CATEGORIES

We're all rooting for ‘St Valery'

Sow this delicious carrot in pots and the soil, says Ruth

How to plan for perennials

Christopher Lloyd explains how to grow your plants next to others that you think will make good neighbours

Spring shrub pruning

Cut back now for neatness and productivity

Focus on... Runner beans

Few crops are as prolific or as pretty as the keen runner bean. Lucy Chamberlain shows you how to cultivate your own kitchen-garden classic for months of flavour

Plugging the floral gap

Ruth selects some plug plants for her summer display

Don't worry, bee happy

Toby reflects on the nesting habits of leafcutter bees and finds he has something in common with his buzzy visitors

Plants to combat ground elder

Anne Swithinbank's masterclass on: Smothering weeds

Many ways with spuds

Whether you go the traditional route or try no-dig beds or bags, there are lots of ways to grow potatoes, says Bob

Edible gold

Easy to grow and floriferous, pot marigolds fill the garden with colour and the house with fresh flowers throughout summer. And they can be sown now, says Hazel Sillver

A busy Easter in the garden

Chocolate eggs can wait, there's work to do, says Ruth

What can I grow under glass?

Anne Swithinbank's masterclass on: greenhouse crops

This week...Cosmos

Cosmos come in a range of colours and sizes to suit every type of garden

Keeping your clematis contented

Christopher Lloyd reveals how to prune your clematis successfully, looking at the three distinct groups

Raging bulls

Val vows to think more kindly of the bud-eating bullfinch

Small garden, big plants

The best small gardens are those where a few large specimens have been carefully placed, so decide on a theme and get planting, says Anne Swithinbank

Focus on... Growing peas

Harvest perfect pods from June to October with Lucy

Light the lampwick

As well as being drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, phlomis – also known as lampwick – provides architectural impact and nectar for bees, says Hazel Sillver

Long-term potted shrubs

Do your re-potting and topdressing now, says Ruth

Helping bulbs repeat flower

Feed bulbs as they die back each year, says Ruth

Banana splits

Toby's passion for his Abyssinian banana is an expensive one – but he has a plan to make more plants for free...

Colour with staying power

Long-lasting flowers make Ageratum a must, says Ruth

Focus on... Asparagus

It isn’t that difficult to grow delectable gourmet vegetables, as Lucy Chamberlain explains how to cultivate plump and succulent asparagus spears year after year

Best annuals for colour

Sow bold, bright annuals now for a riot of vivid colour throughout the summer, says Hazel Sillver, as she reveals the best plants to grow and how to sow them

Giving plants an extra boost

Supplements help plants reach their potential, says Ruth

How to grow azaleas: long lasting, lime-hating and mostly cold-tolerant

Azaleas are long-lived stalwarts of the garden that are available in a variety of colours

Keep it covered

What’s best for growing young crops outside in spring? Bob gives the inside scoop on the best outdoor covering

Mulches and mulching

Steve and Val Bradley look at the range of organic and non-organic mulches available and explain how to use them to suppress weeds, warm up soil and conserve moisture

Showy spiraeas

Quick-growing, hardy and reliable, spiraeas are useful garden shrubs that provide a long season of interest from spring to autumn, says Anne Swithinbank

Potential spring problems

Ruth looks at ways of beating pests and diseases

The ‘jungle' garden

Every inch of Roger and Hazel Lecouteur’s jungle-like garden is filled with plants, creating another world from the city on their doorstep, says Sue Bradley