Garden Advice

Growing a wisteria in your garden can be one of the most impressive plants to welcome you home. In summer, wisteria has jaw-dropping, pendulous (raceme) lilac flowers that hang like purple pendants. These climbing giants can add a green, vertical layer of gardening to your home. Whether around a door to soften an entrance, grown […]

Quick Answer A pleached tree is a tree trained into a flat, formal screen of branches on top of a clear stem, often called a hedge on stilts. Plant them at the width of their frame, usually 1.5m apart, at least 40cm from fences, and brace each one with a stake, a horizontal timber rail […]

Quick Answer To plant a successful flower bed, first choose your site and test your soil, then prepare the ground by removing weeds and adding organic matter. Design using three plant layers (ground cover, mid-layer, and tall), pick a unified colour scheme, and use repetition of plants in groups of three or five. The whole […]

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 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 […]

Starting to garden as a beginner can be daunting. You search the shed and find a rusty trowel, maybe a wobbly-handled spade that has seen better days. They may have even been left by the last owners, too ashamed to take them with them. You have a go at using them to find that they […]

Quick Answer Scarify your lawn in early autumn (September to October) once the grass is growing well but weed pressure is falling. Mow short first, set blades 2 to 3mm into the soil, make two passes at 45 degrees to each other, then overseed immediately at 15 to 35 grams per square metre and water […]

If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss is about, or if you’re planning your first visit and want to make sure you get the most out of every minute, this is the guide I wish someone had handed me the first time I walked through those gates. We’re going to cover everything: the show’s […]