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and moss.I have grand plans for my lawn. It's only tiny, but it will be full of pretty 'weeds', wildflowers and crocus. Butterflies will lay eggs in it, bees will drink nectar from it and I will sunbathe on it.At the moment I can't really describe what I

In 1985, Chris Baines created the first ever wildlife garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. Apparently it caused quite a stir - wildflowers in those days were often dismissed as 'weeds' - and his medal was mistakenly inscribed "Chris Baines, for a

Dog violets, Viola riviniana, appeared almost as soon as I laid the topsoil of my new garden. They’ve been here for three years now, slowly bulking up in corners where nothing else grows.They thrive in the shadiest parts of my garden, flowering just after the snowdrops and before...

've visited. It has sculpted meadows, native wildflowers (including Verbena bonariensis) and a plethora of fruit and nut trees, dominating the landscape. Except for the beautifully kept English rose garden and vegetable patch, the garden is almost entirely

, with more and more show gardens embracing wildlife-friendly trends such as green roofs and wildflower meadows. But there are still those that focus on the majestic and the exotic, on straight lines and immaculate water features. Of course, many are designed

There are so few plants that do well in my small, shady garden, but those that do thrive deserve a medal. This week, honesty is taking centre stage, with its tall spires of brilliant white flowers, towering above more subtle spring blooms.I love honesty. It's one of the many plan...

.Native wildflowers are becoming endangered, thanks to modern farming methods and the loss of hedgerows and woods. Species are even becoming extinct, with the beautiful ghost orchid being the latest in a long line of native plants to have disappeared from our

I recently visited the community orchard at Haggerston Park. It makes a lovely little wildlife sanctuary amidst the concrete of built-up Hackney: all fruit trees, wildflowers and long grass. It's also home to a few ornamental plants, including pot

to keep the soil in place. Finally we added loam-based compost (made lighter by adding perlite and polystyrene chips), and planted it up with shade-tolerant wildflowers.The day proved that building a green roof is a little more complicated than making a

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