how to plant, grow & care for bluebells There’s nowhere better than a bluebell wood in April. We’re very lucky, as these magical places are unique to the Atlantic seaboard of Europe, and we get to enjoy incredible bluebell carpets pumping o
how to plant, grow & care for crocosmia Summer is the season of bold colour in the garden – hot colours such as reds and oranges can clamour to create a spectacular display and nothing contributes more vibrantly than crocosmia. The rich, wa
how to plant, grow & care for cucumbers The best cucumbers seem to be those that come in odd shapes and sizes. I love varieties like ‘La Diva’, whose fruits are best when they are the size of a large cigar – perfect for crudités or dipping
how to plant, grow & care for eucomis There are few more magnificent bulbs for your summer and autumn garden than eucomis, commonly known as pineapple lilies because of their distinctive flower spikes and rosette of leaves. Lush and
how to plant, grow & care for camassia Camassias are a wonderful sight in April and May when their brilliant firework spikes emerge in blue, violet and white. They hold the fort between the spring tulips, which are just coming to an end, a
how to plant, grow & care for courgettes I love growing courgettes. Not only are they one of the easiest vegetables to grow in the garden, they are also exceptionally productive. One of my favourite things to do is to sow lots of different v
how to plant, grow & care for squash There’s so much to love about squash. The sheer variety of shapes, colours and flavours means there are endless possibilities for your vegetable garden and your plate. They range from huge pumpkins to
how to plant, grow & care for freesias I adore freesias. I love the scent, the arching stems and their longevity – either growing or cut, each stem lasts nearly three weeks, looking and smelling delicious.The mix of colours they offer is f
how to plant, grow & care for asparagus If you have plenty of room, growing your own asparagus is a must – it is the vegetable garden caviar. At its best for a short period of time, it’s a real seasonal treat and tastes so much sweeter and
how to plant, grow & care for cyclamen Cyclamen brighten the dark autumn and winter days and are a sure sign spring is not far off. They can be tender perennials or hardy perennials. It’s normally the more tender cyclamen species that are
how to plant, grow & care for violas The fascinating markings on these pretty plants are reminiscent of smiling faces, brightening up pots and borders as well as decorating cakes and even the salad bowl. This makes violas highly collecta
how to plant, grow & care for foxgloves (digitalis) Our native foxgloves, Digitalis purpurea, are biennial meaning that you sow them one year and they flower the next, but they seed themselves so freely they appear to be perennial. The same goes for th
how to plant, grow & care for hyacinths A bowl of brightly coloured hyacinths will lift the spirits on a January day with the heady scent of spring pervading the whole house. The magical ritual of planting them in containers in the autumn a
how to plant, grow & care for verbena If you want to attract pollinators all summer long verbenas are the plants to go for. Their rich nectar is particularly popular with hover flies which are so useful at controlling aphids in the rest o
how to plant, grow & care for antirrhinums I love all the antirrhinums, from the rich venetian colours of the Liberty series to the more pastel shades. They all last really well in a vase and are so versatile. You can sow antirrhinum seeds eit
how to plant, grow & care for hellebores With a good mix of varieties, you can have hellebores brightening your borders from Christmas through to Easter. The colours range from purest white through cream, yellow and lime green, then all the