Latest From Gardens Illustrated
These 'thug' plants will take over your garden, so avoid planting them to prevent problems later on
Add these plants to your garden and you might regret it, as they have the potential to take over
The best elderflowers to grow and harvest for cordial (which also look really good in the garden)
Elders are easy-to-grow shrubs and small trees, best known for the cordial and wine made from their starry flowers and berries, but with newer cultivars now offering excellent ornamental qualities for the garden too
These are the top new plants of the year, according to the RHS - discover the most exciting blooms on the market
The RHS has released the shortlist for this year's RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year, which include exciting new plants to be shown at Chelsea Flower Show
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
'I really hate garden makeover shows': Carol Klein tells all on TV presenting, her cancer diagnosis and when she plans on retiring
The Gardeners' World presenter reveals all in a new episode of Talking Gardens, hosted by Gardens Illustrated editor Stephanie Mahon
Think 'No Mow May' is not for you? These neat ideas for your lawn will make your garden look amazing in May
Worried that No Mow May will turn your garden into an unmanageable mess? Here are some ways that you can embrace the 'No Mow' concept while keeping your garden acceptably neat.
Gardens Illustrated 's Editor's choice
Chelsea 2025 | Tickets, information, dates and what's on
Everything you need to know about RHS Chelsea Flower Show tickets and more for 2025
Watch Nigel Slater's exclusive tour around his own small garden and discover why he wouldn't want a bigger one
While Nigel Slater might occasionally dream of a larger garden, the joy he feels cocooned in his tiny basement courtyard has convinced him size isn’t everything.
Illustration: Paul Wearing, Portrait: John Campbell
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Latest garden features and design ideas
Lawnmower men versus wild women: the latest battle of the sexes is over the grass in your garden
The latest seemingly harmless social media trend of perfect lawns could actually be damaging wildlife
Always wanted a vintage parasol? This brand sells them at a fraction of the usual price.
Vintage parasols are a whimsical choice for days in the garden and on the beach - but they can be expensive. This brand sells them at a fantastic price.
Put down the plant feed: turns out fertilisers lead to less blooms and butterflies in your garden
A new study suggests links between fertilisers and a decline in wildflowers and pollinators. So why, asks Jo Kirby, are we still using them in our gardens?
It's back! This tiny caterpillar could destroy your hedges: here's how to deal with it
The box caterpillar, or box tree caterpillar, can devastate box plants in a matter of days. Here's how to deal with it.
Bring spring colour to the garden with the vibrant pot design from expert garden maker James Horner
James Horner, garden maker at Benton End, the one-time home of the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, suggests this arrangements in a basket to celebrate spring
Love peonies? Try these lesser-known, big-bloomed beauties that flower for ages and won’t flop over
Known for their large, showy, goblet-shaped blooms, these small shrubs provide welcome structure in the garden long after their spectacular spring flowering
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.
The New Romantic Garden by Jo Thompson: the modern way to do the classic garden style
In her thoughtful new book, designer Jo Thompson shows how her trademark style can be modernised with a commitment to biodiversity, says Claire Masset
Best garden plants for now
Benton irises: how to choose and grow them
Designer Dan Pearson has long loved the beautiful irises bred by the artist Cedric Morris, and recommends some of the best currently available.
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.
Here's how your new solar panel setup could be more affordable than you thought – with instant savings
There’s an easier way to generate your own clean energy
The best drought tolerant plants to grow to combat drier summers and warmer weather
Looking to add more drought tolerant plants to your garden? Annie Godfrey of Daisy Roots nursery recommends some of the best drought tolerant plants.
Want chic bearded irises in your garden? Here's everything you need to know about caring for them - and the most lovely to grow
Discover everything you need to know about bearded iris from the late expert grower and owner of Woottens of Wenhaston Michael Loftus
How to grow peonies
Peonies offer voluptuous blooms to grace your garden from late spring until July. Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall and Claire Austin give tips on how to grow these alluring flowers
Houseplants
Here's a houseplant you definitely won't kill: how to to care for and propagate sansevieria, or snake plant
Sansevieria, or the snake plant, is an almost indestructible houseplant that is creeping out of the shadows to take centre stage. Illustration Patrick Morgan
How to propagate houseplants - an easy and cheap guide to growing your houseplant collection
Expert house growers Maddie and Alice Bailey explain how to propagate your houseplants using stem cuttings
How to repot your plants - watch our guide to repotting houseplants to make sure your indoor plants are happy
Our simple and easy-to-follow guide on how and when to repot your houseplants from experts Alice and Maddie Bailey from Forest London
Gardens Illustrated 's Podcasts
Recipes
HOME COOKED RECIPES WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Make this lovely hedgerow drink using elderflower that you can forage now
Beth Al Rikabi shares her recipe for the quintessential summer cordial flavoured with freshly foraged elderflower
Dandelion flower honey
Beth Al Rikabi shares her recipe for dandelion flower honey, a sweet syrup that can be spread on toast, drizzled on pancakes or stirred into a summer gin fizz cocktail
Home made Pesto using any green leaves
Home made pesto is delicious stirred through pasta for a quick meal and this easy recipe takes just 10 minutes to make and can be made using any green leaves, such as Swiss card, kale or rocket. Photograph Andrew Montgomery
You can make pesto out of goose grass and nettles and it's delicious: here's how to do it
Beth Al Rikabi shares her recipe for a tasty and nutritious pesto, using cleavers and nettles foraged from the garden
Container Gardening
pots of style for your garden
Bring spring colour to the garden with the vibrant pot design from expert garden maker James Horner
James Horner, garden maker at Benton End, the one-time home of the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, suggests this arrangements in a basket to celebrate spring
An easy way to bring colour and style to your spring garden with this vibrant flower pot recipe
James Horner, garden maker at Benton End, the one-time home of the artist and plantsman Cedric Morris, suggests this colourful arrangement to celebrate spring
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
A succulent pot houseplant display for winter
Find out how to create this stylish houseplant display using unusual succulents.
