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Sowing cyclamen from seed is surprisingly easy, but it's not a job for the impatient gardener: grown this way it can take a year or more before you are rewarded with beautiful blooms. To produce indoor plants you need to use seeds of tender large

Learn how to plant up a traditional hanging basket, with Sarah Raven's advice on choosing a basket and plants, as well as tips on retaining water. springMore advice on hanging basketsRachel de Thame demonstrates how to plant up a traditional hanging basket.Watering hanging baske...

Carol Klein demonstrates how to plant culinary herbs in a window box, with tips on what to plant, drainage, and companion plants to keep garden pests at bay.springMore advice on growing herbsPicking herbsCreating a fragrant herb hanging basket

Ensure a burst of spring colour by sowing polyanthus seeds in the previous summer. Watch Monty's video, including tips on compost and aftercare, to find out how.summerMore advice on primulasHow to rejuvinate primrosesBrowse primula varietiesView spring-blooming bulbs

. This will again cause sideshoots to grow and the plants can be given a final shaping and tidy up if necessary in early autumn. Box topiary, secateurs, sheep-hand shears, large scissors or garden shearsMay - August 20 minutes for each plantUse secateurs scissors

Learn how to add evergreen interest and structure to a border using box plants, by following Monty's video demonstration, with tips on planting techniques and soil preparation.spring or autumnMore advice on caring for box plantsHow to shape box topiaryPlanting up a Christmas pot ...

Chris Beardshaw demonstrates how to grow acid-loving South African proteas, with tips on positioning, growing medium, feeding and watering.springhalf an hourMore on container gardeningBrowse our collection of pot and container recipes View our

banana plantsHow to wrap a banana plant for winter.Checking bananas for frost damage.Choose fruit varieties to grow in your gardenView a selection of tender perennials

Learn how to grow runner and haricot beans on a wigwam, in Chris Beardshaw's practical video project.summerMore advice on growing beans and peasPlanting out runner beansHow to deter pea and bean weevilsHow to use plant supportsKeeping capsid bugs away from beansBrowse vegetable ...

with long handles. Some gardeners find giant plastic handles adequate, but grabbers are more versatile and reduce the amount of bending down involved.Choose a relatively gentle, flat-tined plastic or rubber rake for sweeping leaves off the lawn and gravel