Poppies are plants that are always associated with cottage gardens, especially the giant oriental poppy, Papaver orientale. This is a tough resilient character that will flourish in almost any soil providing that it is in full sun. Attaining a height of a metre (yard) or more, the typical oriental poppy has dark red silky blossoms [...]

The true musk, Mimulus moschatus, was grown extensively in cottage gardens by our grandparents for its delicious heady fra­grance. Indeed, apart from being grown in the open garden it was raised in pots for the window ledge. Without its scent it would never have made any impact, for it is a rather uninspiring character which [...]