Garden glossary key definitions of different plant types If you are new to gardening, understanding the different types of plants will help you get to grips with how to care fo
Our plants and how to grow them our plants and how to grow them Everything you need to know about our plant types, and what to do with them once they arrive. All plants are chosen by Sa
A guide to our plants Read our guide and explore how to get started on container gardening a guide to our plants On every different plant page on our website there is a table underneath wi
gardening with children – choosing the seeds Gardening with children can be one of the most rewarding things. I've put together a series of step by step guides about gardening with children based on my daughter Molly's veg garden (starting
understanding types of plants and seeds If you are new to gardening then understanding the different types of plants will really help you get to grips with planning what to sow, plant and grow in your garden. Here are some handy definition
autumn herbs to sow from seed There's plenty of autumn herbs to sow from seed once the summer heat fades. I love dill which is perfect for the cooler months and delicious in so many foods. In autumn I always sow flat-leaved parsle
how to get summer colours in an autumn garden Here’s a useful exercise: walk around your garden today and make a note of what’s in flower and still looking good. Then try to think back to when those plants started flowering. Are there
a beginner's guide to healing plants I’m about to add a whole new strand to my productive garden – healing plants. There are many plants which you can grow which are perfect for healing common ailments. I have travelled arou
edible flowers Scattering flowers over your food is a good way to add colour and I've always been a sucker for marigolds, violas, primroses and nasturtiums for this decorative reason alone, but the more I learn
wonderful wisteria The benefits of a rain-sodden spring are not many, but a glorious, colourful display of wisteria is one! Imagine walking through a wood at this time of year in the hillier, wilder areas of Honshu or
trendy herbs how to: sorrel & lovage Do you remember The River Cafe getting us all to start growing rocket about 20 years ago? Salad rocket was joined by the thin-fingered, peppery, wild variety. Then Jamie Oliver made Summer Savou
companion planting: friends with benefits Most of us love the idea of companion planting, the underlying principle being that by uniting one species with another we’ll free a plant from the scourge of some particular pest or have a mira
sowing flowers in late summer I am a believer in late summer sowing – getting most of my hardy annuals into the ground as soon as I can. The soil is warm in late August, and with a little rain the top few inches of ground sh
self-seeding plants: creating a fuss-free garden The more I look at natural landscapes and the wild flowers that scatter themselves within them, the less inclined I am to garden meticulously. I want my outside space to produce food and flowers, and
sowing biennials for next year June and July is the time to sow your biennial flowers for wonderful displays in your garden next year. Common-or-garden honesty is one of my favourite plants. It is an easy biennial to grow, will gen
prepare your spring garden in autumn Without autumn-sown plants, the abundance and beauty of most gardens plummets for three or four weeks towards the end of spring. The British countryside is at its best in May, with lanes, woodland ed
