Plants
Plants, how to plant, what to plant
The best alternatives to box to help you avoid box blight and box tree moth
The explosion of box blight and box moth caterpillar has left many gardeners looking for alternative plants for balls, topiary and hedges. Matthew Pottage, curator at RHS Garden Wisley, recommends his top choices. Images by Jason Ingram.
Japanese cherries blossom early in gardens across the UK
Warmer weather has meant Cherry trees have been blossoming much earlier this year
18 of the best cherry blossom trees and how to prune and care for them
Ornamental Japanese cherry blossom trees are one of the delights of spring, with their clouds of pink or white blooms. Garden writer Val Bourne recommends some of her favourites at Batsford Arboretum. Photographs Lynn Keddie
Everything you need to know about growing bluebells
English bluebells are one of the highlights of spring. Here's how to grow them in your own garden – and how to differentiate between English and Spanish bluebells.
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?
The best places to see a beautiful blue carpet of bluebells in a wood or garden near you
Wandering in a bluebell wood is a magical experience. Here are our recommendations for where to see bluebells – and other spring delights.
How to care for and propagate aeonium
These dramatic and often statuesque succulents are finally having their moment in the sun – which is just where they like it. Words Nick Bailey, photographs Annaïck Guitteny
The flowers that look lovely in the garden in April
Fresh, white flowers and arresting foliage feature among expert plantsman Keith Wiley’s choices this month along with a hybrid form of one of his favourite plants. Photographs Jason Ingram
What to plant in April in the garden
Discover which flowers and vegetables to plant in April with the help of head gardener Benjamin Pope
Is this grassy perennial the perfect solution for shady gardens? How to use this low-maintenance plant
The subtle grass-like sedges of Carex are perfect for adding texture and beauty in challenging and shady spots in the garden. Words Giacomo Guzzon, photographs Jason Ingram
Autumn
9 new plants you won't have heard of that you should grow this year
We asked expert plantspeople, designers and gardeners which brand new and recently introduced plants they are excited about growing this year
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
Bulbs
Everything you need to know about tulip fire
Tulip fire is a fungal disease that can affect tulips. Here's how to identify it, and what to do if you find it
Which perennial tulips should you grow for a sustainable border?
Many tulips only flower reliably for one season, but there are many different types that are reliably perennial. We asked bulb growing experts and head gardeners for their recommendations.
Eye catching tulips to plant with 21 beautiful options from Wiltshire's Belcombe Court
At Belcombe Court, the walled garden is alive with the bright colour of tulips in spring. Here are 21 of the best. Words Anna Pavord, photography Jason Ingram
Flowers
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
Planting and caring for wallflowers, plus the best varieties to grow for colour from spring to summer
Erysimum, also known as wallflowers, can brighten your garden, bridging the months from spring through to summer. Here, garden writer and plant expert Val Bourne recommends the best Erysimum to grow. Photographs Sharon Pearson
Wood anemone is a perfect plant for shady corners and spring displays
Wood anemones are well-suited to shady gardens, and the diversity of plants in the wild has provided rich pickings for enthusiasts. Plant expert John Hoyland picks out the best wood anemones, including Anemone nemorosa, for early-spring displays. Photography by Lynn Keddie.
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
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.
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
Pots
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
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
How to attract wildlife into the 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?
Shrubs
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
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
Spring
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
The search for the Backhouse daffodils: a remarkable plant treasure hunt
Tracking down the Backhouse daffodils, narcissi bred by her ancestors, has become a lifetime’s work for Caroline Thomson. Words by horticulturalist Matthew Biggs. Photographs by Jason Ingram
They grow like weeds at this time of year but these tiny flowers can look beautiful in a spring garden
The vivid-blue, starry-eyed, forget-me-not flowers of many members of the Boraginaceae family makes them unforgettable and there are plenty of options for adding their appeal to your garden
Summer
When to plant summer bulbs and the best to choose for a gloriously colourful garden
Spring is the ideal time to plant summer-flowering bulbs. We asked four experts to recommend their favourites
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
Trees
The world's most extreme trees grow in the fiercest conditions. But should you plant them in your garden?
Faced with a warming climate, many gardeners are thinking carefully about resilient plants for their garden. But what about three of the world's most extreme 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
Winter
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
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.