Primroses are one of the earliest flowers to appear each year. Their name is derived from the Latin phrase prima rosa, literally meaning the ‘first rose’ of the year. Our native primrose, Primula vulg

Kari-Astri Davies considers the challenge of dry shade and braces herself for some winter pruning

At a time when much of the garden sleeps, winter flowers are all the more precious for their scarcity; an irrepressible bunch, undaunted by wind, frost or even a blanket of snow. Many are small, yet t

Just between us, let’s be honest: for much of the year this is quite an uninteresting plant. It does not make much of an impact while our gardens erupt with life in spring. In the heat of summer, it s

When I entered the world of snowdrops over 30 years ago, I quickly came into contact with some formidable female galanthophiles. They often wore hats and they nearly always had a silver snowdrop brooc

So many new types of Japanese flowering quince are now available that they have been the subject of a four-year trial by the RHS. Charles Quest-Ritson picks his favourites