Dipelta floribunda resembles, but has more character than, Weigela floribunda and at 8 ft. high is a shrub which commands attention especially in May when covered with pink tubular flowers flushed orange-yellow at the throat. It enjoys a limy soil. Pruning consists of pinching back surplus shoots, and a judicious removal of old wood in December. Cuttings of semi-ripened wood put into a sun frame will root by the following April.

I have a high regard for shrubs which colour well in the autumn, and for this reason include Disanthus cercidifolius in my select list. A shrub of medium height, it prefers rather than tolerates a position in semi-shade, and a moisture-retentive but not waterlogged soil.

Ultimately a mature specimen will grow to 5 ft. in height, the bushes in my garden average a neat, well-furnished 40 in. Propagation is best effected by means of seed which germinate with greater alacrity when they have passed through the digestive tract of a bird. Otherwise they need to stratify for 12 months.

I have a warm regard for plants which grow easily, flower profusely, and yet can be bounds without resorting to extreme measures. Kerria japonica will send out long arching branches up to 6 ft. in height, or sometimes 8 ft. when given a sheltered place. Whether the soil is heavy acid clay, or shallow well-drained chalk they can be relied upon to spread a creditable - mantle of yellow over green polished branches.

One of the most erect forms I grow is Ilex aquirolium camelliaelblia. The smooth, dark green leaves are almost spineless, and when mature the berries are produced in abundance.

Few evergreens can compete in beauty of berry with our common holly. I. aquifolium, and the many varieties related to it. Golden King with large leaves margined bright yellow confounds its given name by being female and bearing berries. By the same token Golden Queen is male with the normal spring leaves much narrower than those of Golden King.

The white-flowering fragrant climber, is rather more demanding, though it becomes a strong vigorous climber capable of covering a ‘12-ft. high wall with ease. Propagation of both species is easily effected by means of semi-hardwood cuttings in July - August.

Double lilacs are not my taste as a rule, but Charles Joly, a dark red, is worthy of space. Edith Cavell, cream to pure white, has not the character of the other fine white, Madame Lemoine, but shows sufficient resilience to grow on very wind-swept situations.

Syringa microphylla is a narrow-leaved shrub 6 ft. high which is much lighter in the branches than most lilacs. Its pale pink scented flowers appear in May, and in most years there is a second crop in August. S. palibiniana (velutina) is quite distinct from the above with much rounder leaves and stiffly upright branches. The soft purple spikes are also scented. Mature specimens here are about 4 ft. high.

The best plants are those grown from layers in spring, but unfortunately most varieties, unless hard pruned, do not produce the right quality of wood low enough to be pegged down at soil level. Some will root from cuttings of semi-ripened shoots in July, but the task requires patience.

Tamarix supply a necessary contrast in vegetation down the border with their graceful slender branches, thin leaves and candyfloss inflorescences. They will not grow on badly drained soils for more than a limited period, nor will they endure a thin hot chalk, otherwise they are not hard to please.

Before leaving the subject of group planting sphagnum moss should be mentioned as a possible plunging material. Moss of this kind has many advantages, not least the fact that it is light, clean and easy to handle, and that difficult plants seem to do particularly well when plunged in it. Recalling my personal. experience with the success of a difficult plant may help to emphasise the advantages of this material.

By keeping the peat moist it will be found that the plants do not require to he watered as often as those placed individually on the window ledge. However, having emphasised the need for keeping the peat moist one must add a word of warning against overdoing it, as plants cannot possibly be expected to do well in the soggy mess that will result from too frequent watering.

This in itself makes it a very fine plant for exhibition work, and it is especially useful and attractive when incorporated with blue saintpaulias. On the nursery no one was very keen to be given charge ofgreenhouses containing D. Pia, as the chances of success were not particularly good.

If you already have a pond on your property, or you are looking to build one, one way to make it extra special is to add some Black Koi. Black Koi are as versatile as they are beautiful, and make a great addition to any pond.

However, before getting any type of live animal, it is a good idea to do a little background research. This is to ensure you will be able to handle the care and maintenance of the animal, and that you will be a good fit for each other.

