compost and add gravel

For the boldest, brightest display in a hanging basket choose a large container (no smaller than 35cm) and pack it with plants. But keeping them flowering is thirsty work, so for a really successful show the plants will need plenty of water on a regular basis.Hanging basket Water...

Mixing contrasting colours, such as lime-green leaves and wine-coloured flowers, is always eye catching. Ipomoea 'Sweet Caroline' is grown for its unusual bright-green foliage and Calibrachoa 'Million Bells Cherry' gives an extra zing. We also added Osteospermum 'Tresco Purple' a...