As we near the summer months each year, I start to plan what my summer garden will look like and get excited about choosing new and colourful plants for my scheme. However, year after year there are some wonderful 'old faithful' flowers that return again and again to...
During my time as a professional gardener, I've had the privilege of visiting a huge range of gardens to offer design insight. Whether it's a sprawling country garden or a modest yard space, my favourite gardens to work on are the ones that truly reflect their owners....
Good compost is the not-so-secret weapon in any keen gardener's arsenal. If you're wanting to grow really top-tier fruit, veg, flowers and plants then nutrient-packed compost is your best friend. In fact, so precious is compost that many gardeners refer to it as...
As winter starts to reach its end, hints of spring are in the garden, and I start to have a real boost of appreciation for the world around me. The days are getting longer - imperceptibly, but it's happening! - buds are peeping out of branches. Brave snowdrops and...
Resolutions are a great way to set intentions for things we would like to achieve. You might find yourself making your new year's resolutions in January, looking forward to the year ahead, but you can set aims and goals for yourself at any time of the year. In my...
Gifting plants is a long-established way of showing someone that you care. A plant present offers a keepsake that will (hopefully) grow and thrive over time so that your loved one can think of you every time they see it brightening up their home. Another benefit of...
In amongst all the bounty of summer, our greenhouse can sometimes end up a bit neglected as we focus on all the growth taking place there. During the autumn, preferably whilst it's still reasonably mild, I like to get ahead of myself for next year and give my...
Autumn is the time of year where we prepare to hunker down for winter, and you may be looking for ways to give yourself a reminder of the summer and autumn months. By preserving fruit from your garden trees and bushes, you can enjoy their unbeatable taste during the...
If you're lucky enough to have beautiful fruit-bearing trees in your garden, chances are you've already picked, prepared and polished off most of the lovely apples, plums and pears. Now the bounty of summer is over, your trees will start to stockpile their reserves in...
I love the time of year where the bold, bright colours of summer start to dilute into shades a bit more muted. There's something really cosy and almost wistful about autumn, isn't there? One thing I'm not so keen on is the prospect of a grey and gloomy garden through...