Katie Beale
Editorial & Digital Assistant
Katie is an editorial and digital assistant on Gardens Illustrated. If her friends and family had to sum her up in 3 words they would be - coffee, cats and crafting (and more coffee). Before transitioning into her dream field of writing and publishing, Katie originally started off in Psychology, working as an assistant psychologist in the NHS, where she had a hands-on experience of facilitating CBT therapies. She loves to travel and explore new cultures, having spent a sabbatical year in Italy. She loves getting creative with mixed media designs, jewellery making and knitting, and plays the guitar. Her dream is to be a published novelist. She is a contributor on Gathered and has written for Cardmaking and Papercraft and Simply Knitting.
Recent articles by Katie Beale
Best lawn mowers 2024: 12 designs for lawns and budgets of all sizes
From push mowers to robotic models, discover the top choices to achieve a well-manicured lawn.
The best garden wheelbarrows
There's a big variety of wheelbarrow designs out there, so take a look at our guide to find the best options for you. We've listed plastic, metal and fabric versions too.
The best bulb planters: short and mid-length designs for easy planting
Get ready for bulb planting season with our selection of small, hand-held bulb planters.
9 of the best garden pods and offices
Planning a big project for 2024? Make the most of your space outside with the all-new wave of stylish garden pods and practical pop-up offices.
The best gardening shoes for all seasons in 2024
Get yourself kitted out for all seasons and gardening jobs with our pick of the best gardening shoes
8 of the best garden thermometers to keep track of the heat
We bring you eight of the most useful and stylish garden thermometers. Big or small, analogue or digital, we've something for every taste and temperature…
Comfortable and durable gardening trousers for men and women
For men and women – we've made our selection of the most comfortable, warm and waterproof, hard-wearing, dirt-shirking gardening trousers. Here's our pick of the best.
Best plant gift subscriptions
Give the gift that keeps on giving – a plant subscription! We bring you some of the best options online. Start one today and share the love.
The best gardening jackets for women
Come rain or shine, be kitted out for the garden with our selection of the best gardening jackets for women
Autumn tidying: the kit you need for the garden
Discover all the tools and kit you need for the autumn tidying tasks in the garden.
Get kitted out for the allotment
Get kitted out with our very latest selection of beautiful and useful products for your allotment.
The compost guide: best compost for potting and more
Compost - so many different types for different jobs in the garden. We break things down into a handy list and round up some of the best composts for seeds, potting, houseplants and the garden.
Profile: Gill Hodgson of Flowers from the Farm
The creator of Flowers from the Farm on her passion for local, seasonal blooms, the upsides of lockdown and the enduring capacity of cut flowers to say it all. Words Claire Masset. Portrait Charlie Hopkinson.
25 English gardens to visit
In this feature designer and garden historian Penelope Hobhouse shares 25 of the best English gardens to visit
Best indoor hanging planters to buy in 2024
Hang your houseplants proudly with our selection of the most stylish hanging indoor planters for your home
Sturdy and stylish: the best plant supports for your garden in 2024
Plant supports are a vital way of making sure your plants are happy, healthy and look great. Here are our selection of our favourite plant supports
How to care for, plant and the best garden erythroniums
Their dainty flowers with swept-back petals and often mottled leaves make erythroniums one of the highlights of a woodland garden. Words by horticulturalist Richard Wilson. Photography by Torie Chugg
Best hose pipes to buy in 2024
Here is our pick of the best garden hoses pipes - from budget options to glamorous statement pieces.
Meet the gardeners: Jennifer Warner
Former teacher Jennifer has just completed a traineeship at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex, and is now starting on the Kew Diploma in Horticulture. Portrait Andrew Montgomery.
Euphorbia: How to grow and look after euphorbia in your garden
Euphorbias bring evergreen structure to the garden and attractive flowers in spring and summer. Matthew Biggs, broadcaster and garden writer, explains how to grow them and recommends the best varieties to grow
Profile: Lynne Marcus - Society of Garden Designers
The chair of the Society of Garden Designers on making a change of career, the challenge of fitting the pieces of garden design together and the unpardonable crime of laying fake grass. Words Annie Gatti. Portrait Charlie Hopkinson.
Pots of style: Three creative houseplant displays
Planting designer Alison Jenkins combines some familiar houseplants to create three unusual indoor displays. Photography by Eva Nemeth
Richard Lindsay: the renowned peat expert
The internationally renowned peat expert on his accidental career in conservation, the 1970s’ punk scene and the need for a long-term mindset in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. Words Jodie Jones. Portrait Charlie Hopkinson.
The secrets of top winter gardens
Discover a selection of designer gardens that still shine during the darkest months. Words Clare Foster. Photographs Andrew Montgomery.