Horticulture & Plant Ideas

It’s been a pretty erratic few months weather-wise here in the UK. Going from a heatwave in April to then Storm Hannah battering gardens. Not exactly ideal for tender plants and pricking out seedlings. However, by growing in a greenhouse and gardening without plastic I have at least managed to avoid any casualties so far! […]

Lawn edging and strimming is one of my least favourite tasks. If you’ve followed the Exploding Atom Garden you will know just how much of last year was spent installing lawn edging. However, a tatty-edged lawn can look pretty ugly, especially if you’re going to the trouble of mowing it. There’s no point having a […]

Sowing seed is probably one of the most exciting parts of gardening. Ask any gardener or allotmenteer and seed selection then sowing is high on the list of favourite gardening activities. I’ve recently written a handy guide on how to sow seeds, so if you’re new to the seed sowing party maybe read that first […]

I’m a massive fan of Ornamental grasses in the garden, and fans of my work will see I incorporate them wherever I can. They require very little nutrition, will tolerate a number of soil types, and can provide interest for around 10 months of the year. Grasses look great in groups and can be used […]

If you’re like me and have a nightmare garden border that’s both shady and awkward then this guide is for you! I’ve recently been planting up my driveway with mixed success. It’s shaded, dry, windy and has competition from both a hedge and mature trees. It’s enough to make you give it up and simply […]

Now I would usually argue against planting in the middle of a 30-year record heatwave. However, when you’ve got a hundred or so plants sat waiting to go in, you can’t really hold off as they frazzle in the 32-degree heat. So I’m caveating this article that where possible avoid planting in the middle of […]

It’s easy to become disheartened when you’re halfway through a project. The beginning seems a long time ago and the end seems too far off. You’re right in the thick of it, the messy bit where everything is up in the air. It’s the classic symptom of any project, the middle bit is often where motivation […]

Planting in pots is a fantastic way for newbies to make their first steps into the gardening world. Time and time again though, I see new gardeners filling pots with a mix of annuals (plants that live for one season before dying) and hanging plants (Ivy and Fuschia are classics). The classic combinations Fuschia, Petunias, […]

This Orchid care guide will provide you with all the detail you need to keep your orchids flowering for months and stop the unsightly yellow or black leaf problems. Orchids are now propagated on an industrial level in factories around the world and have been bred to be super resilient but whilst easy to get […]

Garden designing with plants for shade is often approached with a look of worry, lip biting and sometimes avoidance. Planting for shade seems to fill people with dread. However, if Beth Chatto has taught us, designers, anything about garden plant choice, it’s to work with what you’ve got. I for one love designing with shade in […]