How to create an easy sustainable garden
A sustainable garden is increasingly important. We urban gardeners manage a substantial chunk of the outdoor space in any town or city. So what we do impacts our air quality,…
A sustainable garden is increasingly important. We urban gardeners manage a substantial chunk of the outdoor space in any town or city. So what we do impacts our air quality,…
Why do you need water saving garden tips? You probably have rain drumming down on your roof at this very moment. However, we use 30-60% of our household water in…
‘Give it a root prune every two or three years.’ I was given this advice when I bought my beloved topiary spiral. It is the most significant plant in my…
Cannas are one of the most tropical-looking plants. They tap into today’s trend towards exotic gardens. But they can be grown in quite temperate climates. I asked Stephen Ryan, Australian…
This is a very simple, effective way of weeding without chemicals (and almost without effort). It comes from the Abbey Physic Garden in Faversham. The Abbey Physic garden is a…
Knee or back pain from gardening is probably the most frustrating thing in a garden-lover’s life. You’re longing to get out there – but as soon as you get stuck…
Garden path materials are usually a big investment, so it may be tempting to go for something cheap. But a beautiful garden path will make such a difference to your…
Low-maintenance plants are difficult to kill. They look good in your garden for a long time, and don’t require complicated pruning or feeding. Here are my favourites. Topiary Lavender Hydrangeas…
Is your personality better suited to easy compost or fast compost? When I started gardening, I was confused by what appeared to be conflicting advice about compost. There seemed to…
Do you avoid using Latin names for plants? Do they seem too complicated or even unnecessary? After all, we can all have beautiful gardens without knowing the Latin names of…
‘So how many people in this room have done a soil test?’ This question was asked by garden designer Adam Frost at a recent talk at the Painters Forstal Gardening…
This year’s autumn garden has taught me a lot about choosing plants for late-season colour. I’ve always thought of trees and leaf colour as the defining element of an autumn…
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How to find a gardener who’s perfect for your garden
What’s the first thing you think about when you decide to find a gardener? Is it ‘how much does a gardener cost?’ Or ‘how do I find a gardener who…
The best plants for amazingly low maintenance garden pots
What are ‘low maintenance garden pots’? After all, how low can you go? Can you go away on holiday for a fortnight without asking anyone to water your pots? Er,…
8 steps to the long thin garden of your dreams
Two years ago Emma and Mel moved to a house in Whitstable with a long thin garden. It’s open during Whitstable Open Gardens every year for the NGS. They came…
Fences for privacy – 9 great ideas for garden screening
Are you making the most of your fences for privacy and screening? Privacy is a big issue for middle-sized gardens, because high hedges and fences block light. But low hedges…
7 essential garden tools to make your gardening life really easy
Invest in good quality versions of the 7 essential garden tools. Then build up more useful tools gradually as you find you need them. The 7 essential garden tools a…
The 8 best perfect-for-privacy garden trees
Do you need trees for privacy? Perhaps you have a neighbour’s window over-looking your garden? An ugly view or a street-lamp? The days of planting gloomy conifers to prevent people…
