Plant this Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata) doesn’t give you oranges but this shrub has much to offer: evergreen aromatic foliage, fragrant white flowers in spring and late summer, and an ability to thrive in many different garden settings. The cultivar ‘Aztec Pearl’ has finer foliage and a compact form.
Try this Aphid invasion? Using pesticides is a short-term solution that removes a valuable food source for other creatures, so squish with your fingers or dislodge with a blast from the hosepipe. Attract hoverflies, ladybirds and other aphid predators by planting herb fennel, achillea and marigolds (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Visit this Learn about the wildlife in your garden at RHS garden Hyde Hall in Essex. Join guided walks of its beautiful garden, one with a great track record in catering for wildlife, from log piles to flower meadows, and talk to local experts. 10am-5pm, 11-12 May; rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall.
