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Ever wondered what the ingredients of great compost are? Chris Beardshaw shows you what to put on your heap and what to leave off, to create black gold for your garden.all year roundMore tips on how to improve your soilBuild a compost binHow to make

on their own to make perfect compost. Most piles have too much nitrogen, especially if the main source is from grass cuttings and kitchen waste - the result is an evil-smelling sludge. Equally, an excess of carbon will significantly slow down the composting

of buying one ready made.For quick results, train a climber such as ivy around a topiary frame. You can even make your own frame from wire netting.Four or five large ivy plantsLarge ornamental potWire topiary frameLoam-based soilall year roundabout an hourMake

and roost in your garden. If you're lucky, they may even give birth and raise their young there, so make sure you site it in a sheltered spot.Plank of rough-sawn untreated wood 120cm x 20cm x 2cm19cm x 4cm long nails and hammer1 x metal eyelet with a 1cm

Liquid fertilisers are a great way to nourish your plants, providing nutrients in a readily available form, so they're quickly absorbed. There are many chemical fertilisers that will do the job but, by making your own using comfrey leaves, you

Learn how to turn clumps of stinging nettles to your advantage, by turning them into nitrogen-rich, liquid plant food, in Rachel de Thame's video guide.sping-summerMore tips on nettles and feeding plantsRemoving stinging nettles from your gardenRead James Alexander-Sinclair's blo...

, making box balls is a great way to start. Box is the ideal topiary plant, and a simple sphere will allow you to try out the basic techniques and see the results quickly. Simply buy a tray of rooted cuttings and follow our instructions. It will take around

Follow Joe Swift's step-by-step video guide to creating a lightweight garden pergola using yachting cable, with tips on choosing the best climbers.all year roundMore on plant supportsTips on using plant supportsConstructing a metal obeliskBuilding a hazel trellisCreating a spiral...

to your gardenBuilding a hedgehog houseMaking a bird boxMaking a bee hotelInstalling a window bird feederMore advice on making a bat boxMaking fat cakes for birdsMaking a green roof for a bird tableBrowse plants that are attractive to wildlifeView a

Watch Monty's video on making natural wig-wams for clematis with hazel, including tips on typing in the plant and spacing the poles.early summerMore on clematisFeature on late-flowering clematisHow to prevent clematis wiltBrowse clematis varieties