CATEGORIES

JAMES WONG

The self-confessed plant geek on the fun of putting the detective work into horticulture, his love of houseplants and his fascination with Instagram

All change

Designer Kristina Clode has transformed her clients previously dull garden by revamping a series of borders with towering perennials, hazy grasses, structural shrubs and the occasional small tree

AEONIUM

These dramatic and often statuesque succulents are finally having their moment in the sun - which is just where they like it

Outer calm

Soothing green planting and paired-back hard landscaping have transformed a tired lawn into a tranquil space for reflection

Urban oasis

Behind a terraced house in Milan, designer Roberto Benatti has transformed a tiny garden into a green, English-style oasis

12 free gardens to visit this summer

Garden visits don't have to cost the earth - in fact, there are many beautiful places up and down the UK that you can enjoy for free during the summer holidays, with top-notch, inspirational planting schemes

DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

With summers predicted to get hotter, and water becoming a precious resource, everyone is talking about drought-tolerant plants. But are they the answer in the UK and what should we know about planting and caring for them? We ask plant experts and landscape designers for their advice

Family matters

Award-winning garden designer Matt Keightley transformed the small, narrow space behind his 1930s London home into a lush, leafy glade that all the family can enjoy

Moving pictures

The garden of designer Jelle Grintjes is a dynamic display of creative plant combinations, which he moved plant by plant from his previous home

ED EDGE

Lead gardener Ed is heading up work on the Four Seasons Garden at The Newt in Somerset

Bright and beautiful

This small city garden in Utrecht is now buzzing with life thanks to a transformation by designer Carolien Barkman

Forward thinking

When your front garden offers a better aspect than your back garden, it makes sense to make this your primary space

Project Peat-Free update

So far so good, as flowers and crops benefit, says Ruth

Focus on... Growing figs

Fancy a crop with unique ornamental appeal as well as delicious, prolific fruits? Just one year and a south-facing wall is all it takes for figgy delights, says Lucy

Saving seeds for next year

Ruth saves money by harvesting homegrown seeds

Wafting into the autumn

Tall verbenas are a worthwhile addition, says Ruth

Gentians on the rocks

Gentians are among the most attractive of rock-garden plants, says Will Ingwersen

A final summertime trim

Ruth tidies up her grapevine, trees and wayward shrubs

Climate chaos

Val looks at the effect climate change is having on birds

Happy harvests

Knowing when to gather crops makes all the difference to taste. Here's to harvests with a smile, says Bob

Keeping lavender in shape

A late summer trim after flowering will keep plants shapely

It's been a fruitful week!

Ruth has been propagating and pruning her fruit stock

Success with Peruvian lilies

Christopher Lloyd explains how to care for Alstroemeria ligtu hybrids

Sitting pretty

Toby considers the refreshing delights of ant baths that garden birds use to help keep themselves clean

Enjoy Japanese anemones

For beautiful late-flowering perennials that light up shadier areas of your borders, choose Japanese anemones to take your garden into autumn, says Camilla Phelps

Plant your own Black beauties

Whether deep purple, wine red or chocolate, a few plants with dark flowers and foliage can totally transform tired borders, taking them from staid to stylish, says Hazel Sillver

Top Ten Buddlejas

If you want a shrub with beautiful flowers that attracts bountiful butterflies choose the butterfly bush, says Graham Rice

Houseplants inside and out

Regular care will keep them happy all summer

Winter Greens

Make the most of the warmth of August to start sowing vegetable seeds and planting seed potatoes to harvest in the months to come

Post-holiday action plan

Prioritise what will keep your garden on track