Winter pruning can be completed in March. Dogwood, shrubby willows, and ornamental Rubus, grown for their winter-coloured stems, should be cut down hard. Prune to about one or two buds of last year’s growth to leave a stubby framework. Late flowering shrubs such as Buddlejas should be treated in the same way to give a better display in the autumn. … Read More
Tips for Watering Your July Garden
Midsummer, and the garden is awash with colour. There is always plenty of work to be done, but make the most of the long summer evenings, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labours earlier in the year. At this time of year gardens are not only full of colour, but the scent of flowers such as roses and sweet … Read More
Tips for Pruning Jobs in the February Garden
February might be the coldest, grimmest month in the garden but later on this month, the early narcissi start making an appearance in gardens and the winter flowering shrubs, such as the Daphnes, will soon be full of fragrance and colour. This is a good month for pruning woody plants. Hardy shrubs that flower on new wood later in the … Read More
Winter Gardening Tips
Any sunshine this month will be weak, but if you feel like venturing into the garden, wrap up well and there are always jobs to be getting on with! Now’s your chance to catch up with any repairs or maintenance jobs that have been piling up over the year and you can make the most of any good weather by … Read More
Tips for May Garden Care
When growing fruit and vegetables it’s vital to attract pollinating insects to increase the chances of a bumper harvest. The best way to do this is by growing some nectar-heavy flowering plants around the edibles. For example, sowing seeds of poached egg flowers directly under soft fruits will attract bees, hoverflies and other beneficial creatures. A good plant partnership is … Read More
What to Plant in Your November Garden
Ever shortening days, wet windy weather, and trees shedding leaves in drifts all take their toll on the November garden. Good gardening days are rare this month, which is all the more reason for taking full advantage when they occur – there’s always something to see and do in the garden! Plant tulips this month as the temperature is cool … Read More
Tips for Keeping Your Summer Garden Weed-Free
Weeding is a perennial problem. Very simply, weeds are uninvited guests in the garden who can quickly take over at this time of year. It’s important to keep on top of them, as they compete for light, space and precious moisture in the garden. There are two main sorts of weed. Annuals are in many ways the easiest to deal … Read More
Tips for planning your spring bulbs
A good way to enjoy spring bulbs in a garden, whatever the size, is to plant up a few containers with different varieties of bulbs this autumn. By growing bulbs in pots, you can provide temporary colour where they can easily be substituted when they are past their best. I like to grow spring bulbs in a container with a … Read More
Things to Enjoy in the December Garden
December can be a wonderful month in the garden. Although the days are short, on those clear, frosty, sunny mornings it can be a real pleasure to be outside and much better for you than snoozing in front of the fire! As these days are few, treasure and make the most of them – there’s always something to do in … Read More
Tips for Growing Snowdrops in your Garden
February is probably the grimmest month in the gardening calendar, with low temperatures and flowers being in scarce supply. However, there is hope in the air. For many of us, the first sign of spring and the promise of milder weather just around the corner is the sight of a clump of brave snowdrops poking through the cold earth of … Read More