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We have had a mixed week of weather but the garden is warming up now and we can start to sow vegetables both out in the garden and in pots or trays to plant out in April and May. This week I will discuss sowing some vegetables. It was lovely to meet so many of…

Last week I explained the principles of how to sow most bedding plants as well as some vegetables. These were plants that needed to be sown indoors, usually in March, and protected from frost. I now want to explain what to do next, once the seedlings have germinated, and then discuss other ways you can…

Now it is March it is time to think about sowing seeds. Whether you want to grow some bedding plants, a few perennials for the border or some vegetables, March is the time to make a start. But before you do, it is important to get to grips with the basics to make sure you…

Whatever the weather is doing at the moment, March is traditionally the time to divide herbaceous plants. Most herbaceous plants will soon be bursting into growth and if you divide them into sections to replant now they will quickly recover, grow and be in bloom. But before we get started we need to understand why…

Snowdrops (galanthus) are the first hint of spring in my garden. I always welcome the appearance of their shoots even though their first blooms were the harbinger of storms this year rather than spring. Large drifts of snowdrops are the sign of an old garden. It can take time to create a carpet of their…

Over the past few weeks I have shone the spotlight on some underrated but easy shrubs. Before I launch into some more practical posts next week I will first turn my attention to one of the most iconic of all shrubs: the popular and colourful pieris, often simply called forest flame – although this is…

If you have been reading my posts for the past few weeks you will know that I am shining the spotlight on easy and reliable shrubs. Some have been shrubs that you may not have heard of but I am sure that you are all familiar with shrubby potentillas. They are a regular choice of…

At last it seems that the weather has calmed down a bit and we can think about being creative in the garden. After recent posts about shrubs you may not have heard of, this week we have a shrub that is known to many gardeners but still deserves a moment in the spotlight. Most people…

Following on from my post last week about physocarpus, I want to ignore the weather entirely and turn my attention this week to another shrub you may not have heard of: Diervilla. Like physocarpus, these are American shrubs, the few species all from the Eastern US states and all very similar, with opposite leaves and…

When you visit a garden centre like Nags Hall, looking for a shrub for the garden, it can be a bewildering affair! With so much choice, just what should you buy? To create a colourful display and provide inspiraration, the most colourful plants and those in bloom, will always be at the entrance to inspire…