Created by head gardener Benjamin William Pope. Photographs Andrew Montgomery
Inspiring Gardens
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
I’ve been collecting trees and shrubs for 50 years and these are the best for stunning spring blossom
For more than 50 years, Maurice Foster has been amassing
a collection of woody plants in his garden at White House Farm, which has grown into a precious horticultural resource
Fresh shoots: the new generation of plant nurseries injecting fresh hope into British gardens
Several specialist nurseries have recently closed, but there is hope that a host of enthusiastic newcomers can bring renewed life and vision to the industry.
You have to see this amazing new garden around a romantic castle on the shores of Loch Ness
Designer Tom Stuart-Smith has created two exciting new gardens around a romantic castle on the shores of Loch Ness.
This secret garden of London’s Brutalist icon is open to all 24 hours, and the perfect example of a successful public planting scheme
As a new phase of planting begins, Professor Nigel Dunnett looks at how the iconic public gardens he created at The Barbican Estate in London have evolved over the past decade
This season in the garden
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GARDENING NOW
You need to cut your lawn before May arrives: here's the reason why No Mow May is so important
No Mow May encourages gardeners to leave their mowers in the shed and transform their lawns into havens of biodiversity. Illustration Lesley Buckingham
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.
What vegetables and other plants to sow and plant in May for a bountiful crop for the year
Head gardener Benjamin Pope and kitchen gardener Aaron Bertelsen explain what you need to sow and plant out into the ground during the month of May
May gardening jobs: what to do in the garden in May
Kitchen gardener Aaron Bertelsen and head gardener Benjamin Pope pick the jobs you should be doing in the garden this month.
Gardens to visit
which gardens to visit and where
Visit these stunning spots in May for peak garden enjoyment in the UK and beyond
Plantsman Keith Wiley recommends the best gardens to visit in May to see their plants in full bloom
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.
A festival for tulips? Here are the festivals around the world celebrating the arrival of the beautiful spring flower
Discover some of the best tulip festivals to visit for a colourful start to spring. From Amsterdam to London, find a festival near you.
Garden design
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
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
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
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
Discover the biodiverse, brilliant and beautiful garden that features on Monty Don's British Gardens this week
The garden of designer Nigel Dunnett, who worked on the planting at the Olympic Park, is brimming with a harmonious and joyful mix of naturalistic and biodiverse planting.
How to design a garden on a slope: inspiration for your sloping garden
Creating a garden on a sloping site brings a host of challenges, but, says designer Charlotte Harris, with careful planning it is also an opportunity to make a really interesting space.
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
Gardening Advice
WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT
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
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
A guide to pruning roses
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.
Gardening Kit
OUR PICK OF THE BEST GARDENING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES
Work out what type of soil you have with these great soil testers for the garden
We discover the best soil pH testers for the soil in your garden, from digital and analogue probes to pH strip testing kits
I got a hori hori knife – and became a gardening ninja: here's what they are and why you need one
A hori hori is a knife many gardeners swear by. But what exactly is it and why is it so great? Veronica Peerless tests Niwaki's hori hori knife and explains what happened.
The best peony plant supports and cages for perfectly poised peonies in 2025
Peonies are beautiful, but often top heavy, and prone to drooping. Avoid your peonies sagging by using peony supports which will keep the flowers up and visible for as long as possible
Reviewed: best flower subscription and delivery services for 2025
Don't just surprise them with ONE bunch of flowers. Why not show how much you love them all year long?
The best folding saws for coppicing and pruning jobs this season
Save space when cutting branches and shrubs with our picks of the best folding saws.
Brilliant bird tables for all types of garden birds
Welcome more birds into your garden this winter with a stylish and sturdy bird table.