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with a large flower and a subtle honey scent, but there were many different types, including double-flowered 'Lady Beatrix Stanley' and snowflakes, which aren't snowdrops at all but belong to the same family.There was plenty more to see besides snowdrops

The plants used in this hanging basket display are both colourful and fragrant. Heliotrope is one of the best scented plants for growing in a sunny spot, and works well in baskets. The lavender and nemesia are also richly fragrant, and all three

Fish, cooked simply with herbs, is classic cuisine. The fine leaves of bronze fennel have a mild aniseed flavour and can be placed in the cavity of a fish prior to baking. The orange-scented thyme combines well with strong-flavoured fish like

, lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla), is starting to produce new leaves. In previous years I've known the plant to start sprouting new foliage as late as mid-May, by which time one wonders if the plant died in the winter.Now is the ideal time to cut lemon

Lavender and thyme herbs emit a delicate fragrance. Position this hanging basket near the patio or a window so you can catch its scent on the wind. Choose a dwarf lavender, such as the compact 'Bella Series', as the centrepiece and surround

Rosa 'Rhapsody in Blue', heuchera and violas give the display a purple theme. This is gracefully lifted by the white highlights and scent of R. 'Boule de Neige'.November or MarchMay - September45 minutesRosa 'Rhapsody in Blue'Rosa 'Boule de Neige

harsh sun. Organic gardeners usually refer to companion plants as those deterring pests in some way. Tagetes planted alongside tomatoes and crops is a good example, where the strong pungent scent of the tagetes foliage helps mask the scent of the crop

scented blooms from May-September.LavenderThe stinging nettle, Urtica dioica, is one of the most important native wildlife plants in the UK. It supports more than 40 species of insect, including larvae of the small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies

30cm (12in) or more.This aquatic perennial should be divided annually to maintain the striking green and white horizontal variegation of its foliage. When dividing only replant the most vigorous sections. Plant with 5cm (2in) of water above the crown

, scented, white-flowered daffs with dark red, jagged centres. I planted them in a large terracotta pot, next to a few pots of 'Minnow' - a dwarf, creamy-flowered variety with contrasting yellow centres.Both varieties are quite late flowering in April