There are two strands to the use of water in the garden – and I am talking watering plants here, not choosing water features. These are reducing the need for watering and efficient irrigation in a domestic garden. Saving water Mulching is a good way of reducing water loss by evaporation from the soil surface. […]
How to buy plants
Spring is a good time to buy plants to fill up spaces in your ornamental borders to be sure of a wonderful display in the summer. But before you can plant, you need to buy and there are few things that a gardener likes more than the chance to acquire more plants. For herbaceous plants […]
Community, learning & gardening: a winning combination
At the end of February 2018 I was delighted to be part of a ‘delegation’ from Kent Adult Education to the Tes Further Education Awards dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. A wonderful evening and a welcome opportunity for this gardening tutor to scrub up and wear a frock. We were shortlisted in […]
What is Soil and what is Soil Improvement?
You already know that the soil in your garden is key to growing great plants. But exactly what soil is made of, why this matters and what is meant by soil improvement might warrant a bit more explanation to turn the frustration of plants that struggle into the success of blooming borders. Soil Type There […]
Pruning in Spring
Many ornamental shrubs are pruned in Spring but there are two different reasons for doing so and it helps to understand how different plants grow before you reach for the sharp tools. Shrubs that flower in winter such as Witch Hazel or early spring like Forsythia need to be pruned just after flowering if you […]
Win my ‘Box of Tricks’ video gardening tutorials
GREAT NEWS: during February 2018 you can win my Gardening by Design ‘Box of Tricks’ video gardening tutorials absolutely FREE in an Amateur Gardening Magazine competition. There are ten copies of the videos on offer. The competition is run online by the magazine and their terms and conditions apply. click here to go to the […]
Grow Your Own : Crop Rotation
Grow Your Own rotating vegetables If you grow vegetables, whether in a small veg plot at home or on a larger scale on an allotment, you will have come across the term ‘crop rotation’. There are good reasons for moving your veggies around each year and it need not be complicated once you understand the […]
Winter flowering bulbs
Winter flowering bulbs If you have been given winter flowering bulbs for Christmas or are growing your own to cheer up a dull January, here are a few tips to keep them tip-top. Compost dries out quickly in centrally heated rooms so check twice a week. Water from the bottom by standing the pot in […]
Garden design – the practicalities
Winter is a time to think about any changes you may want to make to your garden layout for next summer and there are some key practical questions to be answered before you get onto the creative, artistic part of the project. I always advise people to look at gardens, large and small, for inspiration […]
Doubly good Christmas presents for gardeners
What to buy a gardener when they have enough gloves and string? How about membership of a charitable organisation or making a gift donation on their behalf? Christmas is a time when we are not short of charity appeals and here are a few suggestions if you are interested in gardening and the environment. […]