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's these long evening spent leisurely flicking through seed and plant catalogues that are costing me dearly. After a first run-through, the list of 'must have' plants is far too long, so I have to go through again in more detail. This is meant to be a ruthless

Could garden plants reduce your winter heating bills? Some interesting research has been conducted at the University of Sheffield and by other organisations around the world that highlights the value of trees and plants surrounding buildings

Although flowers usually steal the headlines, think how bleak a garden would look without foliage. Leaves are a vital part of every garden. Consider the contrast between the lushness of summer and the bleakness of winter, when tender plants have

Christmas is fast approaching, and perfume houses will soon be tempting us to buy fragrances for our nearest and dearest. No doubt they'll do a roaring trade, but to my mind natural perfume can't be beaten. Fragrant plants and flowers add another

, or a recent favourite, the fan flower (scaevola).But these large-flowered busy Lizzies kick many other summer bedding plants into second (or third) place. They're stunning! Find a spot they like, which is thankfully a shaded position that most other sun

runners are stored in cold conditions, which encourages flower buds to form in their crowns — just as winter stimulates bud formation in strawberries grown outdoors. Once planted in warmer conditions, the plants undergo a surge of rapid growth.I prefer

dwarf narcissi or delicate snake's head fritillaries – I love them all.Like many others I'm sure, I try to work out the cost of these massed plantings of thousands of bulbs. I also think of the sheer effort that goes into planting these areas

the years this doesn't appear to have done it any damage. This seems strange as my RHS A-Z of Garden Plants tells me that this palm needs greenhouse protection and a minimum temperature of 10-16°C (50-60°F).It has certainly been colder than that in the past

of seeds onto the surrounding soil.Of course I could collect the seeds, and sow them in pots to raise young plants, but self-seeding cuts out the legwork. I just let them 'do their thing'. Plants have a marvellous ability to flourish without us, much

early in winter before. I’m sure my friendly BBC weather forecaster will provide me with plenty more weather statistics when I next tune in.So, what does this mean for our plants and gardens? Firstly, take very great care walking out into your garden