What could be more satisfying that growing your own delicious fresh fruit and vegetables, and picking them straight from the plant? You can get great results even in limited space,…
Gardening
10 lovely signs that spring has arrived in your garden
Nature is bursting with activity at this time of year. The dawn chorus gets louder and earlier than ever as birds begin nesting and raising their chicks. And with flowers…
Container garden guide: Flower colour schemes
Ideas for strong bright colours Imagine how much more inviting a sunny patio will look with containers filled with blooms in the tropical shades of scarlet and orange. To maintain…
Summer bulbs to brighten up your garden
Tall and dramatic Known as desert candles or foxtail lilies, the stately spikes of eremurus like it sunny and dry and, in order to induce flowering, a cold snap in…
Top gardening tips – your ultimate how-to guide
Cultivating soil is fundamental to good gardening. It improves the soil’s structure as reducing compaction increases aeration, so that more air gets to plant roots and drainage is enhanced. How…
How to take care of your garden through each month of the year
February to March ✤ Sow frost-sensitive summer-bedding seeds, such as pelargoniums, in pots on a warm windowsill. For something a bit different, sow and grow climbers, such as Chilean Glory…
Grow an English country garden
Even if you live in the suburbs and your house is modern, it’s easy to create an authentic country-style cottage garden if you look to your granny’s garden for inspiration.…
Plant irises and bring colour to your garden
Irises have been a favourite flower since the Chinese fell in love with them thousands of years ago. Their picture-perfect blooms have also been a source of inspiration for many…
Top tips for creating a dog-friendly garden
If you’re thinking about bringing a dog into your home, you must ensure your garden is safe and pet friendly. It’s vital you cover all escape routes to stop your…
Green grass tips from our gardening expert
1. Green Up Grass The most common reason for a lawn turning yellow is excess heat and drought, but over-fertilising with nitrogen is another. Feeding a hungry lawn with leaf-making…
How to win the garden weed war
Stinging nettles Well-known for their painful sting, these weeds are widespread. They produce a dense mat of bright yellow roots and form thickets of erect stems more than a metre…
How to use alpine plants in your garden
The majority of alpine enthusiasts use rock gardens replicating their natural habitats to grow these mini mountain plants. Since the 1980s rockeries have been out of favour with less committed…
How to create a craft garden at home
Homegrown veg can be a real money-spinner, especially if they’re organic. Consider getting an allotment, as your plot could provide enough food to feed 20 people when in full production.…
Plant bulbs ready for spring
Plant bulbs now for a garden full of colourful surprises in spring. They’re easy to grow – simply dig a hole, pop them in and wait! Most spring-flowering bulbs prefer…
Prairie garden: What to plant
Naturalised ‘prairie’ planting remains very much in fashion after more than 30 years, mainly because it is trouble-free and is an attractive alternative to an English cottage border. It also…
In the pink: Dianthus plants
Resembling a mini florist carnation, easy-care dianthus – which we call ‘pinks’ because the serrated edges to the petals look as though they have been cut with pinking shears –…
Create memories with your garden scent
Scent connects with people in so many different ways. It switches on lights from your past, drawing forward precious memories. It’s a good idea therefore, to build a garden around…
Your garden: How to plant it
One of the toughest parts of planning your garden is figuring out how to plant it. For an instant, new-look garden, take a tip from the experts and reshape the…
Perfect perennials: Plant and flower ideas
Flower beds stuffed with plants is the key to creating a great garden and reliable, perennial favourites, like bee balm or Monarda which attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees,…
Gold plant inspiration for your garden
Plants that have yellow-gold leaves add a splash of instant sunshine to a shady corner, an effect that lasts longer than any flowers. They look fabulous beside perennials with red,…