Gardenig in Britain. Tips & Guides

Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum) is also known as everlasting flower, immortelle and paper daisy. Strawflower plants have an upright habit and branching flower stems topped with many-petalled blooms to 8cm across. Hardy annuals, strawflowers bloom abundantly from summer into autumn, in shades of red, pink, yellow, orange, purple and white. The naturally dry texture of the blooms makes them an excellent choice for using as cut flowers to use fresh, or in dried arrangements that will last for years. Strawflower grows quickly and easily from seed and lasts for one growing season only.

Aspen (Populus tremula) is a deciduous, broadleaf tree known for its habit of ‘quaking’ or ‘trembling’ in the slightest breeze. Indeed, its botanical name ‘tremula’ was given due to its trembling habit, and it’s also known as ‘quaking aspen’. Aspen tree leaves have flattened, flexible leaf stalks, which is how they are able to flutter so easily.

Made up of mellow stone buildings, many of which are medieval, the city of Oxford is the ideal base for an exploration of Oxfordshire. The city itself is picturesque, but also compact, making it easy to walk around and take in the many sights on offer. See the college buildings that make up the University of Oxford, visit the world’s oldest museum, the Ashmolean, to see its Egyptian and Anglo-Saxon treasures, and admire Oxford Botanic Garden, Britain’s oldest botanical garden, right in the heart of the city.

Also known as the wood mouse, the field mouse is a small, sandy brown mammal with big ears, big eyes and a long tail. Britain’s most widespread rodent, it’s common in woodland and grassland and also frequents gardens, even in very urban areas. It eats seeds (including bird seed), plants, caterpillars, earthworms, fruit, fungi and other foods such as cat biscuits, which you might leave out for hedgehogs. It caches food to store for leaner times, although these caches are often ‘forgotten’ – you may find piles of seed husks in a corner of your shed or beneath some membrane you have laid down to suppress weeds. If the seeds are large enough – for example if you find a pile of plum stones as I often do on my allotment, you may spot teeth marks on those that have been eaten. Different rodents leave different types of teeth mark on seed husks, so with some careful investigation you should be able to identify the field mouse as your hoarder.

Echiums are related to borage and share similar characteristics, such as hairy stems and leaves, and nectar-rich flowers that are loved by pollinating insects. There are around 40 species of echium that grow across Europe and Asia. These range from the common Echium vulgare, also known as viper’s bugloss (the seed looks a little like a snake’s head) to the gigantic Echium pininana or tree echium, which can grow to around 5m. The taller varieties originate from the Canary Islands, so will only grow in similar conditions and need protecting from frost in the UK. However, they will usually self-seed prolifically, so will colonise your garden if allowed to. Be careful when handling them as the sap can irritate the skin and all parts of an echium plant are toxic if eaten.

If you’re looking for some new tools to help you in the garden then Black Friday is a great time to get them. The sales event sees hundreds of retailers cut prices on thousands of products so there are plenty of bargains to choose from.

In the verdant world of gardening and outdoor living, British Garden Centre vouchers become a key to unlocking a treasure trove of possibilities. As you hold these vouchers in your hands, you're not just carrying monetary value; you're entering a realm where blooms, foliage, and tranquility converge. Let's explore the myriad ways you can turn these vouchers into a flourishing experience.

How to Grow and Care for Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) Streptocarpus spp.

Torc sculpt everything by hand from their studio in the British Isles creating beautiful pots and planters. Their one-off designs are beautifully crafted and made by hand to last a lifetime. They make unique distinctive statements for both home and commercial settings. New Torc offerings are their waterbowls and firetables which can be made to any design required.

How to Propagate Ivy from Cuttings

Christmas markets across the UK

Using manure in the garden can significantly enhance soil fertility and promote the healthy growth of your plants and veggies. Before learning when is the best time to put manure in your garden, let’s get a closer look at what is actually manure and what types you can find depending on your preferences. Below we also outline what flowers like and dislike manures and provide other useful tips, so keep on reading.

Lawn grubs, also called larvae, are the immature stage of insects found in your lawn. These tiny creatures can wreck your garden as they tunnel through the soil, feeding on vital soil nutrients. Typically, the summer months are when lawn grubs are most prevalent, as adult insects emerge to mate and lay eggs in the soil. Within a few weeks, the eggs hatch, and the hungry grubs begin their destructive feeding frenzy on your precious lawn.

Evergreen climbers can add beauty and value to your garden, providing vivid colours all year round and enhancing privacy. By taking up minimal soil space and thriving in shady areas, they help you get the most out of your garden area. Not only do they look good all year round, but they can also attract beneficial wildlife into your outdoor space

The World’s Biggest Onion was so enormous that it was big enough for many families for the use in their full day meal! Here’s how it broke the record!

