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What an odd assortment of weather we've had this year. In just 12 months my garden has experienced heavy snow, a spring heatwave followed by a drab, damp summer, then a second heatwave in autumn. Some parts of the country have experienced drought

plant is tall and slightly ungainly (like a new-born giraffe) with acid yellow flowers on tall (almost leafless) stems. Jekka has used them in conjunction with Angelica archangelica (a fabulous biennial that reaches over 2m in height and looks great

I don't know about you lot but I'm extremely bored of snow, frost and cold, and I need something distinctly unwintery to lift my spirits.I could eat a lot of chocolate, which would be comforting, though probably not a very good idea if I wish

Why is it that we have no trouble expressing our dislikes, but when it comes to things we love, we're more reticent? Last year I conducted a poll in the office to see which plants were 'most hated' and blogged about the results. The response

the year. It can reach a height of 10m.Prunus serrula, Tibetan cherryFeatured in Toby Buckland's gold medal-winning Ethical garden at BBC Gardeners' World Live 2008, Eriobotrya japonica is a small tree with large, evergreen leaves. Grown in a sheltered

stop to our normal November gardening routine. I would usually be spending jolly weekends doing a bit of light tidying, collecting the last of the autumn leaves and planting the last of the tulip bulbs. Instead we have been shoveling snow out

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

the snow settled on the floods!All this and it is a mere 16 weeks before we are on site, and 12 weeks before the gardens are built at the Chelsea Flower Show. I always find it a miracle that the plants are ready for the show. It's as if the plants know

't get worse before they get better! Last year in February we had snow in the Midlands where I live! Friends in London have been boasting camellias in full flower for weeks, and I'm sure they look wonderful in warmer parts of Cornwall and the southern

the years this doesn't appear to have done it any damage. This seems strange as my RHS A-Z of Garden Plants tells me that this palm needs greenhouse protection and a minimum temperature of 10-16°C (50-60°F).It has certainly been colder than that in the past