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many hours. The change from one of the loveliest perfumes I know to one of the deepest-drain-grim stenches I know, is phenomenal. But of course it's the regular picking - largely by my children - which has allowed the plants to keep producing more

.So, what can be done about lily beetles? Here are two tips:1.     Remove lily beetle larvae.They have no visible antennae, legs or, in fact, anything to suggest they may be insects. Instead, they look like clumps of squidgy faeces, and that’s what

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

to flower.But last spring, thanks to the vigilance of our newly-acquired cat, the tulip bulbs did actually flower. The display was gorgeous. Old habits die hard, though, and this year I placed plastic trays over two low-level planters that were planted

and trying to make the main pathways a little safer. Special cleaners are available, but I'm worried they might leach in to nearby soil and cause yet more damage to the soil micro-organisms.A little bit of salt can help too, but only in areas away from plants

perfume. It's sharp, lemony and ever-so-slightly sweet - I love it.This year there seems to be a lot of grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) lurking about on cyclamen plants. Each time I make my purchases, I spend a good few minutes checking around the base