Plants
Plants, how to plant, what to plant
What to plant in an edible garden
We talk to vegetable and edible gardening expert Anna Greenland about gardening for flavour. Words Alys Hurn, photographs Jason Ingram
Garden border ideas | Spring border: a planting plan by designer Sarah Price
Download this border planting plan, created exclusively for Gardens Illustrated by award-winning garden designer Sarah Price. It will look good from late winter to early summer. Illustration by Hannah McVicar.
Miniature narcissi and how to plant them
From her small nursery in a North Yorkshire back garden, Anne Wright grows the most exquisite tiny narcissi. She gives her expert advice on how to plant and care for these miniature daffodils. Words Alys Fowler, photographs Jason Ingram
A junk-shop container lifts this elegant pot planting display with fritillaries and viola for early spring
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson kicks off a new container-planting series with three enchanting early spring flower combinations. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
How to care for your teak garden furniture
If you already have teak garden furniture, or you are considering buying teak for your outdoor space, here’s how to look after this attractive hardwood
What's new?
Are Bergenias the most hated plant? You need to reconsider these low-maintenance easy-going evergreen spring plants
Elephant’s ears, or bergenias are low-maintenance, easy-going evergreen perennials that will brighten up the early spring garden with their colourful blooms. Words Richard Wilford, photographs Jason Ingram
Arabella Lennox-Boyd's garden at Gresgarth Hall
Over the past 40 years the landscape designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd has turned her Lancashire garden into magical place. Words Matthew Reese, photographs Jason Ingram.
Simple and effective ways to attract wildlife to your garden
We look at how to create a wildlife garden, improve habitats for pollinating insects like bees and butterflies and the best plants and flowers to help attract insects into the garden. Plus, answer common questions like what does pollinator-friendly mean?
Why we should all be buying organic bulbs
Some aspects of the mass-produced bulb industry are environmentally damaging. We find out how, and why we should all be considering going organic with our bulbs. Photos Dave Watts Photography
March flowers that will look great right now: the best plants for the garden this month
Plantswoman Fleur van Zonneveld chooses ten plants that help brighten the lengthening days of March. Photos by Maayke De Ridder
Autumn
The scene-stealing plants that will stop you in your tracks
Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter's head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact
Get the Great Dixter planting look with the plants Fergus Garrett couldn't live without
One of the UK's most innovative gardeners, head gardener at Great Dixter, Fergus Garrett, shares the plants he loves the most. Portrait Jim Holden
Plants for flood-prone gardens: the plants that will survive a flood
With extreme wet weather events becoming more frequent, writer and designer Naomi Slade picks the plants that are best for flood-prone gardens
Bulbs
Crocuses or croci: what is the plural of crocus?
Is the correct term for the plural of crocus crocuses or croci? Here's what we found out
Everything you need to know about crocus
Crocuses bring welcome pops of colour to the garden in late winter and early spring. Richard Wilford from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew gives his advice on growing them and recommends the best varieties. Photography Richard Bloom.
Legendary nurserywoman Elizabeth Strangman's garden showcases her signature hellebores and a wealth of beautiful spring plants
After closing her renowned nursery, Elizabeth Strangman has poured her energies into developing her private garden, which showcases a wealth of plants beginning with her signature hellebores. Photographs Nicky Flint
Flowers
How to grow auriculas and the best to plant
A favourite of the 19th-century Florists’ Societies, auriculas continue to attract enthusiastic collectors and are one of specialities of the Suffolk nursery Woottens. Discover how to care for, propagate and 16 of the best auriculas. Words Mary Keen, photos Richard Bloom
Species hellebores: the best for your garden
More understated than their hybridised cousins, species hellebores bring delicacy and grace to the spring garden. Plant expert Graham Rice recommends 10 of the best. Photographs by Jason Ingram.
How to grow hellebores
Plant expert John Hoyland gives advice on planting, sowing and growing hellebores. Plus, the best varieties to grow, recommended by some of our favourite plant experts. Images by Rachel Warne.
