My garden box of memories.....

What do you do with all the little plant labels you get with the plants you buy? I'm not a hoarder so it's quite possibly some kind of idiosyncrasy, but I cannot throw them away. It would be like discarding a part of my friends! The plants I have collected over the years are special and I like to hold on to the labels. I keep them in the box you can see in the photo and every now and then, I enjoy sifting through them. There are all sorts in there. Just to list a few:

• French Lavender
• Lobelia
• Geranium
• Foxglove
• Petunia
• Aubretia
• Primula
• Pansy
• Verbena
• Thyme

Every one of these labels represents a lovely day out somewhere, either to the garden centre or to some well-known garden. Most of the plants are thriving in my garden, some I've given away and, unfortunately, some haven't survived. Well, I never said I was another Percy Thrower! But the labels remain to remind me of sunny days (and some not so sunny) pottering around shelves of plants, choosing which ones would be coming home with me.

A few I wouldn't be without.

This is Mimulus or Monkey Musk. It's an incredibly easy to grow perennial and will self-seed itself, though not invasively. When you look at the flower up close, it looks just like a small orchid. It grows to a height of about 8ins (20.5cm), in clumps producing many flowers. It's well-known for growing round ponds, but I have it growing in the borders and between rocks. Mimulus is also very easy to grow from seed.

Here's the Alpine Strawberry, another plant that is easily grown from seed. I have this growing in the wildlife part of our garden...... the mice and birds need something to eat, don't they! :) It is low-growing and spreads and looks pretty alongside the blue Speedwell. The tiny white flowers are adorable, as are the small jewel-like fruits. You could eat the little strawberries if you wanted to...... they're quite tasty, but tiny!

This plant literally caused me to gaze in awe when the first buds bloomed. It's the Fuchsia, 'Trailing Millenium'. Fuchsias are amongst my favourite flowers and if you've seen this one, you'll understand why. The sepals are a carmine pink and the corolla (the part we think of as the petals) is the darkest of purple. To look at it you would swear it was made of velvet. With a name like 'Trailing Millenium' you'll guess that it's ideal to grow in hanging baskets which is fabulous because you can then situate them somewhere at eye level and gaze at them for ages and ages! :D

Lamium 'Beacon Silver' is a member of the Nettle family but, don't worry, it doesn't sting. In fact, it's one of the prettiest plants you could ever have in your garden. The pink flowers contrast beautifully with the silver and mint green leaves. Not only that, but it flowers all the year round! Admitedly more profuse in the Spring, Summer and Autumn, but there are still a few flowers on our plant today in January. This hardy spreading plant seems able to grow anywhere. I have it in the borders in full sun and growing in semi-shade under a weeping Birch tree. It will also provide a welcome source of food for the bees in your garden.

Ah well, better tidy up and put all the labels back in their box...... wonder which ones will be joining them this year!