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banana prints featuring on clothes, curtains and sofas.
But I think it’s probably more about a desire to nurture, to create a nest, to be responsible for something. The world seems to be becoming a more challenging and unkind space, so much information is held about us, sold and stolen. So many certainties are slipping away.
Property is expensive, even renting can be prohibitive, and garden space in cities and urban areas is hard to come by.
Meanwhile plants are relatively cheap. They look great, they suit our health and fitness-aware sensibilities and they don’t tweet nasty things.
Q
We have recently bought an arbour. I am looking for a plant to put at the side to use as a wind break and to provide some privacy. I’m looking for something fairly mature. Thanks in anticipation.
Alice Hogg
A
How about a lovely evergreen honeysuckle such as Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’? It will climb vigorously and quickly cover your arbour, providing a privacy screen of dark green leaves. The real attraction however will be when it is covered from spring through to summer with deliciously fragrant white and yellow flowers – a real treat to sit beneath on a summer’s evening.
Or if you are looking for instant cover now, how about a bamboo that will gently rustle in the breeze?
Choose a clump-forming variety, though, so you don’t have to worry about it running all over the garden and into the neighbour’s land!