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There are so few plants that do well in my small, shady garden, but those that do thrive deserve a medal. This week, honesty is taking centre stage, with its tall spires of brilliant white flowers, towering above more subtle spring blooms.I love honesty. It's one of the many plan...

Learn how to prick out seedlings with Monty Don's comprehensive video advice.springMore on growing plants from seedHow to grow sweet peas from seedGrowing exotic plants from seedGrowing dahlias from seedSowing seeds indoors

wildflowers are becoming endangered, thanks to modern farming methods and the loss of hedgerows and woods. Species are even becoming extinct, with the beautiful ghost orchid being the latest in a long line of native plants to have disappeared from our

that in my lifetime so many of our native wildflowers and herbs have become endangered. They are now protected; it is illegal to pick or dig up any wild plant. However, it is heartening that with the increase in more sympathetic farming practices

Be Plant Wise, a government campaign to halt the spread of non-native, invasive pond plant species in our ponds, streams and rivers, was launched this week.The five key culprits listed on the Be Plant Wise website are: floating pennywort

for bringing native wildflowers to derelict sites near you. Alys demonstrated how to mix together a little clay and compost with wildflower seed to form 'seed bombs'. Armed with a pocket full of these she then throws them into derelict sites to introduce

the gardener, but is a desert for insects. So in front of the Bar we laid a strip of wildlife turf, which is enriched with dozens of wildflowers and nine different types of grass. We'll grow it long, then cut it, as we do the wildflower meadow, just twice a

them with essential sources of nectar and pollen. Native wildflowers, such as foxgloves, meadow cranesbill and teasel, are best. Gardeners can also encourage bumblebees to nest by leaving a patch of long grass or emptying compost bins less frequently

, as I was recently wondering how sowing native wildflower seed on derelict land near my home might affect local wildlife.Jan says brownfield sites have become important refuges for wildlife due to the increasing pressures on our countryside. She says

and provides winter colour as well as an edible crop.ChardThe native cowslip, Primula veris is ideal for naturalising in wildflower meadows. Its yellow, funnel-shaped flowers contrast with crinkly oval leaves. It grows to a height and spread of 25cm