The year of the umbellifer: the glorious plant jesters thriving in the summer rain
Perhaps a bit prickly, these plants are loved by bumblebees and make a great splash of colour.
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The 10 best shrubs for your garden, by the legendary gardener who's dedicated his life to them
The revered gardener Peter Catt — one of a tiny number of people to have won the RHS’s top accolade — has bred and grown some of the finest shrubs in Britian. He told Val Bourne about his ten favourites.
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The Japanese schoolteacher who created a whole new breed of flowering cherries
Val Bourne tells the extraordinary story of the creation by a Japanese schoolteacher of a new race of flowering cherries, which is now available in this country. Photographs by Clive Nichols and Chris Sanders.
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Eight of the best succulents to grow in your home and garden
Despised for decades, aeoniums, echeveria and the many other kinds of succulent are now finding favour everywhere. Val Bourne recommends the best.
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The bustling plant nursery behind some of the Chelsea Flower Show's best gardens
The designer gets the applause, but behind every successful Chelsea show garden is a nursery that supplies the plants. Val Bourne meets the busy Mark Straver of Hortus Loci.
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Everything you need to know about growing camassias
Camassias are tall, elegant and simple to grow. It’s easy to see why people fall in love with these American beauties, says Val Bourne.
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What's the ultimate way to train roses?
Val Bourne explores whether Asthall Manor has cracked the ultimate way to train a rose wall.
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How to create a classic English country cottage garden: What to plant, where to plant it and what to use around it
The classic English country garden has an appeal that never goes out of style. Val Bourne reflects on how it's evolved over the years, and suggests eight plants to try in your garden.
