Cottage gardens look delightfully informal, with a mix of perennials, annuals, and herbs spilling out of beds and over walkways. But, the seemingly casual mix of plants is backed by careful planning.

Alchemilla mollis or lady's mantle A close-up picture of mantle flowers, or alchemilla mollis, which are hardy and easy to grow (Image: scu) According to Lee, this plant stands as the "ultimate no ...

If you're after a bold splash of acid yellow, consider planting Alchemilla (Lady's Mantle) seeds. On his podcast, Alan revealed that this daring plant is also effective at keeping slugs away.

Nobody wants slugs munching away in the garden all summer - but fortunately, there are some varieties that the pests hate. Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh says that there are four key plants to ...

If you're not convinced that sun-loving plants are enough to keep slugs away, then try planting Alchemilla. This plant, also ...