Dylan Norfield

Weeds are simply plants in the wrong place, so one of the best ways of stopping them is to give them no place to grow.

Have you got a dry, 1m-wide spot in the garden where little else will grow? Does a plant with blue-grey foliage that lasts 10 years with little or no maintenance and has a spectacular 3m-high flower sound good?

A row of plants pruned as though they are one can form a great living barrier. Hedges are incredibly versatile and can be any size, shape or colour, depending on the species used.

It's that time of year again, when areas of the garden are starting to look tired.

If you are looking to commemorate the upcoming royal wedding, why not plant a royal plant.

Forget the plastic flowers that dance to music, why not grow a real plant that moves.

I am always looking for plants that can fend for themselves and cover the ground, smothering all those pesky weeds.

When reading gardening magazines or visiting local garden centres, it seems as though vegetable and herb gardening are major trends at present. If following a trend, why not still be different by choosing unusual plants to grow in your garden?

If, like me, you sometimes think of conifers as evergreen trees with little to offer, then we must both think again.

We have all heard of the leaves of Laurus nobilis, more commonly known as the bay tree, being used in cooking. Surprisingly, they are the weak alternative to the Californian bay laurel, Umbellularia californica.

Need some privacy? With the huge range of climbers available, how do we decide which one to pick to cover up that wall or fence, or to hide the neighbour? We need something that is vigorous but not invasive, evergreen and has an interesting flower.

Swan River Pea is a beautiful name for an unusual shrub from Australia with flowers similar to our native kaka beak, the flower in the Dunedin Botanic Garden logo.

We often underestimate the aesthetic qualities of ferns, thinking they are just another green plant.

Many of us associate Eucalyptus with bluegum and think of a cosy fire, but there is beauty as well as practicality to this versatile tree.

Not all conifers are evergreen, which means you can grow a conifer and still get brilliant autumn colours.