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asparagus and I need to ensure there's enough to go round! Perhaps I'll try one of the purple varieties, such as 'Purple Passsion'.

I've had a great few years growing an extraordinary range of vegetable crops for my series 'Veg With Pippa' in Gardeners' World Magazine. The results of my vegetable trials have often been fascinating, and on more than one occasion I've been

will only eat cooked carrots if they are a purple variety and they both rule out shop-bought veg for much of the year. At least they're interested, and can be easily co-opted into helping clear further growing space in the garden. Now I just have to pare

their absolute best.When we moved into our house we planted several beautiful liquidambar trees. More than twelve years later, some are virtually stately. Liquidambar 'Lane Roberts' is the one to choose for the deepest red-purple foliage. We bought one, plus a

when driving past them in the car.The lanes and verges were awash with primroses, mosses, ferns, and masses of gorgeous violets, whose stunning leaves and pretty little purple faces made my heart sing. I was yet again reminded how lucky I am to live

penstemon, a tiarella and a catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low'. Sadly, the plant label is virtually all I have left of my once stunning purple-flowered plant. It met its doom on the front steps, still in its nursery bag, within an hour of arriving home

'Freda' - a pretty plant with purple-tinted leaves and pink flowers. The arbour is gorgeous to look at, but becomes a more favourite haunt as it provides me with a leafy retreat, laden with the best of summer perfume.Add to this some night-scented stock

.It took me a while to find the best spot for them.  Heavy clay isn't really ideal, but I've been blessed with wonderful allium displays that return year after year.Their dense pom-pom flower heads, composed of numerous purple 'stars', provide an easily

to flower.My hellebores are out now too, and most are looking good. Unfortunately some are showing signs of hellebore leaf spot disease. The characteristic purple-black blotches are spreading from the foliage to some of the flowers. The best I can do is pick

rather miserable, with purple or silvery-grey blotches. As a precautionary measure I cut the canes right back as soon as they’ve finished fruiting in autumn, and I’m careful to gather up every scrap of old cane lying around.To toughen up my raspberry