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Having a formal front garden is a statement piece, and ideally, it should match the style of the property it will sit with. Period properties, townhouses and turn-of-the-century properties lend themselves really well to a formal garden design. New build houses can also be excellent candidates for a formal garden layout, especially with the trend […]

Quick Answer The fastest growing hedges in the UK include hawthorn, blackthorn, privet, cherry laurel and photinia, all growing 40 to 60cm per year. For the best long-term results however, a mixed native hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, field maple and dog rose will grow just as fast, requires far less maintenance, supports far more […]

I built my first wildlife pond when I was eleven years old. It was a biner liner pond into a corner of my parents’ back garden in Lancashire, filled with tap water and whatever aquatic plants I could find at the local garden centre. Within a fortnight, there were pond skaters on the surface and […]

Why Is My Laurel Hedge Dying? Complete UK Diagnosis GuideWhy Is My Laurel Hedge Dying? Complete UK Diagnosis Guide Quick Answer A dying laurel hedge is most commonly caused by waterlogged or compacted soil, drought stress, shot hole disease, frost damage or incorrect pruning technique. In most cases the hedge can be rescued by improving […]

I have seen box hedges go from perfectly clipped and healthy to completely defoliated within a single season, and I have also seen plants that looked near-dead make a full recovery with the right care. Whether you are dealing with a beloved parterre, a row of box balls in pots, or a formal edging hedge […]

Quick Answer The best flowers for bees in the UK provide pollen and nectar from February through to November, giving both honey bees and solitary bees a continuous food source across the whole season. Single-flowered, open-faced blooms are always better than double-flowered varieties. Aim for a mix of spring bulbs, summer perennials, and late-season plants […]

Quick Answer To keep bees in the UK you need a National hive, a bee suit, smoker, and hive tool (budget £500 to £800 to start), plus a nucleus colony of bees from a local association. No licence is required, but you must register your hive free on BeeBase. Join your local BBKA branch before […]

Quick Answer June is one of the most rewarding months in the UK garden. You can plant out tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, sweetcorn, cucumbers, and squash outdoors with confidence now that frost risk has passed. Ornamental highlights include cosmos, sunflowers, lavender, and dahlias. It is also the perfect month for taking softwood cuttings and starting […]

Quick Answer Tree grafting joins a scion (a cutting from your chosen variety) to a rootstock (which controls eventual tree size) using a clean angled cut, grafting tape, and sealing wax. Late winter to early spring is the best time for whip grafting in the UK, when trees are still dormant but sap is beginning […]

Quick Answer Divide herbaceous perennials in early spring or autumn when plants are not in flower. Lift the clump with a fork, split it by hand, with back-to-back forks, or with a sharp spade depending on root type, and replant divisions immediately with good compost and thorough watering. Most perennials benefit from division every two […]