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 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…
