Gardenig in Britain. Tips & Guides

‘Marvels of Monmouthshire’ takes in the lovely scenery of this part of the world and a selection of special gardens, chosen by Sisley Garden Tours to be in their full summer glory. Many of the gardens have been featured in The English Garden magazine.

When you’re working on DIY projects it can sometimes be useful to have a tool that can do more than one job. Cutting, sanding, polishing, and scraping, the best multi-tool can perform all these tasks, so to find the outstanding tools in this field we reviewed two different types of multi-tools. Oscillating multi-tools that move a blade or sanding head back and forth, and rotary multi-tools that spin cutting discs or polishing mops around at high speeds.

What is a poplar tree?

Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) is a tall-growing conifer that originates from western regions of North America. In UK gardens Western red cedar is a popular choice for medium to tall garden hedges as the rich, dark, glossy evergreen foliage has a moderately fast rate of growth and responds well to trimming. The variety commonly grown for hedging is Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’. There are other varieties of Thuja plicata, which are slower-growing and more compact in size, suitable to plant as single specimens or smaller hedges.

2024 is about to get really romantic—and Anthropologie is here to help. It may feel like Valentine's Day decor is only tasteful for a couple of weeks, but recent design trends show that leaning into heart-themed, dopamine decor is all the rage.

The black poplar (Populus nigra) is a large deciduous tree with a rounded crown, fissured bark and many burrs growing up the trunk. A member of the Salicaceae or willow family, the black poplar tree can grow to 40m in height and live for up to 200 years. Like other members of the family, black poplars are dioecious, which means male and female catkins develop on separate trees.

As 2024 gets underway, we’ve taken inspiration from Janus, the god of beginnings, transitions and time, who looks both forwards and back. Our gardens have all featured in our pages in the past, but we revisit them here and take a closer look at how they’ve developed over time, and how they’re changing now their owners have new challenges to contend with.

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Cascading plants add beauty and style with their trailing stems. Here are the best Hanging Basket Plants You can Grow from Cuttings and multiply easily!

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) trees produce delicious fruit in summer and growing your own means the fruit can be enjoyed when they are sweet and meltingly ripe, unlike shop-bought fruit, which must be harvested early to be transported while firm. Apricot trees can be grown successfully outside in warmer parts of the UK, notably the south-east of England. Elsewhere, because the beautiful pink blossom is borne in early spring and is therefore liable to frost damage, only grow apricots in large pots and keep under cover for the colder months. When planted in the right conditions, an apricot tree should start producing fruit within two or three years and live for decades.

Greenhouses have an abundance of benefits that can allow you to make the most of your plants. If you’re considering investing in a greenhouse but are still not sure whether to buy one, read on for our ‘need to know’ advice.

Watching birds feeding, displaying and collecting nest material in the garden is the most wonderful way to connect with the natural world. Whether you are listening to chiffchaffs singing while you are weeding the borders in spring or watching redwings feeding in the snow, birds bring life and joy to our gardens throughout the year.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was one of the key reasons I wanted to visit Cape Town. I’d long heard of the famous gardens, and their importance to horticulture worldwide, so the chance to explore them for real was a dream come true. There’s so much to do and see in Cape Town and, with only a few days to fit it all in, my wife and I had to carve out dedicated time to visit Kirstenbosch, but we’re so pleased we did.

Pembrokeshire has more than 180 miles of vast, unspoiled coastline, where beaches embrace rugged cliffs, largely untouched by modern life. This region beckons families and solo travellers alike, offering a tranquil getaway.

It won’t be a surprise if I say the many garden visits were the highlight of my trip last April to the Côte d’Azur. All were enjoyable and fascinating, but one stood out for me. In Le Jardin Serre de la Madone, Menton, I discovered a terraced garden carved into old farming land by Lawrence Johnston in the 1920s. Already the heir to Hidcote Manor in the Cotswolds, shortly before commencing his masterpiece Johnston had been so seriously injured in WW1 he’d been left for dead.

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As an experienced and respected professional florist, Róisín Godfrey has spent the last eight years working alongside some of the biggest names in the industry in the UK and Ireland, a career that has taken her to some of the most beautiful private houses, hotels and art galleries in the world.

Black cats are always linked with mystery and superstitions, but they are much more than that. Let’s look at the meaning and symbolism behind this encounter.

When to Plant Succulents in the Northwest

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On day 12 of advent we’re offering the chance to win a hand painted fern bin and tissue box from Master the Art, worth £180.

Dramatic and elegant, amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are bulbous indoor plants that cheer us through the coldest months. The huge flowers bloom atop tall, sturdy stems, opening like colourful trumpets, as if about to blast away the winter blues with a clarion call.

If you envision your garden as a secluded sanctuary where you can relax and enjoy some peace, it will be of great benefit to improve the privacy of that special place. One way to do that is by strategically planting different beautiful tall-growing plants. They will not only add a touch of botanical elegance but will also shield your outdoor area from curious eyes.

Encountering a fox during gardening can be a mesmerizing experience, but what does it mean when a fox crosses your path? Stay tuned as we explore its symbolic significance!

The Society of Garden Designers has announced ten finalists across three award categories, in its annual SGD Student Awards, including the recently introduced urban sustainability award.  The shortlist was chosen by a judging panel that includes SGD Fellows Sarah Morgan FSGD and David Stevens FSGD and Tom Massey MSGD, who was a recipient of two of the first SGD Student Awards in 2015.

Day 10 of our advent prize draw gives entrants the opportunity to win a DNA’24 DB26 Bread Knife from Savernake worth £199. Please note you must be over 18 to enter this prize draw.

Our eleventh prize is a Gold Smokebox, worth £105 from Lambton & Jackson.

Looking for a greatgardening book to read or gift this Christmas? Here’s my pick of the crop from this year’s harvest.

Day 9 of our Christmas advent prize draw gives you the chance to win WOLF-Garten’s Bypass Loppers worth £119.99.

The Isles of Scilly are like an idealised version of England – where the sun always shines, the food is wonderful, there’s no traffic and no one locks their doors! To say the sun always shines is an exaggeration, but they’re among the sunniest and mildest places in the UK – sea breezes mean it’s never too hot or humid and thanks to the Jetstream, they almost never have frost.

Hidden behind the door for day 8 of our advent prize draw is a bundle of tools from gardening brand Wilkinson Sword, worth £114.97.

Karen Delahay

Enter our day 7 prize draw for your chance to win ‘his and hers’ Buckingham wellington boots worth £109.98 from Harbour Lifestyle.

Offering some of the closest beaches to London, Essex has a reputation for kiss-me-quick resorts and dormitory commuter towns. The truth is that this flat county, defined by slow-flowing rivers, estuaries, salt marshes and oyster beds, abounds in subtle charm. The Romans settled in Colchester and evidence of their occupation can be found in many coastal settlements. In the 1560s Flemish protestants brought their silk-weaving skills to the town, while the Dutch reclaimed swathes of land for farming. 

Worcestershire provides some of the country’s loveliest scenery. With the Cotswolds to the south-east, the Malverns and the Shropshire Hills to the west and several notable rivers, including the Avon, the Severn and Teme running through it, this is a fertile, bucolic landscape that’s perfect for exploration and very conducive to agriculture. 

Boasting some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside, the Lake District, in the north-west corner of England, is a draw for anyone with a love of the outdoors. Its hills and mountains, including England’s highest, Scafell Pike at 978m, attract walkers and climbers, while in the valley bottoms, vast lakes, such as Windermere and Ullswater, invite quiet contemplation.