The country’s Cape Floral Kingdom has incredible bloom diversity with around 9,000 species – and some make spectacular plants for our British gardens

This spring jewel is so wonderful when it pops up in gardens, whether it is planted in borders or in areas of grass – as it is just as happy in both. The foliage will start with a slight purple tone a

The appearance of the first spring blossom is a much-anticipated seasonal landmark, capturing all the excitement and promise of this wonderful time of year. There is an overwhelming selection of sprin

REAL readers' gardens! Pruning roses A plant-packed suburban ...

So alluring is the scent as it hangs in the cold air that no garden should be without a winter-flowering daphne. Charles Quest-Ritson picks the best

Purple punctuates the planting: here an acer, verbena and some pinky-purple crinum, or swamp lily, stand out