Having worked with the alkaline soil of eastern England, one of the great joys of moving to this part of Wales was finding a garden full of acid-loving plants. Amongst them is the most beautiful rhododendron - every year when it's in bloom, I find it hard to pass it by without sitting down to paint it yet again.

This winter we have planted more roses and peonies, in the hope that I don't get too carried away by the rhododendron.

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