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(10ft) in 14 years. It doesn't have a neat or compact shape, so now the stems at the base are bare, with leafy tips and flowers high up. It certainly attracts attention when in flower; although it's pretty widely available it's still unusual to see

glorious variety called 'Antoinette', picture above. Not only does each bulb produce stems carrying three to six flowers, but the flowers change colour from pale creamy yellow to rich pale pink as they fade. This was quite unexpected, as the photo

trumpets bursting open at tip of yellow courgettes are pure beauty – and yes, they are good enough to eat (deep fried in a tempura batter sounds appetising).Flowers adorn climbing beans, squash, tomatoes, aubergines, chillies, garlic chives and many more

in total, representing over 100,000 rose lovers - and their decision certainly carries weight. First introduced in 1983, 'Graham Thomas' was bred by rosarian David Austin. His rose breeding programme aimed to combine the best qualities of old roses

coloured flowers, usually with a brilliant boss of yellow stamens at the centre. While many bedding plants remain dwarf and compact cosmos grows taller, swaying above them on the breeze. Seeds are cheap, and these tender summer bedding plants are always

, but it's their striking flowers most people are after. Their blooms are really spathes; bright trumpets at the tip of a stem, with a graceful twist and pointed tip unlike the flowers of anything else you're likely to grow.It's surprising that some

ways. The oldest variety I grow, and the earliest to flower, is 'St Ewe', which I planted directly into my border soil. Now I wouldn't claim my clay soil is ideal for camellias, which enjoy a lime-free and water-retentive soil, but this one has

strong, powerful, fragrance that fills the surrounding air. It's also nice having pure white flowers at this time of year to ring the changes from an abundance of yellow.Standing by my choisya and savouring its scent I'm struck by how much I'm enjoying it

companies is that most of the varieties come as mixtures. That means a packet contains a kaleidoscope of colours, and you can't tell what colour a plant will be until it actually flowers - fine if you want a flower bed reminiscent of Joseph's Amazing