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are implausibly large. My neighbour on the plot, thought them very vulgar and showy, which is precisely why I love them!  'Otto's Thrill' is a pale pinky-orange. 'Babylon' red is a tomato red, while 'Babylon' purple is a beautiful magenta red colour.If I'm very

This week I learned that there is little point in making a Christmas wreath unless you have a bright red front door to hang it on. Or any front door at all, really (both entrances to my flat are PVC French doors, which make the positioning of a

With 23 days to go until we build our display at the Chelsea Flower Show, the first buds of pot marigolds, Calendula officinalis, are showing. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect.The marigolds will be in full flower in time for the show

-in-law's garden, where it overhangs her pond — it was love at first sight. Who could resist the delightful, slightly curled leaves? Especially when, come the autumn, they transform into an extraordinarily flamboyant conflagration of red and orange. Parrotias

in the grounds. The bushes were huge and bright red chillies hung from them like exotic earrings.By December my overwintered chillies looked quite dead. I put this down to the fact that it was December, it was dark and miserable and they should have been

before it’s flowered, but I can’t help leaving a few around the edge to provide food for wildlife.I hate seeing bare earth in my garden. If I expose the soil I sow a few seeds of red clover on the surface, which germinate quickly and provide some ground

Capsid bugs are sap-feeding pests. The 6mm-long adults vary in colour from green to red-brown, depending on the species. Look for the distinctive diamond shape when their wings are folded. When they feed, they release a toxic saliva that kills off

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

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

I'm always looking to make my garden more appealing to wildlife, so I've been delighted by the number of peacock butterflies around this summer. My buddleja has put on a superb flower display that's lasted for weeks. If any shrub is going to provide