daily information to stay fit and healthy
Wild about orchids: Exotic-looking and hardy, these lovely plants are perfect for brightening borders Nigel Colborn says 52 orchid species are native to Britain and are flowering now He said these colourful plants are perfect for brightening a summer border British gardener says his favourite is D. foliosa, which comes from Madeira By Nigel Colborn for the … