Latest From Gardens Illustrated
Most garden barbeques are pretty ugly, says Nigel Slater – I prefer these grills for cooking outdoors
Much as he loves eating in his garden, Nigel Slater blows hot and cold about cooking en plein air
‘It’s been a surreal experience’ – Tresco’s subtropical paradise island was a dream come true for one young gardener
Tresco Abbey Gardens Scholar Holly Doyle loves the exotic plants she now cares for, and can lose herself for hours exploring other gardens
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.
So much more than mud: why soil is crucial for carbon capture, drainage and biodiversity
Soil stores carbon, soaks up rainwater and is at the core of biodiversity. We need to stop calling it dirt, says Helen Elks-Smith
Roses: Our ultimate jargon and myth-busting guide and 49 of the best ones to grow
What all those rose terms really mean and the pointless rose-growing rules you can totally break, plus the experts’ picks of top roses to grow
Spend less time and effort gardening with these pro gardener hacks for a beautiful low-maintenance space
Love gardening but short on time, or looking for ways to make your garden easier to manage? We’ve got smart tips from the experts on how to have a lovely garden with less work
Gardens Illustrated 's Editor's choice
9 simple fixes to elevate your outdoor space fast (without spending a fortune)
These unbeatable ideas from top gardeners and designers will transform your garden into a stylish, plant-filled haven in no time
Watch Nigel Slater's exclusive tour around his own small garden and discover why he wouldn't want a bigger one
While Nigel Slater might occasionally dream of a larger garden, the joy he feels cocooned in his tiny basement courtyard has convinced him size isn’t everything.
Illustration: Paul Wearing, Portrait: John Campbell
Get a Niwaki small golden spade when you join as a member to Gardens Illustrated today
Save 25% + receive a Niwaki small golden spade when you join as a member to Gardens Illustrated today
Discover a year of homegrown goodness with Gardens Illustrated’s Special Edition
A Year in the Edible Garden – Your essential guide to growing and enjoying fresh produce
Gardens Illustrated events
Latest garden features and design ideas
Is the UK facing drought, and what does that mean for how we garden?
With England seeing drier and drier summers, we investigate the impact of a potential national drought being declared and what this would mean for our gardens
The Newt: a garden for all seasons
Discover the Somerset estate that offers history, horticulture, culinary excellence, education and much more
Is there a hosepipe ban in the UK? Here's everything you need to know
Water companies sometimes impose hosepipe bans when temperatures soar. Here we tell you everything you need to know about hosepipe bans and whether there are any in the UK right now
Gardening in a heatwave - here's how to look after your lawn and water efficiently in soaring temperatures
As the hot weather in the UK continues, we ask three horticultural experts of the realities of drought on gardens and how we should be adapting the way we garden to hotter, drier conditions in the summer, and wetter, warmer conditions in the winter
Spend less time and effort gardening with these pro gardener hacks for a beautiful low-maintenance space
Love gardening but short on time, or looking for ways to make your garden easier to manage? We’ve got smart tips from the experts on how to have a lovely garden with less work
You've heard of the Chelsea Chop – but what is the Hampton Hack?
Plant experts Matthew Biggs and John Hoyland explain how to do the 'Hampton Hack' technique and highlight the plants that benefit from it.
5 expert design tips for creating a natural swimming pond in your garden
Expert natural swimming pond designer Sarah Murch explains her top tips on how to create a pool you'll love
Gaudy, traditional bedding plants are out - these longer-lasting, wildlife-friendly alternatives are what you need in your garden
Three gardening experts recommend 17 of the best contemporary bedding plants, which pollinators will love, for stunning displays
Parking space vs front garden? It is actually possible to have both
Off-street parking and an attractively planted front garden needn’t be mutually exclusive – there are lots of designs that combine the two.
Want a stunning summer border? Here are four beautiful flower combinations with lots of wow-factor that you can plant in your garden
Four plant combinations to add colour and drama to your summer borders with inspiration from Malverleys head gardener Mat Reese
Best garden plants for now
You are going to need these plant combinations and tips from an expert Spanish designer who knows how to garden in intense heat and no rain
Spanish designer Fernando Martos explains why he combines the beauty of Spain's arid landscape with English planting ideas in his dry garden designs. If we're considering climate change, his approach could be a useful one for us to take note of
How to grow Persicaria
Persicaria are versatile perennials with late season, brightly coloured flower spikes on hearty green plants from July through to late October. Plantsman Rory Dusoir shares his advice on how to grow persicaria and where to plant it.
