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used to maintain a very small garden in south London where somebody had planted one. It had wandered off along the chain link back fence and had colonised every garden for about fifty yards. It was so thick that I could safely walk along it, but nobody

'.Eryngium giganteum - this one I wrote about in the magazine but just wanted to show you what a fine and handsome corpse this plant makes. Still maintaining its shape long into the winter. It also looks great with grasses.

to using an array of specialist tools. (He also wore a rising sun headband to add to the stereotype).The basic premise of bonsai is to reduce the size of the tree while still maintaining the shape of the mature specimen. I always thought this was achieved

and consisted of immaculately maintained pathways through fabulous exotic plantings. Since then the garden staff has been reduced from 12 to one and the mood of the garden has changed to one more in keeping with the relaxed attitude of the island.The paths are a

Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a field hedge near my house. A hedge consisting of about 60% hawthorn, with other shrubs added to make up the difference. At one time it was laid, trimmed and maintained but today just two trees remain

should remain untouched during autumn in order to preserve shelter for critters. I maintain that we are allowed to clear up the messier plants in order to stop our gardens looking like bits of derelict bombsite for part of the year.I just thought it would

trying to maintain a well ordered and good-looking field then it is good to use both types of animal as the cattle do a sort of scarifying, while the sheep nibble it all down to a close crop. Sheep are much more selective and fussy feeders than cattle

that one of the most satisfying things in gardening is a well built, well maintained compost heap, but it is a bit much when people get smug about what is really just a pile of rotting vegetation. I do not claim to be an expert but what we make ends up

maintained a certain decorum - ties, waistcoats and (for the head gardener) a black hat and heavy fob watch. Not for them a pair of holey jeans and a sweater grimy with compost and dusted with spilled rooting powder.Nowadays anything goes. I have laid a patio

, firstly, you mustn't forget to clip it and, secondly, your neighbours need to do the same on their side. One of the best-looking hedges I've ever seen was of lovingly maintained leylandii. It was tight, dense and of a much more vibrant green than either