How to Prune Shasta Daisies

Q: Can you prune Fatsia japonica plants, and if so, when is a good time and how much should you prune? DB, Co Galway

A former AIB banker-turned-gardener says he feels “like a five-year-old getting presents” after winning a major award as well as a prestigious gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Sometimes a person’s path in life is determined early, even if a few detours should pop up along the way.

The BC Home + Garden Show is back in full bloom with expert advice on building, gardening and whipping up tasty dishes in the kitchen. Also on hand will be vendors showcasing renovation products and the latest innovations.

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Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are often admired for their large blooms that attract a variety of pollinators to the garden, and provide a seemingly endless supply of cut flowers throughout the season.We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If yo

There’s nothing more appealing than the building and landscape designs of yesteryear, especially when this applies to an old-fashioned cottage garden.Once implemented solely for its usefulness,

Hydrangeas are a great way to add summer interest to the home landscape. Ranging in both size and color, hydrangea species available to flower gardeners are sure to delight. Though most of these plants are considered to be easy to grow, some seasonal care will be needed in order to ensure that each continues to produce an abundance of blooms.

Gloves are always of interest to gardeners – I have an enormous collection, many of which have holes in the fingers, so I think it is time to cull the less than perfect and invest in a few more. I came back from the show with a pair of MechanixWear womens’ leather-palmed gloves (£22) which are soft, comfortable and washable as well as extremely tough. The sizing is on the small side though so it’s best to buy larger than normal. Burgon & Ball always have innovative displays on their stand – their Love the Glove range (from £12.95) were displayed under glass domes. These gloves are ultra-soft but hardwearing, have padded palm and a wrist strap to keep debris out. www.burgonandball.com Sneeboer, makers of fine garden tools have had fun with one of their garden spades that they have fashioned into a stool – it’s not for sale, but I best they get lots of enquiries about it – so who knows, in the future it may be added to the range. Just the sort of thing the hipsters love! Trugs come in every shape and size and the Trugmake

In my earlier post about Sir Paul Smith, I wrote about the role of green as the anchor that holds everything in place in a garden – so it’s unsurprising that the greenness was what I noticed as I looked at some of the drawings of this year’s Chelsea gardens. No doubt, when we get to Chelsea our eyes will seek out the excitement, and the actual gardens will be further enlivened by shape, texture and the play of light, but it is useful to see the contribution that green makes to each of the gardens and bear it in mind for the planting in our own garden. Jo Thompson’s Sylvan Retreat will h

The Chelsea Flower Show

I don’t think it was just the flat light, grey skies and chilly temperatures that gave the show quite a subdued feel. Of course, it was not helped by our never-arriving spring that has left many of the show gardens with flowers on the point of unfurling, but seemingly as reluctant to open as I was to remove any of the several layers of clothing I was wearing on Press Day.