Features Ideas, Tips & Guides

A lush, green lawn is a source of pride and joy for many gardeners but it’s often where all the action takes place in the garden. The focal point for gatherings with friends and family, it can suffer from overuse and too much wear and tear. Terrific turf needs a good lawn care regime to achieve it and while regular mowing and watering will take you so far, there are a couple of additional tasks for your to do list, which will help keep your lawn in tip-top condition. Regardless of how often you cut your lawn, over time the soil underneath the turf becomes compacted, while above ground a thick, impenetrable layer of thatch and organic debris develops around the roots. This undesirable combination prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching deep down to the grass’ root system and ultimately weakens its growth, leaving the plant susceptible to pests and diseases. Scarifying your lawn will help remove thatch and debris, but if you need to relieve compacted soil underneath the turf, it’s best to aerate it. Aeration is the process of making air holes in the lawn to create ventilation. In small lawns a simple garden fork can be used to push holes into the ground but you can also buy manual aerators, either solid or hollow tined, which require the same effort as a fork. However, if you have a lot of lawn and not much time, other types of aerator are probably the best option. Whether you’re pushing a roller covered in spikes, or using a powered machine, these aerators are a labour-saving version of the trusty garden fork, mechanically making a series of holes in the lawn.

The «big light» in your bathroom has its purpose. It helps you see which spots need shaving and wakes you up in the morning—but there's no denying it's a major ambiance killer when you're trying to unwind at night.

Before embarking on your bug hotel construction journey, scout out the ideal location. Bugs love warmth and sunlight, so choose a spot that receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day. Additionally, ensure the area is sheltered from strong winds and predators. A south-facing wall or a sunny corner of your garden would be perfect. Remember, a bug hotel is essentially a sanctuary for insects, so providing a hospitable environment is crucial.

Little Greene

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Modern farmhouse blends iconic and traditional farmhouse aesthetics with contemporary elements. The interior design style requires the right combination of historic farmhouse charm, like shiplap doors or open shelving, with modern-day elements like sleek metal finishes.

As warmer weather approaches, many are eager to find new ways to refresh their outdoor spaces, including yards, balconies, porches, patios, and verandas. Outdoor furniture provides more than a place to sit, relax, or entertain. It also offers an opportunity to extend interior design showcasing to spaces you might not have used in months.

KitchenAid

Each ginkgo leaf has its own special meaning, so find the perfect design to express yourself. From detailed to simple, there’s something for everyone!

Jay Sifford is an award-winning landscape designer based in North Carolina. Several of his garden designs have been featured in Fine Gardening, including a one-of-a-kind modern meadow garden and a series of beautiful, functional dry creek beds.

In his article Weaving Vignettes Together, horticulturalist Dan Johnson gives us a look into his home garden in Denver, where he uses repeated plant groupings and consistent hardscaping to unify the design of a wide diversity of plants. Dan considers himself a collector, and if he finds a new and interesting species that will thrive in his garden, then he will find the perfect place for it. When I visited his home garden, he showed me some of his favorite natives endemic to the Western United States. Having lived in both Tucson and Denver, Dan is familiar with a wide range of species that thrive throughout both the Southwest and Mountain West, including:

Bobby Berk, design expert, author, and award-winning TV host famous for his work on Netflix's hit show «Queer Eye» and Tri Pointe Homes, a leading US homebuilder that prioritizes customer experience, innovative design, and eco-friendly practices have come together for an exclusive collaboration that allows consumers to buy their very own Bobby Berk Designed Home.

Rembrandt Gardens, Little Venice

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Sherwin-Williams

In Strategies for Optimizing a Small Garden Space, Susan Morrison writes, “When I began designing gardens more than 20 years ago, I was surprised to find that smaller spaces were often more challenging to plan than larger ones. In those early years, clients with tiny lots would come to me with extensive lists of their must-have items, and I would struggle to fit everything in. It was a huge breakthrough when I finally realized that identifying the specific features and details to include in a garden should be the final step in the process, not the first.

When I began designing gardens more than 20 years ago, I was surprised to find that smaller spaces were often more challenging to plan than larger ones. In those early years, clients with tiny lots would come to me with extensive lists of their must-have items, and I would struggle to fit everything in. It was a huge breakthrough when I finally realized that identifying the specific features and details to include in a garden should be the final step in the process, not the first. Since then, every consultation I have with a new client begins with three questions that I’ve nicknamed “the three W’s.” These prompts help my clients to envision themselves interacting with their redesigned spaces, and while they are useful in reimagining gardens of all sizes, they are particularly helpful when space is precious. When my husband and I recently moved into a new home with a small backyard, we had the opportunity to use the process for ourselves. Here’s what we discovered.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We bought an old house and have been working extra hard on a self-build extension and house renovation for the last seven months. We have installed a big fixed window pane with the idea of looking out on to a lovely green back garden, but at the moment it is just a mound of earth, derived from the dig to get foundations done. What can I place here that will green quickly and also be bee and bird friendly and give us some nice colours and view for this summer? Would a wild flower meadow be the way to go until we figure out what to do with space or what can you recommend that is eco and purse friendly? RH, Co Dublin

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Brightland

Walmart

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This March we celebrate the return of Gardeners’ World to our screens by showing you just some of the gardens featured on the show, which you can visit using our 2-for-1 Gardens Entry Card.

A solar water feature is a wonderful addition to the garden, bringing the relaxing sound of a babbling brook into a residential space. Solar water features also have the added benefit of being much better for the environment than their mains-powered counterparts, using clean energy that won’t cost – or harm – the earth.

IKEA

If you are bored of growing the same plain plants, then try these Houseplants with Zebra Print that will surely look amazing with every type of decor!

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Richard Hawke is the Director of Ornamental Plant Research at Chicago Botanic Garden, where he oversees comparative evaluations of ornamental plants. The CBG Plant Evaluation Program has included 117 distinct trials over the past four decades, with 26 comparative trials currently underway in three evaluation areas. In 2011, Richard began reporting trial results in Fine Gardening magazine, and has since written dozens of feature articles that can be found by visiting his author page.

Genetic purity cannot be guaranteed with a species that has been bred and cultivated for centuries. The above Aquilegia flabellata is an alpine species found in Japan and the Kurile Islands. (Flabellata means fan-shaped)

Gardens of the Year 2024, sponsored by Alpen, is now open for entries and we want to see beautiful readers’ gardens of all styles and sizes. If you’d love to see your garden featured in BBC Gardeners’ World magazine and be in with a chance of winning a fantastic holiday prize, enter our exciting competition now. We’re looking for gardens from all over the UK – no plot is too big or too small. Previous finalists have included flower-filled allotments, tiny urban balconies and sprawling country gardens.

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Starbucks | Design: Better Homes & Gardens