Witch: Why can't I grow Camomile? I followed the instructions on the back of the pack of seeds and have had no luck.

Alan: Try using plants instead of seeds. You can buy them at garden centres or herb nurseries - and you can even split these up into smaller plants. (See Herb Garden for more info).

Patricia: Can you recommend an effective and organic way to control greenfly, whitefly and aphids in the greenhouse? I know ladybirds could help, but since I have lived in SW Ireland I have only spotted 2!

Alan: You can now buy biological controls - beneficial insects - from organic suppliers, which can be let loose in your greenhouse and they'll control the pests for you. I find them quite effective. (See Pest Control for more details).

Chris: What are the worse thing that's happened on Ground Force and the most memorable thing?

Alan: The worst things happen every week! I always think the next is the most difficult. The most special was the garden for Nelson Mandela. He was a great man.

Eli: Hi Alan. My garden is next to a fairly busy road and I'm looking to plant trees or a hedge which is fast-growing and will help to block out noise. I am keen to avoid the ubiquitous Leylandii!

Alan: It depends whether you want an evergreen or not. Try Portugal Laurel which has dark green leaves and red leaf stalks. If you want a deciduous hedge, there are lots to choose from, but I think that Beech takes a lot of beating!

Wolf girl: I've just started a new job in a garden centre. I love it but there is one problem: I'm having difficulty in pronouncing the names of trees, shrubs and plants. Are there any books I could buy?

Alan: Yes there are. If you go to Amazon on the Web, you should be able to buy a book on the pronunciation of plant names.

Janet: Please can you suggest trees, shrubs and plants that will grow next to the sea on the east coast? We do have a Buddleia and blue Hydrangea plus lots of grass.

Alan: Try Hebes, Tamarisk and Cupressus macrocarpa. Grey-leafed plants in general tend to be good by the sea.

Miranda J: Hi Alan. What should I be doing in the garden at this time of year to ensure my flowers grow and my lawn is happy?

Alan: It's too early to seed your lawn - do that in April - but you can sprinkle an organic fertiliser between border plants now and lightly fork it in before laying a mulch of matter. That should give them a good start to the season.

(See Creating a Lawn From Seed, Creating a Lawn From Turf and Lawn Maintenance for more lawn info).

Isabella: My neighbours are always peeking over the wire fence. I want some privacy - can you recommend some plants that will grow at least 5ft high?

Alan: Why not try a Hawthorn hedge? It has thorns, bright green leaves, spring blossom and autumn fruits and it will eventually block out your neighbours.