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RHS-qualified designer Lee Burkhill’s complete guide to growing star jasmine in the UK. Where to plant, best varieties, winter hardiness by region, containers, propagation and garden design use.

RHS-qualified designer Lee Burkhill’s complete guide to pruning philadelphus. When to prune, step by step technique, renovation advice and the four reasons yours may not be flowering.

Embarking on a gardening journey can be exciting and rewarding, especially when growing your own vegetables. Whether you’re looking to add fresh vegetables to your home-cooked meals, connect with nature, or enjoy the satisfaction of nurturing plants, starting with the right vegetables can set you on the path to success. This comprehensive guide explores the […]

Lee Burkhill, RHS-qualified horticulturalist and BBC Garden Rescue presenter, explains exactly when and how to prune magnolias without losing next year’s flowers. Covers all UK varieties.

Quick Answer Agapanthus thrive in full sun with free-draining soil or compost, flowering from July to September on tall elegant stems. Hardy deciduous types like Headbourne Hybrids survive UK winters in the ground without protection. Evergreen types need moving under cover or wrapping in horticultural fleece before the first frost. Containers are often the best […]

I have been top dressing lawns as part of the autumn renovation programme since early in my career, both in my own garden and on client projects. The first time I top dressed my own lawn properly, I remember standing back afterwards thinking it looked absolutely dreadful! See below! The grass was barely visible through […]

Lavender is a plant that people are immediately drawn to in gardens because of its colour and heady scent! Lavender has beautiful aromatic foliage that brings heady scents to the garden, along with purple spikes of flowers. It has many uses, whether as an herb, for aromatherapy in the home, in sensory applications as you […]

Struggling with bare soil under trees or in deep shade? Lee Burkhill shares 16 expert ground cover plants for shade that really work in UK gardens.

Quick Answer Salvias thrive in full sun with free-draining soil. Plant hardy types like Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ from April onwards and leave foliage standing through winter, cutting back in late March when new basal shoots appear. Deadhead after the first flush for a second wave of flowers. Tender types like ‘Amistad’ need a thick mulch […]

Quick Answer Plant spring bulbs in autumn, between September and the end of November, at a depth of three times the bulb’s own height. Choose a sunny, well-drained spot, water in after planting, and mulch to protect over winter. Most spring bulbs are perennial and will return year after year with minimal effort. The arrival […]