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Monty Don and Carol Klein demonstrate how to plant alpine plants through a layer of membrane and gravel, with advice on increasing soil drainage.spring or autumnMore on growing alpinesWatch our video guide to making an alpine pathVideo advice on planting alpines in a potCreating ...

Learn how to hoe your vegetable patch effectively with advice and a practical demonstration from Monty Don. Find out about tool sharpening and how frequently to hoe your plot. all year roundMore advice on common garden tasksWeeding by handChoosing secateursImproving your lawnCutt...

Monty Don shows you how to lay a long-lasting decked pathway using sustainable materials.all year roundMore DIY ideas for your gardenHow to lay a slab pathway.How to construct a wooden planter.How to make a pebble mosaic path.How to build a raised bed.

Learn which are the most suitable plants for propagating by root cuttings, in Chris Beardshaw's video guide, with tips on preparing cuttings and how to avoid them rotting off.October - NovemberMore advice on propagating plantsHow to take root cuttingsCarol Klein's video guide to ...

. Then water to settle soil around remaining roots.Allow flower stems to form. The small, pretty blooms attract aphid-eating hoverflies and other beneficial insects.Pods should be picked while small and tender. You can collect seeds for next year’s crops once

Make your own cloches to use as handy home-made devices to keep your seeds. Made using hanging baskets and secondary glazing film, they resemble traditional Victorian bell cloches but cost a fraction of the price. The film will be strong enough to last a few months and is easily ...

Slugs may be diverted from your container-grown plants by fixing copper tape to your pots. The tape is thin, easy to cut and simple to apply. The copper will gradually turn green over time.A roll of copper adhesive tapeCraft pinking shearsall year round30 minutesCut a piece of ta...

surface by walking up and down on it taking small, heavy steps. Fill any freshly-created dips with topsoil and compress again with your feet. Give the surface a final rake over.Lay the turves on the soil, staggering the joints like brickwork. If it's a big

Planted with succulents, such as sempervivum, a smart slate trough looks good all year round. The soft grey and worn, uneven edges of reclaimed roof slates are the perfect foil for the fleshy plants.Two large or four small reclaimed roof slates

of paper to represent scaled-down slabs and work out a design on your scale plan.Make a mortar mix - five parts building sand to one part cement. If you're laying a small patio, do this in a wheelbarrow, for larger areas it's worth hiring an electric cement