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Are your roses martyrs to disease? Are their leaves covered with black spots or a white overcoat of powdery mildew? Well, I'll come clean and put my hand up on both counts. Much depends on the time of year and whether it's wet or dry - but, most

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

It's rose pruning time again. I could debate the merits of autumn pruning over spring, but I've always believed spring really is the best time to tackle pruning.Rose pruning isn't a job to hurry. You need time to ponder, step back and deliberate

How could anyone choose the world's favourite rose? Well, they have! And the winner is one of my all-time favourites - Rosa 'Graham Thomas'.National rose societies belonging to the World Federation of Rose Societies have been voting - 41 of them

, lily of the valley, and pansies.Roses are a big favourite with many, often because of their fragrance. In the Gardeners' World 2010 Awards you voted for your favourite roses for scent, with 'Gertrude Jekyll' taking the top spot, with nearly a quarter

Rose Shades (from Mr Fothergill's seeds), producing a simple, single rosette in shades of rose pink. They only grow to about 45cm, so I've planted them closely to form a carpet between some standard Bonica roses in a complimentary shade. The marvellous

We probably all know a Rose, Heather or Hazel, and I have friends with children named Sorrel and Daisy, but do you know a Zucchini?I knew the silly season was in full flow when a list of the UK’s Top 10 Vegetable Surnames landed in my intray

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

. 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

the chicks flown the nest, or had a predator struck?Last week, while inspecting my standard roses for signs of pests I was amazed to come face-to-face with another nest perched in the thorny head of the bush. It contained three small speckled blue eggs. I