Search - Articles

Protect you plants from the cold weather and wrap half-hardy bananas, palms, cannas and ginger lilies in fleece and straw if they grow in sheltered positions. Alternatively lift the plants, pot or crate them up and bring into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory to plant outdo...

Alpine strawberries are smaller and more delicate than ordinary strawberries. They have an exquisite flavour and perfume, so are ideal as a striking display as well as a source of food. This alpine strawberry display looks especially pretty scrambling through the daisy-like plant...

In this easy-to-make display, we've combined aloe with a contemporary planter to produce a simple but striking result. Aloe is a succulent plant which, although frost tender, will survive in a sheltered spot in summer. May - AugustMay - October30 minutesAloe variegata x4Decorativ...

Phormiums survive well in most conditions and there are some wonderful dwarf varieties that are perfect for growing in pots. For a cheaper, but equally colourful alternative to phormiums, you could use cordylines. By the end of summer the fragrant lime-green tobacco plants will b...

When planting, make sure that the top of the compost in the pot is level with the surrounding soil surface. Take time to plant carefully so that the plants all have a good start in life. Follow our step-by-step tips for success.Pot-grown plantGarden

in the year, to encourage them to put on growth before winter sets in. Space them at 10cm intervals in rows 20cm apart, and water well. If you don't have seedlings to plant out, you can usually buy plug plants from garden centres and mail order companies

In the heat of summer, this showy pot will bring a taste of the tropics to your garden. The huge, red-tinged banana leaves flounce above a frothy skirt of blue-grey parrot's beak and honey bush, and fiery begonias. April - JuneJune - September30

Acid-loving azaleas grow happily in pots of ericaceous compost, so you can enjoy these plants even without acid garden soil. They come in a wide range of colours, from deep red and pink to orange, yellow or pure white. Some even have a wonderful

Spring bulbs look particularly impressive when planted informally in lawns. Many varieties of daffodil and crocus are perfect for growing under turf, and will multiply over the years to produce even bolder displays. For the greatest impact, use a single variety, planted in large ...

Follow Monty Don's video advice for sowing sunflower seeds in a fine tilth, for a summer display.summerMore flowers to grow from seedBluebellsExoticsCyclamenDahlias