I’m the first to say that a garden consisting of only plants is a lost opportunity. No, I’m not suggesting you cram your garden full of too much paving, decking, shingle or other hardware (and that includes well-dressed meerkats!) but as well as plants, you should encourage plenty of wildlife. … [Read more...]

There is something lovely about this time of year: even on the less appealing days it rarely gets too chilly, the soil is warm and feels all the more full of potential. But there is no doubt that your vegetable growing may seem to be close to peaking and perhaps in some areas on the decline. Rather … [Read more...]

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon may be the famous ones, but why not create a superbly colourful hanging basket of your own? Garden centres and nurseries are crammed full of summer bedding plants at this time of year and there are colours to suit every taste. If aerial gardening is not for you, … [Read more...]

With the flowers blooming and new leaves appearing on the trees, April is a time when most of us like to have a bit of a tidy-up and revitalise the garden for summertime. Whether you’re preparing for the growing season, or simply wanting to improve the look of your garden, we have some great … [Read more...]

Crocuses, like Hamlet's sorrows, come not as single spies, but in battalions. And stealthy battalions at that. One day, there is no sign of them, while the next they have popped up everywhere. Anyone who walks across a public park daily to get to work and suddenly, one morning, comes across a … [Read more...]

PICKING AND STORING TREE FRUIT Gardeners are often nagged by the question of how best to harvest and store the fruit that matures in their garden – that is, after their neighbours have had their fill. This isn’t easy, especially if you have inherited fruit trees when you have moved into a new … [Read more...]