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Soil typesYour soil type - sandy, loam or clay - determines which plant species you can grow. Knowing your soil type enables to you to choose the plants best suited to your garden. Soil type is identified the presence of clay, sand and silt

conditions, house plant orchids should be potted in a mix of moss, bark chips and perlite.Orchids living on branches get soaked regularly by tropical storms, but the water quickly drains away, and orchid compost is similarly free-draining. Over the years

-facing window to make them last longer.Florist anemone corms, such as Anemone De Caen Group9cm pots or plastic cupsHorticultural gritFree-draining peat-free multi-purpose compostor John Innes No.3 compostOrnamental jarSeptember a few hours (20 weeks until

rich compost, worm bins also generate a nutritious liquid fertiliser. Vegetable waste is largely made up of water, and this will drain down through the bin to collect in the bottom. The resulting liquid can be retrieved through a tap in the base

Hyacinth bulbs are widely available and will produce a broad spectrum of colours. Whatever their shade, hyacinths look spectacular planted on their own in a rustic terracotta pot. It's a quick and easy job for autumn that will have stunning rewards

So many of my favourite plants come from South Africa, a place that certainly feeds my appetite for bulbs. Moving on from the summer delights of agapanthus, gladioli, eucomis, galtonia, crocosmia and a host of others, I enter autumn with pots

I've commented before that I don't think 'wildlife' should refer to animals only. It should also include plants, even though most wild plants are referred to as weeds when they turn up in gardens. I wonder what the owner of the garden in East

Raising cacti from seed is simple and rewarding, and to add to the fun, most companies and cacti nurseries now offer seed mixtures, so you're never quite sure what you're going to grow.Cacti seedOne large and several small terracotta potsFree-draining

to provide good drainage. Puncture holes in the trough to allow water to drain away.Empty bags of compost into the trough until it is two-thirds full. Firm it as you go.Plant the largest plants first to give you a good idea of the main structure of your

If grown in the right spot, tulipscan flower for years on end, adding a splash of dramatic colour to gardens every spring. But they can be difficult to grow in heavy soil or partial shade, only thriving in a light, free-draining medium in full sun