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with roast vegetables, especially tomatoes. Use purple shiso (or perilla) in stir-fries, add to salads or - in a similar way to vine leaves - stuff with pine nuts and chive flowers. Place the pot in partial shade - avoid full sun, as the leafy herbs

of blossom to choose from that it all gets a bit confusing. But my top five at the moment are: Prunus 'Taihaku' - its white flowers have centres the colour of jam stains Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' - its purple leaves are interesting Prunus 'Cheal's Weeping

ball sized flowers of A. 'Purple Sensation', the drumsticks of A. sphaerocephalon or the starry heads of A. christophii), I’m particularly fond of the greater subtlety of nectaroscordum.The fresh green leaves start appearing in late February - earlier

the drive and while I have been away it has burst into flower. Cow parsley (or Anthriscus sylvestris to give it its posh Latin name) is a pretty biennial* native plant that scatters itself along roadsides and hedgerows.I learned from reading a fine blog

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

More gardeners choose pansies and violas as their favourite bedding plant than any other flower.These brightly coloured flowers with their cheerful faces brave the very worst of our weather to put on displays during winter and spring, and voting

ovoid leaves with inquisitive tendrils that stick to the brickwork like flies' feet. Very late in the season it produces propeller-like buds from which emerge gorgeous flowers that change from limey green to deep purple-blue as they age

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

Picos Blue - I know, I have mentioned that one as well but this is a picture of the one in my garden.Eryngium padanifolium 'Physic Purple' - a South American variety that has very striking muddy red flowers. The leaves are fleshy and viciously spiked

major disaster has come to light. Due to a mix up in the bulb warehouse, a batch of tulips that should have been pure white Tulipa 'Purissima' turned out to be unidentified huge-flowered red things, which do not agree at all with the neighbouring pink