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to defend them if they are grown in pots (these are some particularly fine ones as grown by my mother) and always make sure that they're not at all stressed - well watered and out of direct sunshine (too much sun reduces the lustre of the leaves

the season. Which plants you cut back depends so much on personal taste and weather - lots of rain or heavy snow tends to make everything go 'flumpf' earlier (flumpf is, of course, a well-known horticultural term describing the process of plant collapse). It

entering your garden with decent fencing. The RHS have a list of plants that are less likely to be eaten by deer, which includes the very curious fact that they don't generally eat berberis, except for purple-leaved varieties.Failing that they make very

cricketers, soldiers, cars or railways. However, two of the sets included in my father's album have a relevance to gardening - hence their inclusion here. One series is called 'Garden Hints' and includes such things as making a crazy paved surround to a seat

, hidden among a string of numbers and letters, the year of introduction, origin, expedition, collector's name etc. Botanic gardens are places not only to indulge one's inner plant nerd, but also to make lists of plants you covet.I was particularly excited

Absence will always make the heart grow fonder: especially in gardens. I have just got back after a few days at the Malvern Spring Show — which was, as always, great fun, pretty fabulous and completely exhausting — and it is amazing how much fuller

that have suffered the same fate. It is very annoying as it was just beginning to make a difference to a large wall - there was a ceanothus there before but that got frosted to death.I asked my wise friend Nigel Colborn and he says that it is probably a

are lucky enough to live in the countryside and we have room for these big plants, but even in the tiniest garden this sort of thing can be effective. A big plant in a small space makes a great impact.

's croquet lawn - although they reappeared in the herbaceous border. Come to think of it, I was probably put down on his parliamentary expenses!On the plus side, the soil in molehills is excellent for making your own potting composts.

in other parts of the garden. I planted the very luscious Dahlia 'Hillcrest Royal' to make up for the absentee monarda, it's a bit pinker but equally effective.The thalictrum has gone a bit floppy as my early spring staking was a bit shoddy in places