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Hardy tulipsIf you find tulips difficult to grow, you may find species tulips easier. These are quite unlike their large-flowered cousins, which can frustrate gardeners by dazzling in their first year, then all but disappearing the next

Acid-loving azaleas grow happily in pots of ericaceous compost, so you can enjoy these plants even without acid garden soil. They come in a wide range of colours, from deep red and pink to orange, yellow or pure white. Some even have a wonderful

, this spreading plant features clumps of strappy leaves alongside sprays of trumpet flowers in shades of red, yellow and orange.My top plants for extending colourCrocosmiaThis plant is ideal for the no-fuss gardener. The large, long-lasting flowers in pinks

Fish, cooked simply with herbs, is classic cuisine. The fine leaves of bronze fennel have a mild aniseed flavour and can be placed in the cavity of a fish prior to baking. The orange-scented thyme combines well with strong-flavoured fish like

For a pretty mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers, pot up a hanging basket with cherry tomatoes, parsley and yellow, orange and cream-coloured black-eyed Susan.MayJuly - September40 minutesCherry tomato plant, e.g. 'Tumbling Tom'Parsley plant

sun. It reaches 1.5m high.Eryngium giganteumHappy in woodland conditions, the yellow- or orange-flowered Welsh poppies are annuals that don't mind shade, making them perfect to weave under trees and taller shrubs.Meconopsis cambricaA cottage garden

, you can't go wrong with Hakonechloa macra 'Alboaurea'. Forming extravagant mounds of variegated, bright yellow leaves (more lime green in part shade), it brightens any garden.Hakonechloa macra 'Alboaurea'Launched at the Chelsea Flower Show 2008, Jarava

This species has two yellow bands on the head and one on the thorax. Its tongue is long, so visits flowers with long corollas, such as foxgloves and red clover. Don't confuse it with the white-tailed bumblebee, which only has one band on its head.Garden

Small treesSmall trees can be used to create impact in gardens of all sizes, adding height, structure and year-round interest. We caught up with David Hurrion, Acting Horticultural Editor of Gardeners' World magazine, to discover his top 10 trees

There are many species of aphid, often with its own favourite host plants and particular life cycle. Greenfly and blackfly are the most familiar, but there are also yellow, red, orange and brown aphids. Aphids usually spend the summer on one plant