CATEGORIES

Cool & calm

Inspired by a springtime woodland floor, Adam Frost shows how to create a container that will thrive in dappled shade. It relies predominantly on the texture, shapes and forms of the foliage, and how they play off against one another. The Semiaquilegia provides colour among the fresh greens, but the container still holds interest even when the flowers have gone.

Zesty euphorbias

For striking colour and structure in your spring borders you can’t beat the yellow, green, orange and red shades of striking euphorbias

The many uses of marigolds

Sow Tagetes to keep other plants safe, says Ruth

Sun-loving gazanias

With their large daisy-like flowers, gazanias bring colour to pots and sunny borders

Prepare your perennials

Ruth gives her perennials some care before the summer

How to top-dress your plants

Steve and Val Bradley show you how to bring new life to containers

Root of the matter

It isn’t always easy to grow crops like carrots but there are ways to boost your chances of growing roots

Let's get dahlias going

Ruth pots up tubers and demonstrates taking cuttings

It's a dog-eat-dog world

Wildlife will do whatever it takes to survive

Electric blue

Plant delphiniums now for spectacular spires of summer flowers in every shade of blue, says Hazel Sillver, as she explains which varieties to choose and how to care for them

Create a spring container

A pretty pot will brighten lives and patios, says Ruth

Springing back to busyness

Everywhere you look there’s something to do, says Ruth

This week... crocuses

Enjoy a welcome burst of colour in late winter and early spring by planting crocuses crocuses

Starting a mixed border

Christopher Lloyd looks at planning and planting a mixed border

Special treatment

Concentrate on your favourite vegetables when sowing seeds, says Bob, so you can give them your full attention

Non-stop sun lovers

Get perennial and annual sunflowers in the ground now to brighten your garden in late summer and provide a valuable food source for wildlife, says Hazel Sillver

Planting for insects

If you want to keep your garden buzzing with a variety of beneficial insects all summer long, plant a range of nectar-rich flowers, says Anne Swithinbank

Focus on... Maincrop potatoes

Plant and protect your potatoes in the right way and you’ll be rewarded with tastyharvests. Lucy explains how to ensure your homegrown spuds are worth the wait

Making a song and dance

Brilliant Zinnia ‘Jazz’ brings a lot to the party, says Ruth

How to get the best roses

Nurture now for a summer of colour and scent, says Ruth

Busy lizzies are back in business!

At last with new disease-resistant varieties you can plant again with confidence, but which should you choose? Graham Rice considers the options

The peat debates

You should add your voice to the consultation, says Peter had three species of fungal infection

LABELS OF LOVE

Labels are pretty essential when it comes to identifying what you have sown. But they can be decorative too! Here are some non-plastic alternatives Emily Cupit has been trying out

BEDDING IN

In this second instalment of her new series, Stephanie Hafferty gets to work in her new garden, creating no-dig beds, setting up her compost bins and mulching

Where have all the pollinators gone?

Our pollinators are in crisis, with populations declining across the board – Monty reveals why we must take urgent action and what we can do, even in the smallest garden

Weeds and seeds

Don’t disturb the soil while weeding in March, says Val

These toms are a delight

A popular variety with generous yields, says Ruth

This week... Witch hazel

Add colour and fragrance to your garden in winter and early spring with a witch hazel

The peat principle

As gardeners consider if peat-free is the answer, Toby looks at the impact on the peat bogs we are using

The big squeeze

When it comes to sowing seeds and pricking out seedlings, space is always at a premium, says Bob