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This heart-shaped frame will create instant impact for Valentine's day without breaking the bank. You can make your topiary frame with a metal coat hanger, a cane and some garden wire. Ivy plantTerracotta potWire coat hangerThin garden wire25cm length of garden caneCompostall ye...

House martins traditionally make their cup-shaped nests from mud, which they pack together under the eaves of houses.In dry summers, muddy pools and puddles can be in short supply, so give house martins a helping hand by making them a home-made papier-mâché nest box, as recommend...

You can create a wildlife corner in eventhe smallest garden, and it doesn't have to be a patch of unmown grass or a scrambling scrub thicket. A single, large container will suffice, containing plants to attract bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects. The display will pro...

and limit algal growth.More on garden ponds and water featuresGrowing marginal plants in a container, with Chris BeardshawChris Beardshaw on maintaining a healthy pondCreating a summer patio pondMaking a bubbling water feature

Strawberry plants will be in growth to flower and fruit four to six weeks ahead of outdoor plants if potted up now and brought into a cool greenhouse or conservatory. Keep them well lit, ventilated and watered to prevent the plants becoming leggy and drawn. 3 strawberry plants (p...

For a successful summer bedding display, don't bring your plants out of the greenhouse until you know the frosty nights are behind you. And when you do bring them out acclimatise them in the garden before you plant them into their final positions. If you have a cold frame, use th...

A wooden planter is a great way of creating a bed to grow plants and vegetables in if you are short of space. Your wooden planter can be adapted to fit any corner, depending on your needs. And as it's made of pressure-treated timber it can be stained in any colour and won't rot.5...

In this pot design, the graceful astelia and black ophiopogon add structure, while a small-flowered blue pansy or viola unites the blue pot and the plants.September - NovemberOctober - March30 minutesOphiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' x2Astelia chathamicaPansies x3Blue glazed po...

The evergreen foliage of the skimmia, pittosporum and ivy set against a backdrop of carex, provide year-round interest in this elegant container display. Red tulips add a splash of colour in spring, while skimmia berries provide autumn and winter interest.The addition of the bird...

If you're short of sun in your garden but want an interesting summer display, try this rich blend of foliage plants. Both the plectranthus and begonias perform well in shade.April - JuneJuly - September20 minutesBegonia rex x2Purple-leafed plectranthus, e.g. P. 'Mona Lavender' x2...