Flower beds are labour intensive

Bright displays of annual bedding plants have largely been consigned to the past for very good reasons – they are labour intensive, environmentally unsustainable and require regular watering.

In the current weather they would need to be watered daily to survive. The new planting may not provide the carpets of colour Nick Marshall hankers after, but it does provide a more subtle succession of perennial flowers that do not require replacing every six months.

There have been some teething problems as they have experimented with what does and does not grow well in various locations, but as the plants settle in it will look better and better. This is good planting practice in our less predictable climate.

I have watched the changes with interest – in particular, the delicate species tulips that surrounded the fountain outside Iceland in the spring were a delight and they will return year after year.