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nigra, with black stems, and P. aureosulcata f. aureocaulis. I have used them as screens, specimens in pots and in innumerable planting schemes. However, they are mere minnows compared to some of the Asian varieties that grow to 20m high with stems (or

to glide effortlessly along. But if you pick them up they tie themselves in knots. Literally. They curl into a rough ball, looping their curls together into a living clove hitch.Any gardener should always be pleased to find centipedes. Since

seedsow in February, pot on in April, plant out in Junesummeran hourIpomoea, morning glory, annual climber - seeds or several pot-ready 'Purple Haze' plants48cm urn or similar sized potWillow plant supportJohn Innes No.3 compostMulti-purpose compostPlant

't quite cover them.Canes are OK, but again they don't look natural, especially when new. You also need to be a whizz with the green string, linking them together to support plants, tying in stems as they grow ever taller. And then you have to be careful

staging or a dry shed.AdamIf your dahlias are in a warm, sheltered spot in the border and you don't want to lift them, add a thick layer of mulch for extra insulation in winter.Caring for your dahliasVideo guide to taking dahlia cuttings, with Sarah Raven.Planting

the hardcore, ensuring the footings for the bed are more secure.Using the line-marking spray paint, mark out the shape of the bed. For straight lines, tie a piece of string to two wooden pegs, secure the pegs in the ground, pulling the string taut, then spray

, the downpours and hail storms damage the plants and split them apart, so we have to tie up the soft growth on each plant before placing it outside. French tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus, is a case in point. I love stories associated with tarragon. Dracunculus

in half by wind and rain. In the end I had to tie each plant individually to a short cane.I'll use the same contingency plans during 2013, raising plants under cover in line with my Seed Sowing Masterplan. Do you have one? If not prepare it now, including

Being a caring fellow, I will ease you gently into a new year of gardening by telling you the story of my pyracantha.Pyracantha - or firethorn - is a much undervalued plant. It's a big spiny shrub, originally from China, and is most usually seen

, and various other plants, had been bashed about something chronic by the weather, leaving them flattened and miserable.In such cases there are two possible options:1. Try and tie them upright again using a scaffold of string and bamboos. This may not work