Native to the Mediterranean, parsley (Petrosilenum crispum) is a rich source of vitamin C and iron, and is said to cure bad breath and cleanse the skin. Parsley is a biennial, meaning it lives for two years, growing leaves in the first year, then flowering in the second, before setting seed. For this reason parsley is treated as an annual and it’s best to sow seed each year.

As these seemingly harmless plants weave their way up tree trunks, they may slowly strangle and suffocate them, leading to a slow, unnoticed demise. This comprehensive guide will uncover the truth about the treacherous Vines that Kill Trees.

If you have always wanted to know about the names of Zucchini in Different Languages, then this informative list has all the details!

Variegated English Ivy Varieties feature leaves with multiple colors, typically in shades of green, white, yellow, or cream, creating a striking visual contrast. Here’s an all-inclusive list, along with details on their leaf colors!

A GardenAdvice gardening course takes place in your own garden throughout the UK on a date to suit you and makes the perfect Christmas gift. We send one of our gardening experts to you.

Eileen wins the holiday of a lifetime, including a luxury one-night stay at Middle Eight, a chic hotel set in bustling Covent Garden, whose streets are lined with some of the capital’s best shops and restaurants, and a night at The Guardsman, an exclusive boutique hotel just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.

Autumn is often the most colourful season in the garden, and one of the longest as foliage tints and fruits develop over the course of many weeks. There are many trees and shrubs that are renowned for their autumn displays but it’s euonymus that really catch the eye, both for their unusual leaf colour and for their fascinating fruits. 

Of all the wonderful experiences enjoyed by clients who travel with Sisley Garden Tours, it’s the private gardens that often stand out. Sisley is the UK’s leading garden tour specialist and has been running its six- to nine-day tours since 1992. The thoughtfully crafted itineraries offer exclusive access to gardens open to the public, but also include many private gardens that aren’t usually open to visitors.

Budock Vean has teamed up with The English Garden to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a stay in their award-winning four star hotel, worth up to £1000.

Hazel trees are native to Britain and also grow in Europe and some areas of Western Asia. In the UK, you’ll often see hazel growing in hedgerows or woodland. A hazel tree is a good choice for the garden, especially with the wide range of cultivars available, as it can be used for hedging, as a tree in a mixed border or as a shrub. It’s a valuable plant for wildlife and can provide a delicious crop of hazelnuts.

Eileen wins the holiday of a lifetime, including a luxury one-night stay at Middle Eight, a chic hotel set in bustling Covent Garden, whose streets are lined with some of the capital’s best shops and restaurants, and a night at The Guardsman, an exclusive boutique hotel just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.

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Google the name “Monty Don” and the resulting list of endearingly odd questions that appears on the screen is eye-opening in terms of what it reveals about the public’s fascination with this charismatic, Cambridge-educated British gardener, writer, broadcaster and host of BBC’s Gardeners’ World.

Our nearby town always puts a lot of effort into its floral displays, on approaches into the town and in the main park at the foot of the castle, and is regularly the winner in its regional category of Britain in Bloom. Most of the plants used are annuals, but they do use some perennials of which I have been known to take the odd cutting or two. One year I decided to regularise this and emailed the local council to ask what they did with their plants at the end of the season, and if I could take the occasional cutting. It transpired that there is no longer such a thing as a ‘parks department’ and no facility for growing on or protecting plants; young plants are bought in, planted straight out and composted at the end of the season.

Home-grown peaches are well worth the extra effort involved in growing them, as their fuzzy, juicy fruits taste better than any peach you can buy in the shops.

Budock Vean has teamed up with The English Garden to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a stay in their award-winning four star hotel, worth up to £1000.

Wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) is a creeping woodland perennial in the Oxalidaceae family. It’s native to parts of Asia and most areas of Europe, including the UK. It’s used as an indicator of ancient woodland in southern and eastern England.

This month, we’re collaborating with some brilliant businesses to bring you our very special “12 days of Christmas” prize draw, offering 12 generous prizes to 12 lucky winners throughout the month of December.

If you consider window boxes a decidedly springtime pursuit, let these fall flower box ideas change your mind. From edible cabbages with volume, texture, and color to spare to plumes of spiky salvias that bring saturated moody hues, these unexpected fall flower box ideas are bound to be a treat. Want to make even more of your autumnal elements? Just about any of these ideas can get an extra dose of fall with the addition of small pumpkins or gourds. Simply add them anywhere a little filler is needed.

We’re back with more from Susan Esche’s visit to the beautiful University of British Columbia Botanical Garden in Vancouver in early September. It is open to the public and has many different sections and types of gardens to explore.

If your summer has been anything like ours, your lawn is probably in need of some extra care before the cooler months begin. Following heavy use over summer — whether that’s playing with kids or pets in the garden, hosting sunny picnics, or even a game of football — lawns can become compacted. There are various things you can do, however, to get your garden back into good shape before December, such as scarifying, removing moss, thatch and weeds, aerating, and even feeding if necessary.