As winter gives way to spring, fresh vegetables are in short supply. But leeks can fill that hungry gap. The current trial of leeks, now coming to a close, focuses on varieties that stand the winter and are still in great shape for cutting in March and April. The assessment panel have been looking them... Read more..

Looking over the Wisley bergenia trial two or three times recently, an unfortunate conundrum emerges. If the flowers stand up well above the foliage so they show themselves off to the full, with a chance to really enliven the spring garden - they get frosted. If they open on shorter stems, down amongst... Read more..

Thousands of miles away on the other side of the world, near the shores of North Island New Zealand, Terry Dowdeswell who runs New Millennium Delphiniums is working away producing superb new varieties. He's the finest delphinium breeder in the world and we saw some of his plants in last year's... Read more..

The Wisley trials not only bring awards to the best plants, they also test new ways of growing them. In recent years only dedicated specialists (and mass market cut flower growers) have grown perpetual flowering carnations but a new approach has recently been investigated at Wisley, a way in which more... Read more..

I've mentioned the bergenia trial a few times here, it's been one of the most interesting perennial trials of recent years. And at a recent assessment session plantsman and retired nurseryman Chris Sanders suggested that however good its flowers might be, no bergenia should be given an Award... Read more..

Here we bring you lots of early news of the plants which have been awarded the much prized RHS Award of Garden Merit or done well in the trials. Six months ago a full list of the plants awarded the AGM in the previous year was published, new on the scene is a l ist of plants which have received an AGM... Read more..

Arrived at Wisley for today's trials assessment session soon after the thunderous downpour - and just look these irises! This is the Tall Bearded Iris trial just an hour or two after the torrential rain early this morning. Every flower was still beaded with rain drops and yet - they look spectacular... Read more..

Lots to see on the trials field at the RHS Garden at Wisley at the moment. I was judging perennials on Tuesday and took the opportunity to take a look at all the other trials on the Portsmouth Field at Wisley. Alongside the bergenias at the bottom of the Portsmouth Field is the trial of Roscoea . Recently... Read more..

The ornamental rhubarbs, Rheum , are dramatic flowering and foliage plants making bold specimens with, at their best, a very long season of interest. You can help the Herbaceous Plant Committee of RHS with our research on these plants. After the trial of ornamental rhubarbs ended in 2006 the plants were... Read more..

I love sweet peas, in fact I like them so much I wrote a whole book about them , and I'm always eager for the first ones to come into flower. Picking the first few stems for the house is always a sign that summer is really here. So I was pleased to be able to look over the sweet pea trial at Wisley... Read more..