Blog

At A Glance White works with every planting style and every colour scheme, brightens shady corners, glows at dusk, and supports night-flying pollinators. This guide covers 35 of the best white flowering trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and climbers for UK gardens, with hardiness, size and flowering season for each. Whether you’re designing a classic white […]

Quick Answer Monstera leaves usually turn yellow from overwatering, by far the most common cause, though underwatering, poor light, a root bound pot, feeding problems, natural ageing, pests and environmental stress can all be responsible. Check your soil moisture and roots first, since this diagnoses most cases immediately, then match your yellowing pattern to the […]

Quick Answer Rose black spot is a fungal disease, Diplocarpon rosae, that causes dark circular spots on leaves followed by yellowing and leaf drop. It will not kill an established rose but weakens it over time. Treat it by removing and binning affected leaves, pruning for an open airy shape, watering at the base rather […]

Quick Answer Mix a mild washing up liquid with warm water for an all purpose houseplant pest spray, add white vinegar or isopropyl alcohol for tougher infestations like mealybugs, and use pure essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus for spider mites. Always patch test first, spray in the evening out of direct sun, and […]

Quick Answer Prune deciduous berberis such as Berberis thunbergii in mid to late winter while dormant, from December to February. Prune evergreen berberis such as Berberis darwinii immediately after flowering, from May to June. Always wear thorn proof gloves and remove dead wood at any time of year. Transform your berberis from an overgrown, tangled […]

Quick Answer For exposed and windy UK gardens, choose tough, flexible plants over rigid ones. Hawthorn, field maple and blackthorn make the best windbreak hedging, while Escallonia, Griselinia and Pittosporum are reliable evergreen shrubs. Achillea, sea holly and Stipa grasses sway rather than snap. Build shelter first with a permeable windbreak, never a solid fence, […]

Quick Answer A low maintenance, high impact garden comes from smart plant choices, generous spacing, evergreen structure and hard landscaping doing the heavy lifting, not from filling every gap with plants that need constant attention. Combine drought tolerant perennials, a thick mulch layer, and a proper maintenance schedule, and you get a garden that looks […]

Quick Answer Save water in the garden by watering with a can rather than a hose, collecting rainwater in a water butt, mulching to lock in moisture, and only spot watering the plants that truly need it. Water early morning or evening, leave an established lawn to look after itself, and choose drought tolerant plants […]

Quick Answer Water plants at the base with a watering can or hose rather than a sprinkler, giving established plants a thorough soak once or twice a week rather than a daily splash. Prioritise new plantings, vegetables and containers first, let an established lawn go dormant and brown, since it will recover, and check your […]

Quick Answer Prune cherry trees in mid to late summer, ideally July to August, and never in winter, since cold, damp cuts invite silver leaf disease and bacterial canker. Remove dead or crossing growth first, thin congested branches, and aim for an open goblet shape, taking no more than a quarter of the canopy in […]