Once the Heliotrope or Cherry Pie was a popular sum-mer plant, sharing a place in countless Victorian gardens alongside Fuchsias and Geraniums, but its day is now past. The problem is that each individual blooms is tiny, but the flower-heads are large and the fragrance is very strong. An excellent foil for showy yellow flowers…

Helichrysum is the most popular of the ‘everlasting’ flowers which look like double Daisies and bear strawy petals. It is popularly called the Straw Flower or Immortelle, and is prepared for indoor decoration by cutting just before the flowers are fully open. Tie the stems in bunches and hang upside down in a cool place…

Gypsophila is grown to provide material for flower arranging and to provide a welcome contrast to the colourful large blooms in the bed or border. Sprays of small, starry flowers appear above the small, grey-green leaves – the slender plants should be supported with small twiggy branches. Gypsophila thrives best when there is some lime…

Godetias are one of the best loved of all hardy annuals; their gay colours and free-flowering habit have kept them favourites for many years. The funnel-shaped flowers crown the upright leafy spikes which are plentiful enough for both cutting and garden display. The tall varieties require staking and all Godetias need watering when the weather…

There is perhaps no showier flower than the Gazania for a sunny bed, border or rockery. The plants are low- growing a tendency to sprawl, the leaves are silvery or grey below and the 3in. Daisy-like flowers are avail-able in a wide array of colours with contrasting zones. They are perennials but are easily damaged…

The Annual Gaillardia or Blanket flower is an excellent plant for cutting and garden display but it is not a popular choice. One reason is that there are several other annuals with yellow and red Daisy-like flowers, but the double Gaillardia is a novelty. It is also an untidy blooms to ensure autumn flowering ….