Cuphea or Cigar Plant, such a sweet little perennial, but very late to flower and so fleeting. Got frosted this week so I've taken cuttings. Fingers crossed. 23 Nov 2025
Fatsia japonica Camouflage, the star of the Catio now all the summer bedding has gone. 22 Nov 2025
The perfect rosebud with the perfect fragrance. Ruth & Mark's garden. 21 Nov 2025
frosted lacecap hydrangea in Gerald's garden. I think they look better like this than in full bloom! 20 Nov 2025
Hesperantha or previously schizostylis, don't start flowering until September then can flower right up until Xmas. 19 Nov 2025
Viburnum bodnantese Dawn in Penny & Paul's garden. Delicious fresh winter fragrance. 18 Nov 2025
Osteospermum or Livingstone Daisy in Patricia's garden. Such a good doer. Forms a small rounded shrub which flowers all through summer and autumn, and if you're lucky it will get through the winter. 17 Nov 2025
Jasmine Fiona's Sunrise's chartreuse yellow foliage is carried on these vigorous vines for most of the year, brightening up the dullest day. It does run through the back of the borders, sending roots down as it goes, so watch out! 16 Nov 2025
Monster it may be, but euphorbia mellifera or honey spurge, is a wonderful, vibrant evergreen here in the temperate suburbs. 14 Nov 2025
The humble hebe, in Rosie's front garden, always looks fresh, always seems to be flowering, in all seasons. 13 Nov 2025
Clematis cirrhosa Freckles flowering in Yvonne and Peter's garden, should keep on flowering through to spring on and off. 12 Nov 2025
Phlomis tuberosa or Jerusalem Sage in Penny & Paul's garden. This one is special - pink flowers and architectural seedheads that stay on most of the winter. 11 Nov 2025
Wouldn't be without dryopteris affinis Cristata (The King) for brightening up shady areas. Semi-evergreen and tough as old boots! 10 Nov 2025
Hydrangea quercifolia Snow Queen in Patricia's front garden has stunning autumn colour that stays on the shrub for ages. 8 Nov 2025
Golden Creeping Jenny or Lysimachia nummularia Aurea is mostly sold as an annual bedding plant, but in London and the South of England it is often reliably perennial, dying back in the winter and providing bright ground cover in the summer and autumn. 07 Nov 2025
How could you not include Japanese acer to the November portfolio! Terrific autumn colour this year. 06 Nov 2025
Helleborus niger Christmas Carol. Simply the purest white, ideal for shade, with ferns. 05 Nov 2025
Nature doesn't get much better than this! Callicarpa bodinieri, the most unassuming shrub for the majority of the year until now! Penny & Paul's garden 04 Nov 2025
This tufty flower head has just appeared in my ornamental grass border. No idea what it is but it's very welcome! 03 Nov 2025
Heucheras are invaluable at this time of year, when all else is dying down. Beware vine weevil in containers though; change their soil at least once a year. 02 Nov 2025
Hydrangea Zorro, started life in my garden and ended up in Rosie's. 01 Nov 2025
At long last, after having all its branches snapped off late summer, salvia involucrata has a flower. But will it achieve its 45cm flower spikes before the first frosts? 30 October 2025
I have never seen these berries on euonymus Emerald'n'Gold before! Rose & Ed's garden. 30 October 2025
Evergreen pittosporum Tom Thumb. Wouldn't be without it. Lime green new foliage in spring, a great foil for bright chartreuse jasmine Fiona's Sunrise in summer and autumn, structure and colour in winter. 29 October 2025
Virginia Creeper; my little bit of autumn colour. 28 October 2025
Lovely annual cosmos in Ruth's garden today, will keep on flowering until the first frosts. 27 Oct 2025
Farewell begonia Starshine Calypso and Yellow. Last of the summer bedding will be seen off by imminent frosts. 26 October 2025
The strange satellite seedheads of fatsia japonica last for ages. 25 October 2025
