Now is the season for plant sales. And what a wonderful way of acquiring unusual plants propagated by keen gardeners - plants you may never see in a garden centre. Look out for old-fashioned, cottage-garden plants with simple, unfussy blooms. These attract bees and other beneficial insects.
Plants bought at special, once-off sales should be rigorously inspected. Reject any that have been dug up that morning and pushed into pots, or have marks on the leaves or flowers, or look unhealthy. Although most are donated by conscientious gardeners, some may come from less careful sources. When you get the plants home, check for slugs in the bottom of pots, for vine weevil larvae and for weeds.