Here's how your new solar panel setup could be more affordable than you thought – with instant savings
There’s an easier way to generate your own clean energy
21 brilliant ‘bombproof’ plants: the impossible-to-kill, fuss-free, low-maintenance performers that the experts rely on
Discover the indestructible varieties that designers, head gardeners and flower growers rely on: the top easy-to-grow, long-lived, pest- and disease-free performers for your garden
Want a vase full of home-grown roses? Here are the best roses to grow for cutting with tips from expert rose growers
Victoria and Barney Martin of Stokesay Flowers give their advice on growing roses for cutting.
How to grow salvias - the ultimate guide to growing this versatile and colourful flower and the best types to use
These popular, high-impact summer flowers come in a wide range of forms and colours and are designer favourites as well as magnets for bees and butterflies
Houseplants
Here's a houseplant you definitely won't kill: how to to care for and propagate sansevieria, or snake plant
Sansevieria, or the snake plant, is an almost indestructible houseplant that is creeping out of the shadows to take centre stage. Illustration Patrick Morgan
How to propagate houseplants - an easy and cheap guide to growing your houseplant collection
Expert house growers Maddie and Alice Bailey explain how to propagate your houseplants using stem cuttings
How to repot your plants - watch our guide to repotting houseplants to make sure your indoor plants are happy
Our simple and easy-to-follow guide on how and when to repot your houseplants from experts Alice and Maddie Bailey from Forest London
Gardens Illustrated 's Podcasts
Recipes
HOME COOKED RECIPES WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Tasty summer tomato tart using fresh tomatoes with mustard and cheese
This delicious twist on a Provençal favourite is a wonderful way to make the use of ripe tomatoes and makes a perfect light summer lunch.
A tasty soup made from your summer glut of courgettes
The best courgette soup using home grown courgettes from the garden.
Roasted beetroot and tomatoes with yoghurt and nasturtium salsa recipe
This recipe from chef Erin Bunting shows how using flowers not only brings an element of beauty to the food on our plates, but can offer new and exciting flavours too. Words Erin Bunting and Jo Facer, Photographs Sharon Cosgrove
Home made Pesto using any green leaves
Home made pesto is delicious stirred through pasta for a quick meal and this easy recipe takes just 10 minutes to make and can be made using any green leaves, such as Swiss card, kale or rocket. Photograph Andrew Montgomery
Container Gardening
pots of style for your garden
An exotic meadow container pot evoking the walled garden at Benton End
Inspired by the gardens at Benton End, garden maker James Horner suggests a fresh container arrangement to capture the essence of summer
Bring spring colour to the garden with the vibrant pot design from expert garden maker James Horner
James Horner, garden maker at Benton End, the one-time home of the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, suggests this arrangements in a basket to celebrate spring
An easy way to bring colour and style to your spring garden with this vibrant flower pot recipe
James Horner, garden maker at Benton End, the one-time home of the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, suggests this colourful arrangement to celebrate spring
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
Inspiring Gardens
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
I’ve been collecting trees and shrubs for 50 years and these are the best for stunning spring blossom
For more than 50 years, Maurice Foster has been amassing
a collection of woody plants in his garden at White House Farm, which has grown into a precious horticultural resource
Fresh shoots: the new generation of plant nurseries injecting fresh hope into British gardens
Several specialist nurseries have recently closed, but there is hope that a host of enthusiastic newcomers can bring renewed life and vision to the industry.
You have to see this amazing new garden around a romantic castle on the shores of Loch Ness
Designer Tom Stuart-Smith has created two exciting new gardens around a romantic castle on the shores of Loch Ness.
This season in the garden
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GARDENING NOW
The key jobs you need to get done in the garden in July
July is mainly a month of maintenance, of watering, feeding and pruning, as well as a time to pause and take pleasure in your achievements. Here's what to do in the garden this month.
