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The rose is our most popular flower, and rightly so. A single rose bud captures perfection, slowly opening to celebrate nature at its very best.And as well as being a thing of beauty, roses are the perfect plant to grow as a celebration of life

.For those who don't know, the late Graham Thomas was a horticulturist, garden writer and rose enthusiast. Graham was a frequent visitor to David Austin's nursery in Albrighton, in Oxfordshire, and their strong friendship was clearly acknowledged when David

roses disease-free, or leave alone and put up with some infection? I'm not one of the old school, who sprays regularly, regardless of season just to create a perfect display. I garden with the absolute minimum use of artificial chemicals, probably like

dimension to a garden; it's one thing looking out onto the garden from a window, but quite another walking through it and exposing all your senses to the plants around you.When I blogged about fragrant plants in May, I asked readers about their favourite

in the garden, although they could have been cut for indoor display.Another variety to consider is Zinnia marylandica 'Zahara Starlight Rose' (pictured left), a beautiful bicolour variety that has resistance to leaf spot and mildew disease, that can sometimes

close second only to roses, according to a recent survey of florists. And as with any 'easy-to-grow' plant, it divides gardeners in the same way that gladioli, dahlias and many others do.Horticultural snobs may give them a wide berth as they search out

. For the same price as your vase of red roses that within a week are only fit for the compost heap, you could instead grow orchids on your windowsill, which carry a succession of flowers for three months.If that wasn't enough, it will even flower again about six