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After the recent soft mists and bright days I'm going to formally declare that autumn is with us. Not picture book autumn, with flaring red leaves and dustings of frost, but a sort of pubescent autumn. This is a lovely time of year - everything

to the girlie in me with its two-tone red and white flowers. These beans may not fruit (I s'pose that's the right term - it doesn't sound quite right for beans somehow?) as well as other varieties with their exhibition names of 'Enorma' and 'Best of All

gardener needs, but as soon as those big, bold blooms open it's bound to rain and shatter the petals. In the blink of an eye it's all over and I've got to wait another year for them to flower again.My problem is that I love plants, and have to admit

(Patron Saint of Gardeners) never impulse shopped in nurseries. I had not seen the plant before, all I knew was that it was quite large and had been planted in the middle of my carefully planned flower bed. Hmmmm...some designers would have thrown a bit

long, gradually fading with age. 'Roma' adds a lovely pink to the display, but there are lots of other equally generous astrantias available in greens, whites and deep reds. Some even offer variegated foliage, but this isn't really to my taste

. This is a very vigorous climber, better known as Russian vine or mile-a-minute. Only the very brave will plant this in a small garden as, although it's undoubtedly attractive and flowers for a long time, it has an unquenchable curiosity. Many years ago I

and the singed toffee-coloured flowers are so subtle that they seem to only whisper (but such seductive words that the heart melts).Phlox 'Blue Paradise': I think these are the very best of the family. A sort of washed denim colour that changes with the light

. 'Ballerina' - soaring orange T. 'Negrita' - beetroot coloured T. 'Queen of the Night' - dark and truly gorgeous T. 'Anthraceit' - flowers like the backsides of turkeys (but prettier) T. tarda - early and peppery scentedI could go on for ever but it would

and it is one of my great pleasures. The dark green leaves go perfectly with the aged brick, in the spring it is covered with frothy white flowers and come the autumn the branches are laden with red berries. When the hard frosts come we then have a wonderful

companies is that most of the varieties come as mixtures. That means a packet contains a kaleidoscope of colours, and you can't tell what colour a plant will be until it actually flowers - fine if you want a flower bed reminiscent of Joseph's Amazing