Good old dependable mahonia, in Pat's shrubbery, looks fab at this time of year. 24 October 2025
This classic rose was a free gift from Garden News. Beautiful. 23 October 2025
Salvia Animo, a smaller version of Amistad and Black & Blue. Got it through the winter last year and its been flowering for months. 22 Oct 2025
Hydrangea Little Honey, chartreuse yellow in summer and now this lovely autumn colour. Magic! 21 October 025
Eupatorium rugosum Chocolate. Dark brown foliage with these delicate star bursts in autumn. Likes shade on the moist side. 19 Oct 2025
Bidens Hannay's Lemon Drop. Semi-hardy perennial. Thought I'd lost it but lo and behold it appeared this morning! Foliage is identical to its partner salvia uliginosa. 18 October 2025
Abelia Grandiflora Edward Goucher. Semi-evergreen shrub, perfectly happy in dry shade and flowers for months . 17 October 2025
Rosa For Your Eyes Only flowers on and off all through summer and autumn. Bees love its open centre. 16 Oct 2025
I just love this combination: salvia Black & Blue with rudbeckia Prairie Glow. Not reliably hardy in a cold, wet winter but wouldn't be without either. 15 Oct 2025
My second favourite rose, Jacqueline du Pre, in Penny & Paul's garden. 14 Oct 2025
The common primrose in abundance in Linda & Harry's garden. Quintessentially associated with spring but now flowering in autumn! 13 Oct 2025
Rudbeckia Goldsturm, stalwart of the late summer/ early autumn border. 12 Oct 2025
Dainty little gaura, great companion for roses. Wonder if I'll get it through the winter. 11 OCtober 2025
Lovely blue penstemon in Ruth & Mark's garden today. 10 Oct 2025
Persicaria Golden Arrow doesn't mind drought or being crowded out by other perennials! 09 Oct 2025
Unusual pink buddleia. 08 Oct 2025
Cirsium rivulare Atropurpuream - a loan flower very out of season - in Penny & Paul's garden 07 Oct 2025
Voluptuous fuchsia in Rosie's garden. 06 Oct 2025
Erysimum, the perennial wall flower, wouldn't be without them, they flower for months at a time. 05 Oct 2025
Ajuga Burgundy Glow. But there are so many new colours. I'm going to fill my containers with them as the slugs get them in the borders. 04 October 2025
Aster Calliope, towering black stems with intensely purple star flowers, a late blooming perennial loved by bees and other pollinating insects. 03 Oct
Cotinus coggygria or the Smoke Bush. I just love its sultry leaves amongst all the lime greens and and reds. 02 October 2025
Tulbaghia or Society Garlic. A lovely clump in Gerald's garden. 01 October 2025
Strobilanthus atropurpurea, a late flowering shrubby perennial to about 1m tall, just getting into its stride. This is an unlikely relative of acanthus or Bear's Breeches! 30 Sept 2025
Coleus Campfire certainly living up to its name. 29 Sept 2025
Another annual, nicandra, which I can grow. Just look at that flower! 28 September 2025
Tithonia, cant grow it, but absolutely love the clear bright flowers. Yvonne's garden. 27 Sept 2025
The humble ivy with flowers adored by pollinating insects. Kenwood arch 26 Sept 2025
The perfect rosebud. Linda & Harry's garden. 25 Sept 2025
An exotic ginger lily picked up from a rare plant sale. Better late than never! 23 Sept 2025
Impatiens omeiana or hardy busy lizzie. Tough as old boots and great as a shade companion to ferns. Lovely tubular white or lemon flowers.22 Sept 2025
Mahonia Soft Caress thornless shrub thrives in full shade. Coming into flower two months early this year. 21 Sept 2025
Brunnera Alexander's Great, bold and bumptious ground cover. 20 Sept 2025
Such intense colour! Buddleia at Kenwood 19 Sept 2025
Purest yellow Evening Primrose, looks like parachute silk, in Pat's garden 18 Sept 2025
Dainty begonia Sutherlandii, tender perennial, keep it in a cool dry frost free shelter over winter. 17 Sept 2025
