BEFORE YOUR TREE COMES INTO THE HOUSE  To ensure your Christmas tree stays fresh and healthy throughout the festive period it will need water. First, find an appropriately sized stand that holds water. Your next step is to saw off the bottom...

The symbol of Christmas  If the bright red berries of holly and the evergreen foliage of ivy are the symbols of Christmas outdoors, then the poinsettia with its large brightly coloured bracts, (modified leaves) is surely the symbol of...

The perfect houseplant for any cool windowsill.  Cyclamen are perhaps the most popular of all the winter flowering house plants. They have a long flowering period, blooming from September until March. They come in a wide range of colours with...

Orchids make excellent house plants and are available in many different sizes and colours. Species such as Phalaenopsis are easy to look after if a few basic requirements are followed.  POSITION: Orchids require 10-15 hours of good light a day...

PLANT GOOD STOCK: The canes we have available have been passed by Ministry inspectors. USE FRESH GROUND: Where possible plant new canes in ground which has never cropped raspberries before, and avoid wet or boggy areas. PREPARE THE GOUND: Remove...

Known for their graceful habit, often with attractive coloured foliage, and many with finely textured leaves, Japanese maples come into their own in autumn when their foliage turns stunning shades of golden-yellow, orange or fiery red. They are slow-growing and...

Ideal for adding a Mediterranean look to your patio or conservatory. Citrus trees produce clusters of highly scented, waxy white flowers and are followed by delicious fruits which are a great addition to the drink of your choice. Citrus trees are self-pollinating so...

Heathers are a fantastic, low-cost, low-maintenance, evergreen plant, most of which are idea for groundcover. They are also an excellent choice for winter containers and hanging baskets. With a careful selection of varieties, a garden can have heathers in flower...

The spider-like flowers of Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) look delicate and frail but for six or eight weeks from late December through to mid-February they are perhaps the toughest of all winter flowering shrubs. The thin, strap-like petals form a profusion of flowers...

Sweet peas are usually highly scented and rated for their beautiful flowers which come in a wide range of colours. As annuals, they only live for a year. PLANTING: The recommended time for planting sweet peas is from mid-March onwards. Plant in an open sunny site,...

Olea europa is a slow growing, evergreen tree and the only species in cultivation. Small, fragrant, white or cream flowers are produced during July and August, followed by fruits in September to October. The fruits are...

Magnolias are the true aristocrats of the tree and shrub world and are relatively trouble-free to grow. Most are deciduous and produce spectacular displays of goblet or start-shaped flowers in spring before their leaves have emerged. An evergreen form, M. grandiflora,...