Everything you need to know about growing cannas
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…
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…
I had never considered buying gardening trousers. Because I work from home, I garden in short snatches and stolen moments. I didn’t think it would be worth changing trousers just…
Autumn trees are the stars in my November garden. My top five trees are: Smokebush (Cotinus coggyria Crab apple trees (esp Malus ‘Gorgeous’) Heritage fruit trees such as quince and…
Many people are now talking openly about their physical and mental challenges and how their garden or gardening has helped them. I want to talk about my story of trauma,…
‘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…
I asked garden designer Adam Frost about garden redesign. Especially if you have a middlesized garden and have recently moved in. (‘Recently’ in garden terms can be years, as we…
I sense that the September garden isn’t anyone’s favourite. Vita Sackville-West abandoned Sissinghurst for the Mediterranean in September. Alan Titchmarsh refers to ‘the depths of September and October’. There’s a…
August in the Middlesized Garden is a bit of a mixed bag. August has been called ‘the Sunday of summer’, and there’s a lazy, idle feeling about the garden at…
Garden seating is so much more than just a place to sit. A bench can be a focal point, work like a piece of sculpture, can punctuate a hedge or…
I’ve just visited a gorgeous small town garden for entertaining. If you are thinking of building an outdoor kitchen, then Dan Cooper, the owner, has the most brilliant tips (see…
A small garden needs a big idea. You can let a larger garden evolve – and by ‘larger’ I mean any garden more than about 100ft long or quarter of…
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