Garden design
Inspiration, ideas and everything you need to know about garden design from the gardening experts
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
This clever country design is a masterclass in making a garden to soften that just-finished feel
For this Suffolk garden, designer Colm Joseph has created spaces that link the geometry of the new-build house to
the surrounding vistas of fields and trees beyond
Should we be watching garden makeover TV shows? Some say it’s time for them to go
Love them or hate them, garden makeover shows help aspiring home gardeners get started. But why are opinions split?
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
Here’s how to transform your garden with a water bowl, pond or rill, with inspirational real-life design ideas and safety tips
Designer Charlotte Harris suggests smart, interesting ways to introduce water and use it to completely transform a garden
What's new?
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.
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.
Just chop it and drop it - here's the easy way to deadhead that helps cut hard work 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
Pimp your greenhouse - from the latest cool tech to the necessities, here are the top accessories for your growing space
Getting a greenhouse is a big deal, but what about everything else that comes with it? Here's our break down of all the greenhouse accessories you need
How to design an accessible garden that can be enjoyed by everyone
Garden designer Charlotte Harris shares her experience in practical design, looking at the details that make a garden more accessible
Front gardens
Ideas, tricks and inspiration for your front garden from the garden design experts
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
6 secret tricks of garden designers to make your garden look and feel better
Good gardens usually reference a few tried and tested design tricks – here's how to incorporate some of them into your own space.
Our favourite welly boot storage solutions for 2024
Keep your muddy boots neatly in a row with our picks of useful welly storage designs
Hard landscaping
Everything you need to know about hard landscaping in the garden
7 garden design rules you can totally break, and the one you never should
Leading garden designers tell us which tenets of design they love to ignore, the common demands they try to talk clients out of
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
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
Garden design resources
Our hub of all the design resources you need to make your garden into the garden you want
Gardening on slopes doesn't have to be a chore: how to turn challenging terrain into garden gold
Sloped gardens offer drama, depth, and beauty. Learn expert design tips to transform challenging terrain into a standout landscape
Fantasising about a greenhouse? Here’s why you need one and what you should know before you buy one
A glasshouse or greenhouse can offer a beautiful garden retreat as well as a place to grow undercover and turbo boost your gardening abilities
The best garden design courses to join
Looking for a garden design course? Here's a selection of the UK's leading garden design schools and details of the training they offer.
Small gardens
Small garden design inspiration, ideas and expert advice. Everything you need to know about designing and planting small gardens
Clematis montana aren't always rampant: if you're looking for a small climber, then these less vigorous varieties could be what you need
Although known as vigorous plants, Clematis montana can be also be medium sized or even compact. Here are some recommended varieties from the National Collection at the garden of National Collection holder, Val Le Neville-Parry.
A small city garden that looks good 365 days a year with top designer tips for interest in every season
In making a garden for photographer Alister Thorpe, designer Stefano Marinaz was keen to ensure there would be something worth shooting every day of the year
Stuck with a slope? Top ideas and inspiration for steps and ramps in the garden
Expert advice from Andrew Wilson on how to cope with level changes in the garden, with ideas on including steps and ramps with safety and accessibility in mind
Soft landscaping
Learn what you need about planting and soft landscaping in the garden from the experts
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
The island bed is back in our gardens, with a chic designer update – here’s how to do it right for beautiful planting this summer
Designer Charlotte Harris reflects on the shift towards organically shaped ‘island’ planting beds, and reveals inside tips on how to get the right effect.
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
Garden design solutions
Recommended plants and design inspiration for compact plots
8 super quick and easy cheats to make your garden look good in time for this weekend
Have friends coming over or got an outdoor event planned? Here are a few simple ideas to swiftly spruce up your garden
Tips on creating a dog-friendly garden, with expert advice from the RHS
Design ideas for a dog-friendly garden from experts at the RHS and Battersea - the dogs and cats home
How to screen your garden from overlooking neighbours: our designer guide to creating a private sanctuary
Designer Charlotte Harris shows how to screen your garden from the neighbours or block out eyesores