Search - Articles

plant family (Ranunculaceae), which contains such diverse plants as aconitum, hellebores, clematis and thalictrum. Anyway, we are mildly overrun by creeping and field buttercups. Creeping buttercups lodge in my lawn and many happy hours are often spent

of goodness). My favourite plant at this time of year is a magnificent Parthenocissus that covers an old building nearby.I like to go there every few days to watch the leaves change from deep green to pink and yellow and deep dark red. It is a truly

My first job when I moved into my flat last August was to remove the paving stones in the back yard. Now, after five months of having a building site for a garden, I have bought myself some Christmas topsoil, and I'm itching to get seed sowing

Shrubs are useful building blocks when you're planning a garden, providing structure and substance. Winter is an ideal time to assess your garden and see if there's an empty space that's just right for a new shrub

as to build up a National Collection, or go trekking to visit other growers.My enthusiasm for plants changes, too. At first a new plant gets my attention, and gradually my head is turned whenever I see other relatives too. A small collection builds into a

Over the past few weeks we have been wrapped up in a flurry of tree planting. It is the very tail end of the planting season and, as I am mostly pretty disorganised, things that should have been done earlier in the season are being done now

, so they won’t get squashed any more, and give them a good feed. The feed should be reapplied every few weeks, while the leaves are still green. Regular feeding helps the bulbs to build up a store of nutrients for next year, so they’re far more likely

the beginning of the tree planting season and I want to state the case for one particular tree. A tree that, if you want your autumns to always be as sparkly as an Maharanee's tiara is indispensable. Ladies and Gentlemen (drum roll, please)...I give you

and algae.Water insectsNewts lay their eggs on pond plants. Good varieties to include are water forget-me-nots, watercress and reeds.NewtsMore on garden pondsHow to build a garden pond.Make a mini-pond.Top 10 pond plantsHow to maintain a Garden pond

.Move the worm bin to a frost-free place during winter, as worms may die if left outside.More on home compostingHow to build a compost binFollow Chris Beardshaw's advice on making compostRead Adam Pasco's blog on worm composting all year round