Planting ideas
Get inspiration for your garden and discover which plants will work best and where
May flowers to plant
As the days and soil gets warmer, expert plantsman Keith Wiley’s choice include colour, from a bright-orange lily to a crimson rose, offset by the delicacy of a soft-pink viburnum. Words Keith Wiley, photographs Jason Ingram
What vegetables and other plants to get into the ground in May
Head gardener Benjamin Pope explains what you should be planting in May. Illustration by Claire Harrup
A pot planting design to try using edibles in a rustic tin bath for colour from now through the summer
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson offers new container-planting inspiration with an idea for flower combinations for late spring
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 create a beautiful edible bouquet
Bea Andrews shows how to create beautiful bouquets using only plants from the vegetable garden. Photographs by Eva Nemeth
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
Forget snowdrops: these are the best early spring flowers to bring sunny colour to your garden
Bring bright, sunny colour to your late-winter garden with the earliest flowers of the year, which will spread to create golden carpets under 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
What to plant in January
Head gardener Benjamin Pope is keeping busy this month in preparation for spring. Here are his suggestions of what you could be planting through the month of January
Plants for birds: Top plants to feed the birds
Making your garden a safe haven for birds is easy and rewarding says Jane Moore, author of Planting for Garden Birds.
How to do a biodiversity audit in your garden
There is a biodiversity loss crisis, but research into the wildlife found in gardens has made it clear just how important these spaces are as habitat. Discover how much you can learn, and gain, by identifying and documenting what you find beyond your back door. Words Liz Potter
Evergreen trees for gardens: the best to grow
Shrub and evergreen plant expert Andy McIndoe explains the benefits of evergreen trees and how to prune them
December flowers and plants: head gardener's picks
The best December flowers and foliage from winter interest plants chosen for structure, colour and texture in the garden. Photographs Jason Ingram
Winter flowers: experts' choice of winter flowering plants
Our panel of experts pick the best winter flowering plants to grow over the colder months to ensure bright blooms add colour and interest in your garden