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...

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 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...

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...

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...

Roses bring style and elegance to any garden, be it large or small. There are climbing and rambling roses to cover walls, fences, arches and arbors, roses that grow meters upwards to flower in the canopies of trees, patio roses to grow in containers, ground-cover...

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...

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...

IN THE HOUSE: LIGHT: Bright light but not direct sun. TEMPERATURE: Keep cool. The cooler the plant is the longer the flowers will last. WATERING: Keep the compost moist but NOT TOO WET at all times. Do not allow to dry out. AFTER FLOWERING: Cut...

Wisterias are woody deciduous climbers, which are native to the eastern states of North America, China and Japan. They are cultivated for their showy, pea-like fragrant flowers, which are borne in pendant racemes in spring and summer. The flowers are occasionally...

A large and spectacular group of shrubs which flower mainly from April until June.  The growth and leaf size vary enormously from dwarf, alpine types to large tree forms and because of this diversity there is a rhododendron or azalea for most gardens. The more...