Pruning Guides

Are you staring at your camellia, wondering if you should reach for the secateurs? Perhaps you’ve inherited some overgrown, straggly camellias that look more like botanical disasters than the elegant flowering shrubs they should be. Maybe you’re nervous about potentially ruining next year’s blooms with an ill-timed snip? This comprehensive guide will show you exactly […]

Roses are the quintessential English garden plant found in gardens worldwide. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t fond of roses. Whether it be that bridal bouquet, Valentine’s Day, or visits to English country gardens, the rose is one of the most iconic garden flowers. However, the rose’s beauty also comes with some […]

Sometimes gardeners can get a bit trigger-happy when it comes to pruning trees, especially in winter when their actual shape of the tree is laid bare. However, did you know that cherry, plum and apricot trees (any in the prunus genus) shouldn’t be pruned in winter due to them contracting a fungus called silver leaf? […]

Today, we’re diving into the world of the Clematis plant genus, the queens of climbers. These stunning climbing plants can transform any vertical garden space with huge blooms and vine-like foliage. The beauty of the Clematis plant group is that they help bring greenery vertically to your garden as they grow and scramble up pergolas, […]

Lavender is a plant that people are immediately drawn to in gardens because of its colour and heady scent! Lavender has beautiful aromatic foliage, bringing heady scents to the garden, along with purple spikes of flowers. It has many uses, whether as an herb, for aromatherapy in the home, in sensory applications as you brush […]

Every garden should have at least one tree, and when I speak to clients with tiny gardens, the apple tree is the one I recommend most frequently. Not only do apple trees provide a rich source of pollen for bees, but they are also beautiful trees for a small garden. The bonus is that with […]

Updated 2024: Understanding how to prune hydrangeas is key to ensuring fantastic flowers on your hydrangea shrubs. Hydrangeas give a real show of huge flowers for months during the summer. Their flowers can then be left in situ, fading from their vibrant early summer colours into translucent winter flower heads. The hydrangea is the true […]

Pruning conifers is an essential task to maintain the health, shape, and overall appearance of your garden hedges and trees. However, there are a few major flaws in cutting back conifers without proper knowledge, which can result in dead, brown, or dried-out conifers and hedges. Cutting back to old wood is a no-no for all […]

Cornus is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as Dogwoods. Cornus are common in the UK and grow vigorously here, making them an almost bulletproof garden shrub for beginner gardeners. In fact, you may have one and not even know as established Cornus lose their firey […]

Gooseberries are a fuss-free fruiting shrub that are a great fruit bush for beginner gardeners. Suitable for container gardens, small gardens, big gardens or allotment patches. They are a brilliant addition to the edible garden. Gooseberries, however, have a crisis of conscience with gardeners who panic to prune them properly. Given their rugged, thorny appearance, […]