House plants
Asparagus fern: Everything you need to know about this ideal house plant
Attractive foliage and a near-indestructible nature make the asparagus fern great indoor companions. Illustration Patrick Morgan
Houseplants | How to look after the blue star fern
Ferns sparked the first houseplant craze and are still a great houseplant choice, especially the unfussy Phlebodium aureum. Illustration Agata Wierzbicka
Why it became one woman’s mission to rescue 200 unwanted houseplants
Find out why it became one woman’s mission to rescue over 200 unwanted house plants, and how saving them has led to a worldwide following
Planting ideas
Get inspiration for your garden and discover which plants will work best and where
17 plants that can cope with winter wet
As temperatures and climates change, the need to grow resilient plants becomes more necessary for the gardener. Here expert plantsman and landscape designer Cassian Schmidt picks out his top choices of plants for winter wet soil
How to create a beautiful edible bouquet
Bea Andrews shows how to create beautiful bouquets using only plants from the vegetable garden. Photographs by Eva Nemeth
Forget snowdrops: these are the best early spring flowers to bring sunny colour to your garden
Bring bright, sunny colour to your late-winter garden with the earliest flowers of the year, which will spread to create golden carpets under trees.
Pots
Spring beauty in a pot: a stunning plant pot design you can plant up at home from designer Jo Thompson
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson's container-planting series continues with this early spring flower combination using Narcissus and Scilla. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
An enchanting early spring planting combination for pots by designer Jo Thompson, for even the smallest garden
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson shares container-planting inspiration with this enchanting early spring flower combination. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
How to grow hyacinths: a guide to this easy-to-grow bulb
Bring a splash of bright colour to your home or garden by trying easy-to-grow hyacinths. Grow them indoors and you'll have cheering flowers in the winter. In the garden they are a sure sign of spring.
Shrubs
How to prune wisteria
Wisteria needs to be pruned twice a year to keep it in good shape and to ensure abundant flowers. Here's how to do it. Photographs by Gavin Kingcome.
How to prune buddleia
Plantsman John Hoyland shows how to prune buddleia to achieve a well-shaped, prolifically flowering plant. Photographs by Gavin Kingcome
Five plants that will be trending in 2024
Simon Sutcliffe, of How Green Nursery, reveals five new plants that look set to be trending in 2024.
Spring
What to plant in March for beautiful blooms over the summer and beyond
Head gardener Benjamin Pope offers his suggestions for the best things to plant in pots and beyond this month
Wreaths are not just for Christmas: here's how to make an Easter wreath with beautiful spring flowers
Try your hand at an Easter wreath with flowers
and foliage to celebrate the arrival of spring. Words and styling Jacky Mills, photographs Éva Németh
When is the official first day of spring?
When spring starts is different depending on which calendar you're looking at. Here we answer the question what is the first day of spring in 2024?
Summer
How to grow, care for and dry pampas grass – plus the best varieties
Once hugely popular, pampas grass fell out of fashion, but along with growing numbers of dried flower enthusiasts, expert grower Adrian Bloom is keen to show they are worth a second look. He highlights the best that he grows in his own garden Foggy Bottom in Norfolk, and advises on growing them. Images by Adrian Bloom and Richard Bloom
Ten facts you probably didn't know about poppies
The poppy is widely recognised flower with a fascinating history. Here are ten interesting facts about poppies. Main photo by AnnaÏck Guitteny
Papaver: the best poppies for your garden
The scarlet poppy may be one of the most instantly recognisable flowers, but with more than 70 species of Papaver, in a range of shapes and colours, there’s one for every garden. Plant expert John Hoyland picks the best and gives his growing advice
Trees
Trees and shrubs to plant for birds
Discover some of the best shrubs to plant in your garden for birds, chosen by Isabel Losada
How to prune apple and pear trees
Plant expert John Hoyland takes us through the simple pruning techniques to ensure apple and pear trees give their best harvest. Photography by Gavin Kingcome
The principles of pruning
An essential gardening skill is pruning. Here's the initial principles of cutting back and pruning to maintain healthy-looking, prolifically flowering or beautifully shaped trees, shrubs and perennials. Words John Hoyland, photographs Gavin Kingcombe
Winter
A garden with beautiful structure designed by Arne Maynard
This walled garden designed by Arne Maynard is a perfect example of a winter garden that has faded to reveal its beautiful bare framework.
Plants for February
Keith Wiley of Wildside in Devon and Jimi Blake of Huntingbrook Gardens choose some early flowering bulbs and sweetly scented shrubs for February, to help welcome the return of spring. Photographs Jason Ingram
The best snowdrops for your garden
John Sales, former head of gardens at the National Trust, recommends 12 of the best snowdrops to grow in your garden. Words Mary Keen.