Updated 13/06/2025 Sweet peas are a great all rounder in the garden. With delicate flowers with a delightful fragrance and climbing habit they're great when grown up wigwams and garden canes. Their habit makes them fantastic for any size garden, even small spaces. They lend themselves to cottage style spots. But even though [...]

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One of nature’s spring garden masterpieces is the sight of cascading flowers from a wisteria. Although wisteria is synonymous with country cottage gardens, the two most popular cultivars of this stunning plant hail from Japan (Wisteria floribunda) and China (Wisteria sinensis), both introduced to the U.K. in the early 1800’s.  Find out how [...]

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Though British weather is at times unpredictable, the summer often brings with it a heatwave in which our gardens can get a bit thirsty. So how can you help your plants to get over the stress of heat when the sun is beating down? Spot the signs There are a few [...]

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Lily beetle, as its name suggests, affects lilies and fritillaries and is now widespread in Britain. Find out more about this pest in my handy pest and disease guide to lily beetles. What are lily beetles? Lilioceris lilii are one of the leaf beetle family. It’s also commonly called red lily beetle [...]

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Roses are one of the most popular plants to grow in gardens. There are many types to choose from, with mini patio roses, rambling roses, and shrub roses. When growing roses, there are certain jobs to do throughout the year to ensure you’re growing the best roses. Here are my top tips for [...]

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The rose is England’s national flower and much loved throughout the U.K. and rest of the world but sadly they can be badly affected by a persistent disease called black spot. Read my guide to find out more about black spot on roses. What is black spot on roses? Black [...]

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Narrow shaded areas tend to get overlooked in a garden but there’s no reason why they can’t be transformed into an area of beauty that gives year-round interest. So, here’s a few tips on how to transform that problem patch with these plants for narrow shaded spots. GROW UPWARDS [...]

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The benefits of indoor gardening have been well documented, you can see many of the reasons in my book My Houseplant Changed My Life. Another incredible ability of some houseplants is that they can act as mould-busters. So which houseplants can prevent mould in the home? How is mould caused? [...]

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For those of us with shrubs and hedges in our gardens, the best practice is to prune them regularly. Then, they can keep their shape and look good year-round. Here are some tips to hard prune overgrown shrubs and hedges. The reality is that we either don’t have time or have inherited a [...]

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This cosy dish is sure to be a winter warmer that’s full of flavour. Make it in bulk for lunches through the colder months, or serve it as a starter for a festive meal. Scroll to see my recipe card for French onion soup. Cooking French onion soup A main [...]

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It’s the height of summer; a time of the year when many plants in the garden are producing lots of flowers and fruit and veg are starting to ripen. This is also a time of the year when these types of plants benefit from weekly feeding and the best type of plant food to [...]

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Transplanting seedlings, or pricking out, is an important step in the process of growing. You need to time it right and it may differ but this depends on the plants being grown. This guide will explain what it is, how to do it, and why to transplant seedlings. [...]

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Helleborus are a brilliant choice for part or full shade areas of the garden, bringing a much-needed beautiful hit of colour during late winter and early spring. Their flowers also provide a much-needed source of food for pollinating insects at a time of the year when nectar and pollen are in relatively short supply. [...]

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We know that houseplants are popular, and people are creating striking displays in their homes. From living walls to hanging art made from air plants, there’s so much creativity involved in creating a spectacular indoor garden. Make the most of every inch of your home by designing a staircase garden with these tips… [...]

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December: Deck the halls And just like that it's the last month of the year. Our gardens have been through a lot in the past week with snow and strong winds, but hopefully winter protection preparation was enough to keep tender plants safe through the conditions. It's such a beautiful sight, seeing a [...]

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The Three Sisters Gardening method is a Native American technique that has been used for over three centuries. The crops sustained them physically and spiritually. So, find out more about the Three Sisters Gardening method and how you can use these agricultural traditions in your own garden. What is it? It [...]

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August can be seen as an ‘in-between’ month as high summer reaches its peak and autumn hasn’t yet set in. But don’t despair, because there are still loads of wonderful flowering plants happily doing their thing for you to choose from. So here are my top ten plants for August gardens… Top [...]

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There are the classic perennials that are easy to find in garden centres to add colour to your garden. However, there are some gems that aren’t as commonly found. These are some of my favourite underused or uncommon perennials to add something special to your garden. 1. Dictamnus albus (dittany or burning bush) [...]

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June is the time when you should be able to safely plant outside all those tender veg seedlings you’ve been carefully nurturing under cover. But do check the weather forecast first, as the UK has been experiencing some very unusual extreme weather patterns! Here is some veg to plant and harvest in June so [...]

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Alcea, or hollyhocks, are perfect picks for the back of the border where they grow up to 2m tall. The masses of flowers that bloom from June to September are a perfect addition to many garden styles, although they are a classic cottage garden choice. Planting hollyhocks Hollyhocks are easy to [...]

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