A Seed From Windy's Little Garden Quiz

Answer: Rose (Rosa grandiflora)

The rose comes in countless forms, single, double, wild, but our modern gardens are generally graced with hybrids and cultivars from respected breeders. The rose shown is the French Meilland climbing rose "Pierre de Ronsard", a lovely repeat flowering rose. In my garden it is in bloom from early spring into the start of winter.

Answer: Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale)

The Oriental poppy is native to parts of Turkiye and Iran, with its origins apparently recorded by the ancient Sumerians. The Oriental poppy was traditionally grown as a painkiller and narcotic (but much milder than its cousin, the opium poppy). The poppy was used as a symbol of peace and sleep, and features in Greek and Roman mythology, sometimes carried by Hypnos or Morpheus, the gods of sleep and dreams.

Now it graces gardens in many countries, and its bright, brave blooms decorate military cemeteries the world over:-

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,___" John McCrae

Answer: String-of-pearls (Curio rowleyanus, alt. Senecio)

The string-of-pearls, which, when I purchased it, was labelled Senecio, rather than its current accepted name of Curio rowleyanus, is a great choice for decorating the edges of hanging baskets where it will extend down to the ground. I had to crop this picture, but the strands fall nearly 2 meters to my patio floor, and it survives on very little water (or soil, for that matter).

Answer: Rhododendron

Coming in many colours and sub-species, mostly ranging through pinks, purples, and my bright red one shown here, the rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal, and the state flower of Washington and West Virginia. It is related to the azaleas, themselves a vast variety of forms.

This one simply glows in my shade garden, which is an oasis in summer, but otherwise sparsely coloured in our short winter period. As for peonies, I haven't yet succeeded in growing one.

Answer: Camellia japonica

Camellias hail from China and Japan, and Camellia sinensis is the primary source of black and green tea. If you want a hardy but beautiful hedge, grow C. sasanqua, a mostly single form of flower. Most of the show-stoppers are C. japonica.

The lovely Japanese cultivar pictured (no, it's not 'Bob Hope', but very similar) should have been allowed a growing season without flowering, but I was so charmed by its effect on my mood that I harvested many blooms to light up my house last winter. Since I dead-headed the last of the flowers, it has put on lots of glossy green leaves.

Answer: Pelargonium

My lovely regal pelargonium was given to me as a little plant by a friend, and enjoys the bright sunshine. Pelargoniums are often called geraniums in Australia, but true geraniums, though related, have the common name cranesbill.

The pelargonium is native to warmer parts of the world, including southern Africa. It is easy to grow and is drought-tolerant, but generally doesn't like frosts.

Answer: Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe, a member of the stonecrop family, has tough but attractively shaped leaves and carries a thick crop of flowers. Commonly used as an indoor plant, it can be brought outside in its pot during the warmer months in cool climate gardens. Being a succulent, it likes a deep watering once weekly in my garden, and likes to dry out between waterings.

I snapped this stunning massed planting in a restaurant in Venice Beach, Ca., a few years ago, and wondered what it was.

It comes in many colours, and once established, will flower profusely for years.

Answer: Solomons Seal (Polygonatum x hybridum)

Solomon's seal is described as a rhizomatous perennial herb. It is quite hardy after its first year (or so I'm told!) This one is still establishing itself, but I'm hoping for a clump of much taller plants over the coming years. It enjoys my shady section of garden and looks quite elegant in its setting.

Answer: Lavender

The photo is of one of my Lavandula stoechas plants; it has little 'wings' on top of each flower. I also have several forms of English, French and Italian lavenders. Lavender is a great flavouring in everything from desserts and ice-cream to roast meats and casseroles (as in the herb blend herbes de Provence).

Lavender is one of the few plants I can always rely on for most of the year to provide sweet nectar to my bees. It has medicinal uses, and it has a calming effect in aromatherapy. I would never be without it.

Answer: Primrose (Primula polyantha)

The primulas are many and varied; some thrive in a rockery, others crave shade and moisture. I have no idea where mine came from - possibly a seed dropped or passed by a bird. Mine is blue with a yellow centre, but it comes in a vast array of colours and forms. The English primrose, Primula vulgaris, is toxic to pets.