Answers to questions about growing dahlias from dahlia expert Steven Edney, head gardener at The Salutation Hotel & Gardens. When to plant dahlias, how to look after them, how to plant them, which plants grow well with dahlias and how to choose dahlias.
Small garden planting ideas that really work! How to choose and place plants to make your garden feel bigger and more beautiful. And why planting that works in larger gardens sometimes doesn’t work in smaller ones.
Border planting ideas for small gardens. What works well in a limited space and why it’s often different for larger gardens. How to choose and combine plants to make your garden gorgeous.
Garden designer Jane Beedle has turned her own muddy back yard into a stylish, colourful contemporary garden in just four months. All on a tight budget. You may know her…
How high your garden steps should be, how deep, which materials to choose and garden step ideas from traditional and contemporary gardens.
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 you…
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How to increase your garden privacy
3 top garden privacy tips – how to make your garden look and feel more private!
10 easy care evergreen pots for year round impact
For the next six months, the evergreen pots in my garden will create almost all the structure and impact. But they need very little care and put up with a…
What colour should I paint my shed?
I have been debating the crucial issue of what colour to paint my shed. Painting your shed transforms your garden. And if I paint my shed, it’ll also last longer….
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…
The 8 best perfect-for-privacy garden trees
Do you need trees for privacy? Privacy garden trees can make a big difference to how much you enjoy your garden. Perhaps you have a neighbour’s window over-looking your garden?…
