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out of its comfortable pot into some frozen snow-covered ground, but this was a ceremonial planting, which (I hoped) would symbolise the success and glory of my new garden.In March it started to produce lots of healthy foliage and a flower spike

flying start.In a small garden, there might only be room for one clump of poppies, in which case it should be thoughtfully combined with its co-performers.At Glebe cottage, in the beds which make up Alice's Garden (Alice is our youngest daughter

.Summer and autumn croppersTherefore, to enjoy fresh raspberries from summer right into autumn, grow at least one summer and one autumn variety.This variety produces small, flavoursome fruit in late summer. It has tall, highly productive canes and good disease

are lucky enough to live in the countryside and we have room for these big plants, but even in the tiniest garden this sort of thing can be effective. A big plant in a small space makes a great impact.

Ask any seed company to name their Top 10 bestselling flowers and you'll regularly find sweet peas in first place.Sweet peas are the gardeners’ favourite for climbing colour and delicious fragrance, bringing a touch of cottage garden nostalgia

on the internet. Might I recommend this as an alternative?The catkin is the male part of the plant. Its job is to fertilise the female part (which are little red tufts) of the plant and therefore create hazelnuts. All very straightforward, but there is a small

, transformed for just a few short weeks, before all trace of the bulbs is mown away.Of course, once established, bulbs will readily multiply. Planting bulbs in my own small lawn somehow isn't the same, though - my garden doesn't have the breathtaking scale

, they will not thrive in sodden soils - decent drainage is essential. As with any other plant, get them off to a good start by incorporating plenty of organic material, such as home-made compost. Oriental poppies will appreciate a small amount of fertiliser, but don

will send the leaves tumbling to the ground.Slow-growing Japanese maples, particularly those with dissected leaves, make perfect small trees for patio pots. I've grown acers in pots on my patio for about six years now, using large, heavy terracotta pots

The same thing happens every year. I buy my bulbs in good time, and then don't make time to plant them! I've got a huge bag of tulips and other bulbs to be planted, but it will soon be December.Other things got in the way during October, and then I