Stunning miscanthus with its coppery crimped tassels. star of the late summer border! 16 Sept 2025
Phlox paniculata Norah Leigh. So dainty and dare I say it, feminine! 15 Sept 2025
Big, bold salvia confertiflora, tender perennial, late developer, lift it before the first frosts. 14 September 2025
Lovely abutilon Kentish Belle with thumbergii or Black Eyed Susan. 13 Sept 2025
A prolific autumn for common or garden liriope in Liz's front garden, I cant get it to flower in mine! 12 Sept
Ricinus communis Impala or caster oil plant. Tender perennial, so easy to grow from seed but highly poisonous. A real show stopper! 11 Sept 2025
Scabious Butterfly Blue, sometimes named pincushion flower, wonderful bee magnet. Not reliably hardy in clay soil but wonderful for container displays. 10 Sept 2025
Not particularly keen on dahlias or the red and white combo, but this flower on the allotment is perfection. 09 Sept 2025
Hesperantha, previously known as schizostylis. Marvellous lipstick colours right through until Christmas if you're lucky 08 Sept 2025
Verbena bonariensis. Everyone's favourite but I cant grow it in my garden for love nor money! 07 Sept 2025
Annual cleome or Spider Flower at Kenwood 06 Sept 2025
Nandina or Sacred Bamboo, marvellous evergreen, every garden should have one. 05 Sept 2025
Persicaria Painters Palette, it does flower but who cares with foliage like this! 04 September 2025
Hardy fuchsia in Andrea's garden, an autumn stalwart. 03 September 2025
Coppery miscanthus, centre stage in our prairie border. 02 September 2025
Astrantia or the Pin Cushion plant, aptly named, in Andrea's garden today, this first day of autumn. 01 Sept 2025
Clematis Bill Mackenzie so special at this time of the year. 31 August 2025
Clerodendrum bungei or Mexican Hydrangea, a big bumptious shrub widely used at Great Dixter. 30 August 2025
Such an intense blue! Blueberry Lily or dianella, at Great Dixter.
Fabulous foliage. Coleus Campfire and ipomoea batatas, or the sweet potato vine. 28 August 2025
The best Japanese anemone, Honorine Jobert, lights up the shady border 26 August 2025
Pelargoniums have the brightest colours! Still going strong on the Catio. 25 August 2025
Sedum or hylotelephium telephium (Atropurpureum) 'Purple Emperor', to be precise! Drought resistant and insect friendly. 24 August 2025
How about that for a showstopper. My beautiful cannas are terrific this summer. 23 August 2025
No apologies for featuring another rose, this time in Linda & Harry's garden. Love the colour! 22 August 2025
My absolute favourite rose, a housewarming gift from my friend Sonja 28 years ago. Lemony fragrance, bronze new foliage, wish I knew what it was. 21 August 2025
A giant of the late summer border is this eupatorium maculatum Phantom. Much softer than the usual claret Joe Pie weed. 20 August 2025
Happy tree fern, still sending up new leaves. 19 August 2025
Hibiscus at Pat's, quite happy in full shade. 18 August 2025
Hedychium or ornamental ginger. I'm so excited! I didn't even know this ginger had got through the winter as it was so late appearing and now its rewarded me with a flower. 17 August 2025
Lovely purple rosa Rhapsody in Blue. I don't think I would like a truly blue rose, it would look artificial. 16 August 2025
It's not often you get this shade of blue in flowers, but salvia uliginosa, or bog sage, as it is so inelegantly nicknamed, gives me joy! 15 August 2025
Potentilla Miss Wilmott, one of my absolute favourites, lovely with rosa For Your Eyes Only. 14 August 2025
Rudbeckia Henry Eilers, from my garden to Yvonne & Peter's. It does much better with them than it did with me! 13 August 2025
Hydrangea quercifolia Little Honey, chartreuse in the shadiest spot, turns to bronze in autumn, semi-evergreen. 12 August 2025
Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Lisan' and several others too, add so much colour and oomph to the august borders 11 August 2025