What to plant in July
Head gardener Benjamin Pope and gardener cook Aaron Bertselsen explain what you should be planting in July
The best plants for July
Discover some of the best July flowers and plants including a graceful daylily and a dwarf, claret sunflower
The best gardens to visit in July
Nurseryman Keith Wiley recommends the best gardens to visit in July to see their plants in full bloom
Gardens to visit
which gardens to visit and where
11 cool, alternative garden festivals and events to enjoy this summer
From a compost festival to an exhibition displaying a 1500s gardening manual, there are plenty of fascinating events to attend this summer.
The best lavender farms to visit for Instagram-worthy shots and heady scents of summer
Swathes of blue and purple as far as the eye can see – we recommend the best lavender farms to visit for a perfect summer day out
The best hotels with gardens in the UK: stay at these places for a luxury garden experience
From majestic estates to romantic country cottages, Sorrel Everton chooses her favourite hotels with gardens, including B&Bs and self-catering getaways
Garden design
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
Ashamed of your front garden? Fix it up fast with our expert guide and real garden inspiration
Designer Charlotte Harris offers inspiration and advice on making the most of the small awkward space outside your front door
Limited space? You probably still have room for a tree - discover the best trees for small gardens
Many people worry that a tree will overpower a small garden, but as garden designer Sarah Price shows, the key is finding the right place and the right tree
You can have a sustainable garden that's also beautiful - here's how to design stylish ecological gardens
Charlotte Harris explains how to design gardens that are ecological and beautiful in her expert guide to sustainable garden design
Discover the biodiverse, brilliant and beautiful garden that features on Monty Don's British Gardens this week
The garden of designer Nigel Dunnett, who worked on the planting at the Olympic Park, is brimming with a harmonious and joyful mix of naturalistic and biodiverse planting.
How to design a garden on a slope: inspiration for your sloping garden
Creating a garden on a sloping site brings a host of challenges, but, says designer Charlotte Harris, with careful planning it is also an opportunity to make a really interesting space.
Want to stop your veg from being munched? Planting these flowers nearby could save it from bugs and slugs
Ever wondered how companion planting might help your vegetables and deter pests? Here expert grower Matthew Biggs breaks down the companion planting myths and explains how the system works
Gardening Advice
WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT
How to build a natural swimming pond in your garden
Discover tips on how to build a natural swimming pool or pond in your garden, from expert designer Will Tomson
Wondering what no-dig gardening is? Let the expert explain
Generations of gardeners have been told that digging is the best way to prepare soil for planting – but that’s a myth, according to grower Charles Dowding, who practises no dig gardening. Charles explains what no dig is and how it works
A guide to pruning roses
Discover how to prune all types of roses including shrub, climbing and rambling roses in our guide from plant expert John Hoyland. Photographs by Gavin Kingcome.
Gardening Kit
OUR PICK OF THE BEST GARDENING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES
The one essential for your gardening wardrobe this season: beat the heat with these great sun hats for gardening
From traditional to contemporary silhouettes, there is a sun hat for every gardening chore, weather and mood. We’ve put together our top choices that are sure to make every gardener fall in love
Always wanted a vintage parasol? This brand sells them at a fraction of the usual price.
Vintage parasols are a whimsical choice for days in the garden and on the beach - but they can be expensive. This brand sells them at a fantastic price.
Peek inside the private gardens of some of the UK’s top designers
This beautifully photographed book on designers’ own gardens is a fascinating insight into some well-known designers’ working practices, says Charlie Harpur
I got a hori hori knife – and became a gardening ninja: here's what they are and why you need one
A hori hori is a knife many gardeners swear by. But what exactly is it and why is it so great? Veronica Peerless tests Niwaki's hori hori knife and explains what happened.
The best peony plant supports and cages for perfectly poised peonies in 2025
Peonies are beautiful, but often top heavy, and prone to drooping. Avoid your peonies sagging by using peony supports which will keep the flowers up and visible for as long as possible
Reviewed: best flower subscription and delivery services for 2025
Don't just surprise them with ONE bunch of flowers. Why not show how much you love them all year long?