gardening

Forget that bunch of flowers, buy your Valentine a rose bush, says Monty Don

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Commercial cut roses are loaded with romantic good intentions, but they lack the charm of almost any rose growing in the ground.  However, much as I adore my roses in their full summer display in the garden, I also love going out early on a June morning, when the dew is still fresh, and cutting … Read more

Genius in a bottle: Grow succulents in terrariums for charming tabletop glass houses

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Genius in a bottle: Grow succulents in terrariums for charming tabletop glass houses Modern terrariums come in all shapes and sizes and contain plants and animals  Within them a miniature habitat provides ideal conditions for specialist plants  Terrariums can be almost any size and you can make a micro-garden in pickle jar By Nigel Colborn … Read more

Not all trees are green! Reduce carbon footprint and support wildlife by planting wisely

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Not all trees are green! Reduce carbon footprint and support wildlife by planting wisely Professor Antonelli says old forests soak up more carbon than new ones  Nigel Colborn explores what gardeners can do for trees, climate and wildlife British gardening expert says trees and long-term shrubs support nature    By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail … Read more

Monty Don explores the scented shrubs that have all chosen winter months as their time to shine 

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There’s a small group of shrubs that have evolved to flower now, in the depths of winter, so as to catch the attentions of the very few insects that are out and about. The pollinator pond may be tiny right now but these plants are the biggest fish in it. None is better than winter … Read more

Australian ‘renovation queen’ Cherie Barber puzzles thousands with simple gardening mistake

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Can you spot what’s wrong with this planter station? Thousands are baffled by this simple gardening mistake ‘Australia’s renovation queen’ Cherie Barber puzzled fans with a Facebook photo The picture shows a garden hose tucked into the hollow base of a timber planter While it is attractive, Cherie says it’s impractical and could even be … Read more

The jewels of January: Early blooming crocus are the gems that bring winter cheer

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The jewels of January: Early blooming crocus are the gems that bring winter cheer This month crocus will bloom in your gardens creating beds full of colour Snowdrops will also start to peak above the surface of the soil in late January There are about 19 species, almost all winter-flowering and are easy to grow   … Read more

Know your onions: Don’t miss out on nutritious ‘piquant’ vegetables in your plot later this year 

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Know your onions: Don’t miss out on nutritious ‘piquant’ vegetables in your plot later this year Nigel Colborn shares advice for growing garlic, shallots and piquant vegetables British gardening expert says garlic is best planted in autumn or late winter  He advises against being tempted to plant supermarket varieties   By Nigel Colborn for the Daily … Read more

Whether you want drifts of snowdrops, or just fancy a few of their delicate blooms

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Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series.  The first batch of the snowdrops in my Spring Garden were planted 15 years ago. They were from a friend’s garden, and they’ve gradually been spreading by seed, although every few years I do lift and divide a clump or two.  … Read more

Make this the year to spruce up and rejig your outdoor space, writes Nigel Colborn

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A new leaf for 2021: Make this the year to spruce up and rejig your outdoor space, writes Nigel Colborn British gardening expert Nigel Colborn takes a look ahead to the coming year He gives some hints on how to make your garden prettier and more enjoyable They include dumping the weeds, fixing the mistakes … Read more