Bees love ligularia, but I can't grow it, my garden is too dry. Bob & Patti have it around their pond in Devon. 10 August 2025
Rosa rugosa Rubra hips in Bob and Patti's garden bordering Dartmoor 9 Aug 2025
Lapageria or Chilean bellflower in The Garden House, Devon 9 August 2025
Seedheads amongst the prairie borders of The Garden House, Devon 09 August 2025
Bowman's root or gillenia trifoliata twinkles away in dry shade 8 July 2025
Knifophia on the roof garden; looks like an ice lolly! 07 August 2025
What could be more exotic than the flower of the canna lily - not a lily at all! 06 August 2025
At long last, my absolute favourite perennial, rudbeckia triloba Prairie Glow, delicate star flowers on wand-like stems up to 6ft tall 05 August 2025
Stunning salvia involucrata, all real show stopper. Not easy to take cuttings from and is semi-hardy but, oh, so worth the effort! 04 August 2025
Fabulous fatsia japonica Spiders Web 03 August 2025
Marvellous melianthis major, hardy in our North London garden 02 August 2025
Japanese anemones abound in Linda & Harry's garden 01 August 2025
Thalictrum delavayi 'Hewitt's Double' so delicate 31 July 2025
Fiery crocosmia, one of many varieties in Yvonne & Peter's garden 30 July 2025
Surprise hollyhock in Penny & Paul's garden 29 July 2025
Sanguisorba Lilac Squirrel, much admired by my garden visitors. 28 July 2025
Bronze fennel and bog sage or salvia uliginosa, a perfect duet. 27 July 2025
Glorious tree lilies over ten years old and tough as old boots. 26 July 2025
Purple loosestrife in Gerald's garden today. 25 July 2025
Nicandra or the Shoo-Fly Plant, an annual you see all over the West Country, but not often in domestic gardens. Easiest annual to grow from seed. Try it! 24 July 2025
Hydrangea Annabelle in Gerri's garden, loves our North London clay soil. 23 July 2025
Acanthus mollis or Bear's Breeches in Penny & Paul's garden. fantastic in dry soil. 22 July 2025
Viburnum opulus or the gelder rose in Pat's garden. Luminous berries! 21 July 2025
It's lily season at last! 18 July 2025
Self seeded poppy in Val and Mark's garden 17 July 2025
Echinops - a magnet for bees and other pollinators 15 July 2025
Gunby Hall, Lincs 15 July 2025
Marigold Cottager in Sutton-on-Sea, Lincs 14 July 2025
Geoff Hamilton's Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland 13 July 2025
Beautiful white begonias sparkle in the sun 12 July 2025
Nasturtium - floral sunshine! 11 July 2025
Eryngium or Sea Holly attracts scores of pollinating insects 10 July 2025
Perfect harmony: rosa For Your Eyes Only, loved by bees, and salvia Strawberries & Cream. 9 July 2025
Francoa, little pops of colour in full shade. 08 July 2025
This Roselily is a pollen free double-flowering Oriental lily. Janet's garden 07 July 2025
Penstemon Dakota Burgundy - a real stunner! 6 July 2025
Shrubby salvia SoCool and lobelia laxiflora var. angustifolia. Subtle but winning combo. 05 July 2025
Dwarf hydrangea paniculata not happy in my sunny border but settled in well to a shaded patio container 04 July 2025
Perennial sweet pea in Ruth & Mark's garden 03 July 2025
These verbascum were never meant to be this size! Hey ho! 02 July 2025
Lots more butterflies this summer 01 July 2025
Sanguisorba Lilac Squirrel - a gorgeous monster! 30 June 2025
Mesembryanthemum - little jewels, they make me smile. 29 June 2025
Salvia Animo - 'Cheer up' in Spanish - fully hardy and a good neighbour to Rufa Rasta 27 June 2025
I've been trying to grow this elegant kniphofia Rufa Rasta for four years, and finally here it is, and well worth waiting for. 26 June 2025
Morning Glory, the cultured version of bind weed! 25 June 2025
Hollyhock. Don't usually like them but this variety is the exception in Penny & Paul's garden 24 June 2025
Astilbe perfectly happy hiding under a tree peony. 23 June 2025
