Christopher Lloyd constantly reshaped and replanted his garden at Great Dixter, because, as he said: 'We don't want to be wishy-washy on the fence.' He loved colour - praising 'extra oomph' and 'the immense value of red' - and he hated fashion ('that awful phrase, good taste'). This selection reflects his passions and challenges, his eagerness to experiment, his appetites and his prodigious knowledge as a plantsman. His columns for the Guardian are as vigorous as his gardening style, advising, entertaining and cajoling his readers as he guides them through the gardening year.