I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
If we were busy in autumn and planted our patio pots then we will be enjoying lots of colour now and over the next few months. But, thinking ahead, what should we do when the flowers fade and what should we plant next? Most of my containers are changed twice a year. I remove the…
I can’t imagine a garden without roses. They are the UK’s most popular flowering shrub but many people have a love/hate relationship with their roses. We all love their flowers but roses are prone to diseases and covered in prickles. And the pruning is SO complicated. Well, let’s get a few things sorted. Roses do…
When it comes to growing your own veg I always think you should grow what you like to eat, followed by what you can’t buy in the shops. For this reason I grow quite a few unusual veg. Not all crops are suited to all gardens and, try as I might, I can’t really grow…
I have never needed a reason to grow my own crops; it is satisfying and it is a joy to pop into the garden to pick something for lunch. But with finances squeezed and supermarkets running out of veg, this may be the year to have a go yourself. Over the years I have covered…
Dahlias are the best value of all the summer bulbs. They flower from July till the frosts of autumn and their flowers can be single or double in a wide range of colours. You can also get small dahlias, ideal for patio pots or tall kinds for large borders and cutting. You can grow the…
Look along the racks of summer bulbs at Nags Hall and you will see lots of begonias. Unlike the lilies I discussed last week, begonias are a bit more complicated, though they are not difficult to grow. Please bear with me! Begonias are a big group of plants and they vary from shrubby houseplants grown…
The next few months will be busy in the garden and the time to plant summer-flowering bulbs. Most of these are frost-tender and need to be started in heat but lilies are completely hardy. They can be planted now outdoors or in pots and if you have have lilies in the garden or in pots…
If you are like me, now that Christmas is cleared away I want to think about summer and the garden year ahead. It is never too early to plan and dream of our spring and summer gardens. But it can be too early to sow. While it is the perfect time to browse the rows…
I hope the New Year finds you fit and healthy and ready to enjoy a great year of gardening in 2023. Last year was challenging in many ways but the weather always brings rewards as well as problems and the heat and sun certainly helped my apples. This is the time when, with all the…
Whatever the weather, this is a time for family and friends and not gardening. We can forget about the garden for a few days and it will not come to any harm. If the weather is cold and frosty or foggy or damp, we can enjoy the garden from the warmth of the home. But…