Is this the weirdest day lily ever? 23 June 2025
Salvia Royal Bumble 22 June 2025
Summer Solstice & International Yoga Day 21 June 2025
Oenothera or Evening Primrose self-seeded in Ruth's walled patio. 20 June 2025
I've managed to get my clematis to flower! 19 June 2025
Passiflora growing on the front of Linda & Harry's house 19 June 2025
Thalictrum flavum glaucum, bee magnet. Yvonne & Peter's garden. 18 June 2025
Jewel coloured geranium at Penny & Paul's garden 17 June 2025
Circium rivulare atropurpureum. Beautiful1 17 June 2025
Gazania or Livingstone Daisy. Potting up Pat's bright annuals for the summer. 16 June 2025
Pretty little wild strawberry at Victoria Embankment Gardens 15 June 2025
Geranium Patricia. The brighter the better! 13 June 2025
Hydrangea Aspera Macrophylla in bud in Val & Mark's new garden. It's going to be a beauty! 12 June 2025
Self sown hebe in Ian & Michela's garden; first time its flowered. 11 June 2025
Beautiful astilbe, perfect for damp borders, sun or shade. Penny & Paul's patio. 10 June 2025
The first day lily of the year, not a lily at all in fact! Hemerocallis. 09 June 2025
Dianthus carthusianorum. One of my favourite flowers, I've finally managed to grow it in gravelly compost in full sun. 08 June 2025
My favourite rose, a house warming gift from a special friend 28 years ago. Does anybody know what it is? 06 June 2025
Astrantia, brilliant in shade, good alternative to geraniums. Rose & Ed's garden 04 June 2025
Intersectional peony Bartzella in Penny & Paul's garden 03 June 2025
Canterbury Bells and agastache Golden Jubilee 02 June 2025
Iris foetidissima or stinking iris. Invasive weed or native wild flower? It's a good doer in dry shade. 1 June 2025
Dainty sisyrinchium Dragons Eye or Blue Eye Grass growing in my dry river bed 31 May 2025
It's all about the roses right now! Eye of the Tiger in my garden 30 May 2025
dog rose growing wild in Michela and Ian's garden 28 May 2025
Phlomis or Jerusalem sage in Penny & Paul's garden today 27 May 2025 and its raining at long last!
A single variety of petchoa in a hanging basket creates instant impact. 26 May 2025
Ruth's stunning iris- very Chelsea!................... 22 May 2025
.......and her lupins weren't half bad either
Stunning rose in Linda & Harry's front garden today 21 May 2025.......
................and another beauty 21 May 2025
Elegant Cornus Kousa 20 May 2025
Biggest hosta I've ever seen - Penny & Paul's 20 May 2025
Prairie border in the centre of my garden 19 May 2025
Tradescantia Sweet Kate - I love the colour combo 18 May 2025
Dutch iris in flower - summer truly here 14 May 2025
The first rose of the year in Penny & Paul's garden 13 May 2025
a welcoming basket of dianthus at Pat's front door 12 May 2025
hydrangea quercifolia Little Honey - a rare find, lights up the shady border 11 May 2025
Helen & Nicholas's hanging baskets - Day One 9 May 2025
Pretty polemonium or Jacob's Ladder in Gerald's lovely garden 09 May 2025
........and my favourite rosa Mutabilis has gone over to our other neighbours'
Next door's rose gracing our garden 8 May 2025..........
Fresh faced ferns at Ruth & Mark's 8th May 2025
Gorgeous variegated ceanothus at Penny & Paul's
Buglossoides purpurocaerulea - perennial ground cover.
Petchoa 'Beautical' - who says bedding plants are boring?
Kenwood rhododendrons and azaleas stunning 02 May 2025
heavenly hostas at Penny and Paul's 29 April
Wisteria in Patricia's garden, all along her fence. 28 April
Wisteria at Kenwood House 25th April 2025
Sorbaria Sem's spring foliage is a must for dry shade - end April
This fern in Penny and Paul's garden looks like a court jester's hat!
Gorgeous tree peony - one of the spring's earliest treasures
Strappy leaves and variegation add colour and texture
Awesome auricula
Magnolias at Batsford Arboretum in the Cotswolds - end March