Garden Advice

You may have noticed tall, thin, segmented green spikes emerging in your flower beds, driveway, cracks in paving or behind the shed and then realised it’s a mare’s tail. This weed is remarkably resilient and can survive in nearly all conditions and environments. But if mares’ tail or horsetail weeds are causing mayhem in your […]

Quick Answer The best slug-proof plants share two characteristics: rough, hairy or serrated leaves that slugs cannot slide over, and strong aromatic scents that deter them. Top choices include Alchemilla mollis, hardy Geraniums, Geums, Euphorbia, Agastache, Nepeta, Lavender, Sedum, Eryngium, and Foxgloves. Planting these throughout your borders dramatically reduces slug damage without any chemical controls. […]

With the rise of digital services, online garden design consultations have become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional in-person visits. This approach allows professional designers like me, the Garden Ninja, to offer expert advice remotely via video calls, making garden planning more accessible and convenient. Finally, making virtual garden design via zoom or Google Meet […]

Our gardens are our pride and joy, as we spend countless hours growing our favourite plants and cultivating our green paradises. As we all start reconnecting with Mother Nature, gardening and garden design are among the best ways to help us destress. But sometimes, our feline friends have other ideas. From digging up seedlings to […]

If you’re like me and have a nightmare garden border that’s both shady and awkward, then this guide for shade-loving plants is for you. Part of my garden here at Garden Ninaj HQ is a mix of deep, dappled, and dry shade. This flower bed also has competition from a hedge and mature trees. It’s […]

The soil type in your garden can make or break your plans for a successful garden design. Your plants will only be as successful as the preparation and planning that you, the gardener, put in! Rather than thinking of soil as dirt, you need to start treating soil as the life force of your garden. This […]

Greenflies, commonly known as aphids, are a persistent problem for many gardeners. These tiny, sap-sucking insects can cause significant damage to plants, leading to stunted growth, curled leaves, and a general decline in plant health. In some cases, an overwhelming number of greenflies on your plants can significantly reduce the flowering or fruiting potential of […]

There’s no time to waste; let me, Lee Burkhill, show you how to use this site to go from zero to Garden Ninja in a matter of helpful guides and gardening videos. If you want to become a fantastic gardener, then let me help train you at your own pace! I’m an award-winning garden designer […]

Over time container gardens or pot-grown plants will need repotting to ensure further healthy growth and flowering. As gardeners, we may use containers to propagate plants from seeds or cuttings. We may also choose to use pots to allow us to move plants around the garden in and out of season. Potted plants can also […]

As a beginner gardener, bare root planting can be a bit confusing. Usually, we tend to buy plants that are container-grown and in full leaf (not with their roots exposed, looking all sorry for themselves like the bare-root rose below). Bare roots are plants lifted and sold when they are dormant, usually in winter. This […]