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Logan Botanic Garden
Port Logan
Stranraer
Dumfries & Galloway
DG9 9ND
Tel. 01776 860231

(www.rbge.org.uk)

Monty has a beautiful selection of late-flowering clematis in his Jewel Garden, with his favourite being Clematis 'Purpurea Plena Elegans' (pictured here).

We asked a clematis specialist to give us his top five varieties for fantastic colour at this time of year. Peter Skeggs-Gooch and his family have been growing clematis in the UK for more than 25 years and these are his suggestions:

• Clematis 'Etoile Violette'  The dark bluey-purple flowers have beautifully contrasting pale yellow stamens. An outstanding performer that adorns gardens across the world. Flowers July to September.

• Clematis 'Kermesina'  Silvery-pink buds open to glorious deep crimson flowers which have a white spot at the base of each tepal with contrasting dark brown stamens. Flowers July to September.

• Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’  The dark purple blooms have a slight reddish-purple bar which fades to bluey-purple as the blooms mature. Flowers July to October.

• Clematis 'Princess Diana’  This eye-catching texensis variety has rich, deep pink,  trumpet-shaped flowers with paler mauve-pink margins. Flowers July to October.

• Clematis rehderiana  Dainty, pale yellow, nodding bell-shaped flowers are borne in clusters and they have a cowslip-like perfume. Occasionally slow to establish, but is definitely worth the wait! Flowers September to November.

If you haven’t got round to sowing any dwarf French beans yet, it's not too late! They are a great gap-filler, enjoy the warmth at this time of year and are easy to grow. Sow seeds 5cm (2in) deep, 10cm (4in) apart in rows spaced 30-45cm (12–18in) apart. With luck, beans planted now should be ready to harvest in September.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Autumn-fruiting raspberries are starting to bear fruit. It’s not necessary to give them a permanent support as the canes are sturdier than their summer counterparts, but if you tie them in, they’re less likely to sprawl all over neighbouring plants.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Once thyme has finished flowering, it’s a good idea to cut it back hard. This will ensure it doesn’t get too woody and will keep providing fresh, tasty growth for the cooking pot. Always ensure there’s some new growth at the point at which you cut, as the plant doesn’t always rejuvenate from old wood.

(www.rhs.org.uk)