Spring Gardening

The short answer is that neither approach is universally better. What suits your garden depends on your soil, budget, mobility, the plants you want to grow, and frankly, how much effort you’re willing to put in upfront. Let me explain why you would choose a raised bed or growing directly in the ground so that […]

I made the leap from IT project manager to BBC Garden Rescue presenter and professional garden designer. After 12 years of managing IT projects, I completely changed careers, and I’m here to give you the honest truth about what it actually takes. Not the motivational fluff you’ll find elsewhere, but the real deal based on […]

Quick Answer: Getting Rid of Leather Jackets What kills leather jackets in lawns? Nematodes (Steinernema feltiae) applied in late summer or early autumn are the most effective organic treatment, killing leatherjacket larvae within 2 weeks. Manual removal by encouraging birds, improving drainage, and scarifying heavily infested areas also works, but is less effective for large […]

Quick Answer Yes, daffodils are hardy perennials that return and multiply year after year with almost no effort. Plant the bulbs between September and November, three times their depth, and let the foliage die back naturally after flowering rather than cutting it early, since this is what feeds the bulb for next year’s display. There’s […]

After presenting over 60 gardens on BBC Garden Rescue, viewers always ask me the same question: “How do you come up with designs so quickly?” The truth is, there’s a systematic process I use on every single project, the same one I teach in my online courses. Let me pull back the curtain and show […]

When should you plant potatoes in the UK? First early potatoes are planted in late March, second earlies go in during early to mid-April, and maincrop varieties are planted from mid-April to early May. The exact timing depends on your location – plant slightly later in colder northern regions and earlier in milder southern areas. […]

What are edimentals? Edimentals are plants that deliver double duty in your garden by being both edible and ornamental. These stunning specimens blur the boundaries between decorative planting and productive growing, giving design-conscious gardeners the best of both worlds without compromise. After 35 years of hands-on gardening and designing hundreds of urban gardens across the […]

Hardening off is the process of gradually acclimatising indoor-grown plants to outdoor conditions over 7 to 14 days before planting them in the garden. Start by placing plants outside in a sheltered spot for 3 to 4 hours daily, gradually increasing exposure to sun, wind, and temperature fluctuations. This prevents transplant shock and strengthens plants […]

The simple answer: Compost is decomposed organic matter that you mix into your soil to improve structure, drainage and nutrient content. Mulch is any material you spread on top of soil to suppress weeds, retain moisture and regulate temperature. Compost feeds the soil beneath, whilst mulch protects the soil surface. They work brilliantly together but […]

After years of designing gardens and helping clients troubleshoot plant problems, I can tell you that watering confusion kills more plants than pests, diseases and poor soil combined. People either drown their plants with love or let them shrivel from neglect, and neither works particularly well. The answer: Push your finger one inch (2.5cm) into […]