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Getting rid of fungus gnats can be a perpetual headache for houseplant owners. These tiny flies quickly disrupt the serene green oasis of our indoor space. These tiny, flying pests may be diminutive in size, but their impact is disproportionately felt. Fungus gnat larvae feast on plant roots and organic matter in damp soil, damaging […]

Quick Answer A knot garden is a formal garden style based on symmetrical, interlocking patterns of clipped low hedging, traditionally planted with herbs, aromatic plants, and topiary. Originating in Tudor England, knot gardens use plants such as box, germander, thyme, rosemary, and santolina to create geometric patterns best appreciated from above. They are high maintenance […]

Quick Answer To look after an orchid, water every 7–14 days using the soak-and-drain method, never leaving it sitting in water. Position in bright indirect light away from direct sun. Feed monthly with specialist orchid fertiliser. Cut spent flower stems back to a node to encourage reblooming. Repot every two years in fresh orchid bark. […]

Quick Answer Lawn edging is a strip of metal, plastic, brick, or timber that creates a permanent barrier between your lawn and flower beds. Installed correctly to a depth of 10–15cm, it prevents grass creeping into borders, eliminates the need for a half-moon edger, and allows a mower to pass over the top without strimming. […]

Quick Answer A tree ring is a circular metal, plastic, or stone edging that creates a clear, grass-free zone around a tree planted in a lawn. It takes around 30 minutes to install, prevents grass from competing with the tree for water and nutrients, and makes mowing much easier. Choose a ring sized to match […]

After all my years of gardening and teaching others how to grow things, I can tell you that strawberries are absolutely one of the most rewarding plants you can grow at home. There is something magical about picking a sun-warmed strawberry straight from your own garden and eating it there and then. The taste is […]

The plants on this list are the ones I return to again and again in my own garden designs because they deliver season after season with minimal intervention from you. Besides, once you’ve bossed these specimens, you’ll be relishing more challenging plants in future years and thats where the gardening magic really happens! Quick Answer […]

The reason vine weevils catch so many gardeners off guard is that almost all the damage occurs underground and at night. The adult beetle is nocturnal and hides expertly during the day. The larvae live entirely within the compost or soil, feeding on roots for months before the plant shows any above-ground symptoms. By the time […]

I have grown camellias in my gardens for decades and have answered hundreds of camellia problems on this forum and on BBC Garden Rescue. The good news is that most camellia problems are completely fixable once you identify the correct cause. The bad news is that several different problems produce identical-looking symptoms, which is why […]

If you’ve ever wrestled with ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), you’ll know just how tenacious this plant can be. One minute you spot a few innocent-looking leaves at the back of the border, and the next thing you know, it’s elbowing your perennials out of the way. Shoots appear seemingly everywhere across your flower beds, smothering […]