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plant of local provenance has grown in its locality for a long time. By definition, it's a wild, native plant and has evolved over hundreds, even thousands of years in tune with its local environment. Self-seeded by wind, or spread by birds or mammals

-grown seedlings, spring and early summer is the time to plant them out. Raising them from seed is cheaper but adds a few weeks to the process - so if this is for you, it's time to get sowing!Young brassica plantsGarden line or string and canesTrowelSeed trays

Two years, I felt the need to grow a local, native plant in my garden. I gathered rosehips from a field rose at the edge of a nearby canal, soaked them in water and sowed the seed in coarse compost.The pots sat in a corner of my patio, doing nothing

, only for the autumn winds to blow its head off two days after it flowered (I'll need to work on avoiding that this year).So how does one set about growing a record-breaking sunflower? Well, sow the seeds for a start. You can sow direct in the soil

from pests that search out their desired food crop by smell.Many years ago I sowed these cheerful poached egg plants (Limnanthes douglasii) along the base of my path, under the fan-trained fruit trees. As flowers open through May, in partnership

I've been quite frustrated with my garden lately. I'm getting impatient waiting for plants to become established; there are too many gaps in the borders and the recent cold spell has prevented the quick germination of seeds I sowed on bare soil. All

unwanted boxes.If you need more space, hang two or three boxes together.Advice on propagating plantsCarol Klein's video guide to taking basal cuttingsMaking a cloche for seedsSowing seeds indoorsTaking summer cuttingsView a variety of conservatory climbers

There's nothing wrong with instant gratification. Who can resist the appeal of primulas at this time of year? Certainly not me.I visited the garden centre a couple of weeks ago to buy seed-sowing compost (much better than multi

on growing summer displaysSowing sunflower seeds, demonstrated by Monty DonSarah Raven gives advice on taking dahlia cuttingsPlants for late-summer colourCreating a daisy window box

I watered, it rained within 24 hours.The downpours we've had in Hampshire over the last few days have made a serious difference to the plants. The veg plots are suddenly flourishing and some of my miserable-looking lettuce seedlings have finally