garden tips
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Create a calm and comfortable corner in your garden
This April, many of our posts will be about encouraging calm and tranquillity as it’s Stress Awareness Month. Today, I’ll talk about creating a calm corner in the garden by using natural materials and colour, water, plants and comfortable seating. A corner can be a very good setting for a quiet and private place. No-one’s […] -
Here's what to do in the October garden
There’s plenty to do in the October garden. It’s all about clearing and cleaning up, planting and moving, and getting ready for autumn rains and winds. It can be a bit of a scramble to do what’s necessary before the weather turns against us. But who knows what October's weather will be like? It can […] -
3 tips for August bank holiday in the garden
It’s the August bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and, as is traditional, the weather picture is mixed. Here are three tips for what to do in the garden this bank holiday . Do what you can – it all makes a difference. 1. Be in the moment You know how the house […] -
Be bold and use bold colour in the garden
Bold use of colour can play a big part in making your garden look great. Repeating the same colour across your garden gives it a rhythm and helps it hang together. The colour can embrace the buildings too. It’s a trick that many of us have learnt. Let’s talk about especially bold colours, like we […] -
Half-term project: choose and grow tomato plants
Home-grown tomatoes taste so much better than ones bought in the shops and they’re fun to grow. You have to keep an eye on them and look after them – children are good at that! Now’s the time to choose and plant your tomato plants so plan a little trip to your local garden centre […] -
Plant pots, containers, planters – 7 common questions answered
Plant pots, containers, planters - there’s an enormous choice out there. How do you choose what’s best for your plants and best for your garden? We answer seven of the most common questions. 1. What should I think about when choosing a pot? As well as how good the pot looks, think about: how big […] -
Good soil is the key to happy and healthy plants
We all want happy and healthy plants and good soil is key to making that happen. (Of course, there are a few happy and healthy exceptions to this: air plants, hydroponic plants and perhaps plants growing on gravel but here we’re talking about plants that grow in soil.) For happy and healthy plants we have […] -
Develop a low maintenance garden by working with nature
Mowing, weeding and watering are the most disliked jobs in the garden. Follow our suggestions about working with nature to create a low maintenance garden. After the initial work you’ll soon see the benefit. Gardening is made very, very much easier when we work with nature and our soil conditions, climate, rainfall and local wildlife. […] -
Garden redesign - some tips on ideas, budget and scheduling
Whether you’ve just moved in or been there for years, it might be time for a garden redesign. You can move on from a tired-looking garden, creating somewhere you love, maximising space and making the inside and outside of the property all work together. Here are some tips as you pull together your thoughts, the […] -
Enjoy summery days and prepare for winter!
Where I am, in lovely summery days, gardeners are starting to prepare for winter. For me, winter is not a welcome thought but deep in my bones there is an urge to save some summer to enjoy in winter. So this week I have two garden jobs that make the most of summer days and […] -
Strawberries! And be a sparkling cordial host
Why are strawberries called strawberries? Strawberries planted back in April are starting to swell now. Soon they’ll be ready to eat. But before they get to that mouth-watering bright-red-all-over-stage and the weather is warm and they are at their most delicious, the plants need a little more care and attention. Especially if they're in the […] -
Take cuttings and be part of the spring/summer surge
Benefit from the impetus of the ‘May flush’ The ‘May flush’ is that wonderful swelling of energy when everywhere begins to burst enthusiastically with fresh new growth. Over these past few weeks I’ve been travelling regularly across North Wales and North West England, a complete and utter delight as the hedgerows, verges and front gardens […]