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