CATEGORIES

BLOOMS FOR CUTTING, COOKING AND CRITTERS

All flowers have a place in our hearts and on our plots but some have particular merit, as Emma Rawlings explains

ROB'S PLOT All systems GO!

June is a busy month for Rob Smith. Still some planting to do, plenty of watering, checking for pests and harvesting a range of crops

It's a cover-up

Covering bare soil with a material such as cardboard or manure between crop plants is called mulching and it has many benefits, as Joyce Russell explains

A HIDDEN GEM

Kathryn Clover is swept off her feet as she visits Green Broom co-operative farm in Berkshire and finds plenty to write home about

Luscious lilies

Beautiful and hardy, lilies are flowers of mystery and legend. Camilla Phelps explains how you're spoilt for choice when it comes to finding the right lily for your garden

AG's peat-free compost test: Part 3

Overall growth is more even and plants are bushing out after a patchy start

It's a kind of magic

Bob reveals a few plant ‘tricks' to impress children

Focus on... Summer lettuce

Lettuces are the foundation of summer salads — and, with careful sowing, spring, autumn and winter salads, too! Lucy explains how to boost your salad self-sufficiency

The garden's dark star

'Velvet Queen' is a statuesque beauty

The colour purple

If you love purple, plant it now for decadent, bold borders, says Hazel Sillver, as she explains the best combinations when using this stunning colour in your borders

Dragon tree dilemma

Anne Swithinbank's masterclass on: Pruning Pruning a dracaena

Watering wisdoms

With pot-grown plants often falling foul of inadequate watering, Bob explains how to think smart with hydration

Dropping peat is not the answer

Use peat until a good alternative is found, says Bunny Guinness

Time to plant spuds

I aimed to make the most of my limited space says Garry

Magnolias for every garden

Christopher Lloyd explains why every garden should have a magnolia

Tremendous toadflax

With their flax-like foliage and spurred flowers resembling small toads, linaria or toadflax are easy-going, colourful, sun-loving plants

On the decline

Val is shocked to discover that gipsy rose is on the red list

Spring lawn care

Steve and Val Bradley explain how to bring your lawn back to life this spring

Towers of colour

Sow or plant mulleins in spring for glorious spires of summer flowers that add vertical accents to the border and provide nectar for bees

Cuckoo land

Val takes a close look at cuckoos and cuckoo flowers

This week... lupins

If you want height and colour in your garden, grow lupins

Sow some scented bedding

It’s easy to see why Nicotianas are so popular, says Ruth

What to do with sweet peas

Sow more and care for seedlings

Houseplants round-up

Ruth rescues and divides a pot-bound asparagus fern

A pot for every season

Refresh and plant anew to fill the 'colour gap.

Creating a wildlife pond

Encourage nature with plants and friendly habitats

A pond for every garden

Water features will bring many benefits

Zingy zinnias!

Popular for borders, pots and as cut flowers, zinnias produce vibrant daisy-like flowers. They are also easy to grow and deserve a spot in any garden, says Graham Rice

This week...Heucheras

Colourful heucheras are ideal for ground cover, containers and even cut flowers

Questions and answers

Val answers two commonly asked gardening questions