A common sight in almost all our gardens, the daisy in its many forms and colours Is a delightful sign that spring has arrived and summer is on its way. Ask any four-year-old to draw a flower, and chances are you’ll get a daisy. The daisy has an innocence and simplicity that makes it an immediate favourite of young and …

Roses are one of the essential garden plants: easy to grow, long-lived, perfect for cut flowers, with sensational scents, full of romance and history. There are so many colours and types to choose from and they can go in any spot in your garden. First things first Roses have for centuries been an essential part of any garden in this …

Bringing the garden indoors by being creative with indoor plants can lift our mood especially through the winter months. It is quite usual for gardeners to miss the long days of summer which may seem a distant memory. With the change of seasons our moods often follow suit but there is a way to combat this problem – houseplants. They …

Somerset gardener Marie Salmon has this autumn refused to tidy up her garden and seems to have learned to appreciate decay. As the great Piet Oudolf once said “A plant is only worth growing if it looks good when it is dead”. I have taken heed of this in my Somerset garden, same county as Piet’s garden but in a …

Even a small garden arch can add height and drama but it’s the choice of plants or even vegetables which is key. It is easy to concentrate on beds and borders when you’re planting your garden, but making use of vertical space is a great way to add drama.  Adding an arch is one of the quickest ways to give …

Alliums are hugely popular for their wonderful displays of early summer flowers and now the number of cultivars has expanded hugely, gardeners have no excuse in not growing them No other plant or flower attracts quite such admiration in borders and beds than wonderful alliums. They’re architectural, loved by bees and are ideal cut or dried flowers. Allium colours vary. …

Magnolias and their astonishing goblet or star-shaped flowers are perhaps the oldest genus in the world and of course the admired and loved icons of spring

Spring gardens throughout the county are about to burst into colour but at one stage they were a plant too labour intensive to survive Some of the most famous gardens in Cornwall- Caerhays, Tregothan, Trewithen and many more all reflect the reason the county has a special association with camellias. It’s a garden classic plant, one of the world’s most …

Arum lilies make striking architectural plants with large, glossy foliage which, in late spring and early summer, is joined by large, white, hood-shaped flowers. The white arum lily is a thing of great beauty. They are known and loved for their magnificent flowers in perennial borders or simply as a houseplant. Always a favourite with florists they have now become more …