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Jekka McVicar's 10 herbs for wildlifeJekka 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 attracting wildlife.Herbs have been used for culinary

degrees of frosty weather in between. I like to think a deep carpet of snow, although clearly at zero degrees or less, is actually insulating plants below from even colder air temperatures above. Hopefully no harm will come to the perennials and bulbs

I've always had a soft spot for chrysanthemums, and it's during autumn that they really reward you with the flower you've been anticipating all year. I can't think of another hardy perennial for pots or borders that looks so bright and colourful

While many perennials in my garden borders have packed up shop for the year and are dying down, it's so uplifting to see others, such as Japanese anemones, ending the year with all guns blazing.I've always had a soft spot for Japanese anemones. Our

are dramatically set off when the fibrous tips are backlit by the sun.any time of yearall year round20 minutesPalm, e.g. Dasylirion acrotrichumLarge metal potCrocksFree-draining succulent or cactus compostPut a layer of crocks in the bottom of the container

sturdy wooden stakesSledgehammerBow sawStrong wireall year round1 dayClear the area where you're going to put the compost bin and, if necessary, level the ground using a spade or a rake.Take a pallet and stand it on its long edge to form the back edge

use this technique to grow flowering perennials and biennials as well as hardy annuals to brighten up you beds and borders. Sow into weed-free soil that has been dug, forked and raked to create a fine surface structure or 'tilth'. SeedsArea of prepared

looks it's pretty hardy, and tolerates shade well, too. This shrub is an ideal choice to form the permanent framework for an exotic garden, something I know many people now try to develop. My own garden is more traditional, with lots of perennials

special care since.Like all hardy perennials they'll come back year after year, but some need lifting and dividing to keep their displays fresh and vibrant. Not so with astrantia, which produces delightful starburst blooms in June, that last all season

(10ft) in 14 years. It doesn't have a neat or compact shape, so now the stems at the base are bare, with leafy tips and flowers high up. It certainly attracts attention when in flower; although it's pretty widely available it's still unusual to see