If you didn’t already know, Koi is just another name for carp, which is a large species of fish that originated somewhere around Asia and Central Europe. There were several species of carp even in the beginning, and this led them to be easily domesticated throughout South East Asia and China. They were even used as a food source in and around Asia. By the time the fish made it to Japan, they became known as Koi. This creature is extremely hardy, and can withstand many different climates and water types and conditions. This hardiness is what allowed Koi to spread throughout Japan and many other new locations.

Surely no more unique setting could be devised for this magnificient genus than the rolling fells and quiet waters of the lake district. As if aware of this magnolias seem to flourish in the warm moist climate found there as I have never seen them do elsewhere. A deep, humus-rich yet free-draining soil with adequate moisture suits nearly all the species, but they do make an effort to grow on most soils.

Magnolia denudata, the Yulan or Lily Tree, does not take long to settle in and present the gardener with a few of the pure white, cup-shaped flowers which are so elusively fragrant that it would be almost better if they had no scent at all. Magnolias should never suffer root damage, so though pot-grown specimens may cost a little more they are worth it for the assurance of success they bring.

Lavandula spica (officinalis) is the Old English Lavender of popular legend, but the bushes must be trimmed after flowering or it presents a rather gnarled, top heavy appearance. Folgate is a dwarf form suitable as an edging to paths or borders. Grappenhall Variety, on the other hand, makes a 36-in. high bush, and looks very well in groups down a grey and white border.

When plants are sick they require to he gradually encouraged back to good health by keeping them in a warm place, watering very sparingly and temporarily discontinuing feeding. It is also important that they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. There seems to be a desire on the part of the owner to pot the ailing plant into a larger container filled with the most super of super composts. This frequently proves to be the final blow - one should pot on healthy, vigorous plants and not lame ducks. It is inevitable when repotting that the root system will suffer some damage, and this can often be the death of the sickly plant that has had its last few healthy roots destroyed in the process.

Besides selecting good quality plants and creating humidity, it is also necessary to provide light, airy and reasonably warm conditions. A temperature in the region of 16 to 18C. (60 to 65F.) is adequate for all but the more tender tropical types of plant. Excessive heat can often present more problems than temperatures that are slightly below ideal requirements, especially if the atmosphere is very dry. Excess in most things is detrimental, and it would certainly seem to apply to plants where moderation does, on the whole, give much better results.

The time of year is going to determine how you feed your Koi. Since Koi are cold blooded, their metabolism can changed greatly based on what the water temperature is. Feeding the Koi too much when the weather is cold or not feeding them enough when the weather is hot can cause them harm. Koi feeding does not take a rocket scientist, but it does require that you are careful. As long as you follow the instructions for your fish, you should have no issues having healthy Koi from now on.

One way to make sure that you are feeding your Koi correctly is to have a pond thermometer in your pond so that you can acquire an accurate temperature reading all year round. When the weather is cold, their metabolism slows, so you don’t want to feed them too much. They are not able to process the food they eat when it is cold and you must know that fish have a hard time knowing when they are full. That is why fish are easily overfed. In the summer, their metabolism is faster, which is also when they tend to grow. This is when daily feedings are a good idea.

When you have a Koi garden or pond, it is important that it stays clean and the best way to do that is by using a Koi filter. But there are various types of filters that you can purchase, so it is very important that you understand what is available. Having the right filter means that you will have a system that works for you when it comes to your budget and the size of your pond.

The filter to look at is the biological filter. This is a filter that is designed to filter out organic substances and particulate. What it does is use what is called anaerobic bacteria-laden filter media. A bio filter is used to break down the harmful substances that can really do damage to your fish. This means it removes fish waste, pond creatures that are decaying, leaves that have fallen in, and other debris that finds its way to the bottom of the pond.

At the outset, it is emphasised that expensive equipment is not everything, as many a budding angler or Wolfer with money to burn has found to his cost.

It would not, however, he wise to move plants about to too many different locations as they do very much better once they have become adjusted to a particular environment, and can remain there.

Wherever you hear of the green-fingered ability of someone who grows all the plants in the hook with consummate case it will often he fitund that they invariably provide almost ideal roots as soon as the cutting is pointed at the compost.

This is anotherreason why one should purchase plants from a retailer who has heated premises, and insist on plants being properly wrapped and protected before taking them out of the shop.