Search - Articles

woodland in Yorkshire. Acidic soil makes for much brighter autumn colours.Lytes Cary, Somerset: one of the smaller, more intimate National Trust properties. There are lots of autumn activities including wildlife trails around the gardens and estate

One of the best looking plants in my garden this week is the Pokeweed or Phytolacca americana. It is always interesting when plants that are noxious weeds in some parts of the world are regarded as something interesting and unusual in others

, woodlands and even supermarket car parks. There is also that wonderful tingling cold that gets your nose and fingertips and the enormous simple pleasure of returning to a warm house to thaw out."I'm dreaming of a frosty Christmas, with every Gardeners' World

look to for both inspiration and entertainment. At the moment my favourites are Beth Chatto's Woodland Garden and The Potting Shed Papers by Charles Elliott (no pictures but some excellent writing).This last was given to me by the mysterious Garden

sunshine, skies of Carribean blue and a fading grandeur to the woodlands, I have been looking at individual trees around the place.We have a belt of trees that run up one side of our garden (around the septic tank if you're interested). They are basically

place. If you're unfortunate enough to have one growing in your garden you should hack it out immediately. I have a particularly persistent bramble hiding in one of my borders and I assure you that grasping it with an un-gloved hand causes a lot

next door to a wood. At this time of year, my younger son and I venture forth with loppers and bow saw to coppice some hazel. Coppicing is an ancient form of woodland management where cutting particular trees down leads to regrowth from the stump. Where

, is surrounded by a thick belt of trees that some far-sighted and very sensible forebear planted. This gives the gardens enough shelter from the Atlantic gales to allow all sorts of interesting things to thrive. So far, so good. However, one of the problems