Gardening advice
Expert gardening advice for designing and planting in your garden
How to compost in a tiny garden
Most gardeners know about traditional ways of composting, but head gardener Joshua Sparkes explains the options for smaller spaces. Illustration Vicki Turner
‘I didn’t harvest a single carrot. That was a sharp lesson’: Charles Dowding on his no-dig journey and how to compost well
No-dig expert, market gardener and author Charles Dowding talks about his new book, the books he reads, and what he’s up to next
How to lay a hedge
Interested in the centuries-old skill of hedge laying? Follow our guide on how to lay a hedge and learn about the traditional ways to lay a hedge. Words Louise Allen, photography Andrew Montgomery, illustration Liam McAuley
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Bonfire night is fun, but don't forget to protect your pets and garden wildlife
Our tips on keeping garden wildlife and pets safe on Guy Fawkes night
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How to design an accessible garden
Garden designer Charlotte Harris shares her experience in practical design, looking at the details that make a garden more accessible
What is soil? You may think you know, but there's a lot going on under your feet
Think of your garden soil as a living organism that needs gentle handling and you will reap the benefits in healthier plants, urges no-dig gardening expert Charles Dowding
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
How and when to prune roses for a beautiful bloom of flowers
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.
November jobs for the garden: don't forget these key things to do right now
There's always something to do in the garden, even in November. Aaron Bertelsen explains a few key things you can do in the garden right now. Illustration Alice Pattullo
Advice for big gardens
Autumn jobs in the garden: Sissinghurst head gardener explains what you should be doing over this season
As the garden slips into a new season, head gardener Troy Scott Smith and his team are busy with tasks from hedge cutting and lawn work to bulb planting and sowing seeds. Words Troy Scott Smith, photographs John Campbell
How to grow pumpkins and squashes
There is a huge variety of winter squash and pumpkins out there, all easy to grow in an allotment or garden if you know how. If you want to grow pumpkins for next year, here's a few of our favourites, plus some extra advice on sowing and planting. Illustration Kerry Lemon
How to protect grass seed from birds
Head gardener Troy Scott Smith explains his tips and tricks on sowing grass seed in a way that the birds won't eat
Advice for dry gardens
Get help for planting and ideas for your dry garden
What does 'organic' actually mean? We break down the confusing terms and see if it's possible to garden organically
Organic is a word used a lot in the gardening and farming world these days, and many people are trying to 'go organic'. But what does organic actually mean? It isn't as simple as you think
How to care for your lawn: ten top tips for keeping your lawn lush and green
Head gardener of Stockton Bury Tamsin Westhorpe explains ten simple tips that will help you care for your lawn
Want more wildlife in your garden? It’s not all about the plants, says the garden industry’s new guru
We all know about planting for pollinators, says John Little, but when it comes to increasing biodiversity, it turns out that it’s not all about the plants. Illustration Rosanna Morris
Gardening how tos
Wondering exactly how to do something in the garden? Discover our gardening guides
Plants to grow for your gut microbiome to boost your health
Growing your own edible plants is a great way to boost your gut microbiome. Discover expert picks of edimentals that are both beautiful and beneficial.
Words: Sid Hill
Chop and drop: watch the easy way to deadhead that helps cut time in the garden
Discover the easy deadheading technique that is being picked up by head gardeners as a way of saving time and helping the soil
Make scary apples for Apple Day and Halloween
Whether it's for Apple Day on October 21 or Halloween, these scary apples are an excellent thing to create with the whole family. Photographs Andrew Montgomery
Low maintenance gardens
Our guide to finding the easiest ways of gardening
31 small garden design ideas from experts that will maximise impact and space on your own plot
Three top designers share expert advice on creating small spaces that really work, with insightful dos and don’ts to apply to your own garden. Picked by Harry Holding, Caroline Clayton, Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler
10 facts you (possibly) didn’t know about dahlias
Celebrating dahlia season - here's 10 facts you might not have known about these gorgeous late season flowers
Easy lawn alternatives: here are six plants that will work as an alternative to grass for your lawn and are easier to maintain
A lawn doesn't have to consist of grass. Here are six beautiful alternatives that will cover the ground and give you a green look, without the need to mow.
Advice for shady gardens
Get help for your shady garden
A small sloping backyard was given a designer update and is now a beautiful, flower-filled family garden on different levels by Farlam & Chandler
Design duo Farlam & Chandler has transformed a heavily shaded plot into a beautiful, flower-filled family garden
Ten tips for gardening plastic free
David Ware, head of eco garden centre EdibleCulture, offers up his top tips for how to garden without using plaastic
Stop! Here are 14 things you think you need to do in your garden but you actually don't
The RHS offers up 14 things in your garden that you think might work, but which actually don't
Sunny gardens
Beautiful pink, orange, red and white poppies for your garden and how to care for them
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
When to water plants in hot weather
In the heatwave, make sure you're watering your plants at the right time of day
Wondering what jobs to get done this summer? Let Sissinghurst's expert head gardener guide you
Sissinghurst’s head gardener Troy Scott Smith guides us through the jobs that he and his team do in summer. Images by John Campbell
Advice for wet gardens
Get help for your wet garden
Here's what companion planting means and why it can help plants thrive
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
30 of the best climbing plants for 2024
Choose from our selection of best climbing plants and add vertical interest to walls and trellises or allow to scramble over other plants in borders. Plantsman and garden designer Rory Dusoir gives his top recommendations.
Box tree moth could be rampant this year, warns RHS
The RHS has warned that 2024 could see a significant rise in the spread of box tree moth