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that the Latin name for watercress is Nasturtium officinale.So, what other edible flowers add colour to my summer salads? Well, pot marigold or calendula petals look lovely. Orange varieties self-seed on my veg plot, and one or two flowers provide sufficient

Why is it that you rarely see zinnias in summer bedding displays? Do they give the impression of being an old-fashioned flower? Well, I think they're in for a revival, and with some stunning new varieties coming onto the market I'm recommending them

flowers and in shades of orange to burnt amber, but to me a sunflower should be brilliant gold.In the past I've often left the old sunflower heads on the stem to ripen and set seed, providing home-grown bird food. However, many new varieties lack pollen

', with creamy white flowers fading to purple.T. 'Colour Spectacle', with pale yellow petals with broad red streaks.T. 'Happy Family', with purple petals and white edges.T. 'Orange Bouquet', with orange and red petals.T. 'Toronto', with pinkish-red flowers

I'm sure there has been research done on how the colour of food affects our attitude to it. If it looks good then it hopefully tastes good too, but who wants to eat blue potatoes, purple carrots or orange cauliflowers?When it comes to salads I want

above), a glorious Clivia miniata. I had one many years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed its stunning display of bright orange trumpets, but this one was different. Among a selection of Clivia with broad green strap-like leaves was one plant with light

enjoyed it. They're juicier than ever.My first apples to ripen are 'Ellison's Orange' in mid-September, and this is one variety that really must be eaten straight from the tree. When you do the apples are crisp and juicy, but sadly they don't stay in good

, but it's their striking flowers most people are after. Their blooms are really spathes; bright trumpets at the tip of a stem, with a graceful twist and pointed tip unlike the flowers of anything else you're likely to grow.It's surprising that some

fragrance must be essential to the survival of these plants, attracting pollinating insects, for instance.One of most fragrant garden plants is the evergreen shrub, choisya, the Mexican orange blossom. Choisya 'Aztec Pearl' is one of my favourites, with a

companies is that most of the varieties come as mixtures. That means a packet contains a kaleidoscope of colours, and you can't tell what colour a plant will be until it actually flowers - fine if you want a flower bed reminiscent of Joseph's Amazing