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Telegraph - tells me that all the irises he had planned to use have already flowered. It will be fascinating to see what other plants the gardeners and nurseries come up with to compensate.Malvern Show Gardens often suffer because of the early May timing

A fortnight ago I wrote about paving and terraces - thank you to all of those who commented. I am following up with another subject which has nothing at all to do with plants, but affects many of us: fences. Most people have a fence or boundary

are no longer brown, but covered with the tufts of emerging bluebell leaves.In the garden the mulch (about which I wrote the other day) is no longer a quiet brown duvet over everything but is now pierced by alliums, anthriscus, aconites and loads of other plants

) digging interspersed with frequent short fag breaks. The film of the process can be viewed here.They then planted a whole load of stuff. Mostly without following any of the instructions, but who among us can say that we have always adhered religiously

will sparkle. By February, however, I am bored of these tottering corpses that trail across the gardens like refugees from the Battle of Austerlitz. Most plants have lost their oomph and they are but broken shadows of their former selves.The time has come

). Mostly because I'm a bit short of space for any more plants but also because of laziness. I am beginning to see the error of my ways ... I want more. Not so much the petunias or busy Lizzies (even though white ones are a very effective way of making a

cashmere pair for shuffling around the house restoring the circulation. (I really am getting old and boring if I can get excited by socks.)A small stainless steel border fork. Not much good for heavy digging but for working amongst plants it is absolutely

. Many people will have received digital cameras from Santa and will soon discover how unbelievably useful they can be. See a plant you like in a friend's garden? Click. See a spectacular border? Click. Notice a great combination at a flower show? Click

-to-earth show, and still jam packed with fantastic nurseries selling mountains of plants, as well as inspirational gardens and lots of chances to get advice from knowledgeable people.I have been lucky enough to have a quick wander around the show before

, Scotland and Iceland looking for new plants. His Florilegium was eventually published between 1980-1990 and took up 35 whopping great volumes.He will be remembered by gardeners not only for the work he did setting up Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, but also