perennials
Keep the colour going all the way to autumn with these clever plant combos of late-summer flowers
Expert plantswoman Esther Schonenberg of Festina Lente gives her advice on creating a long season of colour in the garden
Looking to keep the colour through the coming months? Here are 10 recommended plants for late-summer
There are plenty of colourful plants that will ensure your garden remains fresh and bright throughout summer into autumn. Here are ten plants for late-summer colour, recommended by plantswoman Marina Christopher
The best peonies for your garden: beautiful blooms that are easy to grow
Nursery owner Claire Austin grows over 100 different herbaceous peonies in her garden and trials field to find the very best
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This long-flowering plant will bring colour to your garden from spring to summer here's how to grow the loveliest
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
These are the top seed suppliers you need to be buying from for your online seed order this year
If you're looking for inspiration for your next crop of flowers, herbs and vegetables, take a look at our recommended seed suppliers this year
Make your own seed envelope using recycled paper with our handy guide and video
Follow our fold-by-fold guide to making your own origami seed envelope. Then save and collect your own seeds from this year's favourites, or swap with a gardening friend and be ready to sow next spring.
The best winter-flowering clematis
Plant expert John Hoyland recommends 14 of the best winter-flowering clematis to grow in your garden. Photographs by Jason Ingram.
These plants will make your garden look good over winter
The seedheads of perennials bring drama to the garden in winter and provide food for birds and insects, too. We recommend 11 of the best
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
Perfect September flowers and plants that will give your garden a late-summer glow
Our pick of plants which are at their best in September to create borders that will give your garden a late-summer glow. Photos by Jason Ingram and Maayke de Ridder.
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
30 of the best climbing plants for 2025
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.
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.
Inspiring women garden designers in British history
Here, we list some of the most inspiring female gardeners and garden designers in British history for International Women's Day
The best winter-flowering heathers to grow
Winter heather provides colour in the coldest months. Shrub expert Andy McIndoe recommends 20 of the best winter-flowering heathers, including Erica carnea, to grow in your garden. Photographs Dianna Jazwinski
Annual climbers: 21 of the best annual climbers to plant
Annual climbers can be sown and grown in a year and are an easy and colourful way to cover walls or trellises. Plant expert Matthew Biggs chooses 21 of his favourite annual climbers
Design Solutions: Topiary
If box balls and bay pyramids are all that spring to mind when you think of topiary, then it’s high time to sharpen your shears and think again. Here are some ideas to encourage some creative gardening
Sissinghurst's roses are famous and here are some of the best from the garden, as chosen by head gardener
Sissinghurst Castle is famous for its roses. Discover the rose cultivars that Vita Sackville-West grew there and find out more about them with head gardener Troy Scott-Smith
The best gardens to visit for culture
We select some of our favourite gardens in which you can immerse yourself in cultural delights such as art, literature, science, politics and music
Late summer planting plan using tried and tested plants
This bold design for a late summer border by gardener Andrea Brunsendorf uses tried and trusted plants that will keep the show going in your garden border until the first frosts
10 of the best gardens to visit for planting inspiration
The best, but lesser-known, gardens to visit for planting inspiration
Plant a herb border: download our designer plan
Jekka McVicar, one of Britain’s leading herb growers, creates a compact scheme that’s both beautiful and full of flavour – so all you have to do is the planting and the picking. Illustration Hannah McVicar
Garden border ideas | Romantic flower border: download our planting plan
A flower border planting plan, perfect for a cottage garden created by award-winning garden designer Jinny Blom. Illustration by Hannah McVicar
Plant hardiness zone ratings explained
Understanding a plant's hardiness rating can help us choose the right plants for our gardens. Here's an explanation of the plant hardiness systems used here and in the USA. Words: Dr John David, and Leigh Hunt. Illustrations Liam McAuley and Chris Jones