Famed for their fragrance and beauty the rose is one of the most popular garden plants around. Breeding work has ensured a wide range of colours and forms that can…
Top tips
How to plant summer bulbs
I HAVE always wanted more colour in my summer garden, so this year I was determined to get my summer bulbs – including corms and tubers – in on time.…
Sowing and growing sweet peas
The steps you need to follow for growing sweet peas success! 1. Buy quality seeds from a sweet pea specialist because seed quality varies. 2. Sow in late…
How to sow seeds
THERE IS little more satisfying than growing magnificent, colourful flowers or delicious crops from a few tiny seeds. It’s also a lot cheaper than buying young plants. Many people never…
How to make your own compost
The easiest way to start composting at home is to invest in a compost-maker. Most garden centres will stock two sizes: 220-litres or 330-litres. The golden rule is to buy…
Sow tomatoes early
If you have a heated propagator or a space on a warm, bright windowsill, sow tomatoes seeds at the end of January or start of February. Here’s how to sow…
Find out how long your seed packets will last
If you are sorting through old seed packets through the winter months use this handy table to decide whether seeds are worth keeping. Veg and flower seeds and how long…
Berries on holly explained plus 5 top buys
Hollies are either male or female – only the females berry. Very few are self-fertile, so a female generally needs a male nearby (in the same garden or a neighbour’s)…
How to create a self-watering planter
WATERING tomatoes and other large plants all year round, especially during busy times, can be a lot of hard work. A number of self-watering planter systems are available to buy…
How to make a Christmas containers
For a cool, sophisticated look choose white and silver plants and embellish them with silver decorations and bright lights. This display will look classy for many months and the cineraria…