If you're not having much success in the garden, here are 6 common mistakes you could be making.
Just like us, plants need nutritious food to grow and stay healthy. The range of commercial fertilisers available is huge but there are a few guidelines you can follow to help you make the right choice for your garden.
Easy-to-grow marigolds will light up your garden with a blaze of fiery orange hues from spring right through to early autumn. They are low maintenance and hardy, suiting traditional as well as contemporary garden designs.
Hanging baskets make a great container for growing cherry tomatoes. They provide a blast of colour and they have advantages over growing them in the ground or in pots.
Add tropical colour to your garden with a selection of hibuscus plants. Their beautiful flowers come in a huge array of colours and sizes, some as big as dinner plates!
Striking colours and long-lasting blooms – what more can you ask from a flower! Grow your own gerberas and enjoy blooms of every colour all the year round.
Beautiful and vibrant fuchsias originate from the cool, coastal region of Central and South America. They come in a variety of shapes, forms and colours, so there’s always something perfect for your garden, pots or baskets.
Not everyone has the luxury of a large garden, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on beautiful trees. These deciduous, small trees have a great shape, excellent autumn colour and will grow in most soils with added compost, mulch and a little fertiliser.
The best plant-friends are the ones that keep pesky garden pests at bay. Putting these pest-repellent plants in your garden along with your favourites is known as companion planting.
I'd like to see that! Have you heard about Bromeliads?They are striking, tropical to cool-temperate plants, native to Central and South America. They range from 1cm miniatures to 10-metre giants and are hugely diverse in foliage patterns, growth habit and flowers.
Let’s face it, not everyone is blessed with a green thumb, but this shouldn’t stop you from having a great garden. For those less skilled with all things green, we’ve put together a list of ‘bullet-proof’ plants which are low maintenance, require less water and should be easier to keep alive!
It's time to prune the roses! Winter is the ideal time to prune your roses. They are dormant at this time of year, and hard pruning in July will ensure a wonderful display of flowers in summer.
According to the Water Corporation, we use over 40% of our water in the garden, and this includes water-guzzling verge lawns. By transforming these lawns into waterwise verges,we could each save a significant amount of water every year.
Winter is upon us and the temperature is dropping, but there are still plenty of things to be done in the garden. Keep on top of those weeds, start pruning and plant some winter veg. It’s also time to plant natives and roses and divide perennials ready for spring growth.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have colour and scent in your garden all year round? Well, with a bit of planning, you can. We’ve found 6 scented plants that flower at different times throughout the year, so you garden looks and smells beautiful whatever the season!
Having a beautiful and vibrant garden doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Many plants grow easily from cuttings and you can get together with friends and neighbours to swap the best ones, so you all get a variety. It’s a great way to fill up your garden beds and all it will cost is a little time.
Indoor plants add colour and style to your home. They can promote a feeling of calm and absorb background noise, and some are even known for their air purifying qualities.
If you’ve got a shady area in your garden where not much seems to thrive, try some ferns. Ferns love dappled light and areas with shade and bring texture, drama and colour, depending on the varieties you choose.
Growing your own herbs saves money, trips to the supermarket and is less wasteful as you only pick as much as you need for whatever you are cooking. You can plant them in your garden beds or in pots; try to find a spot close to your kitchen for easy access to regular watering and harvesting.
Plant a compost crop and and reap the benefits next season. A compost crop, or green manure, is a crop that’s grown to enrich and improve the soil and your veggie garden will thank you for it. Here how to start your very own compost crop.
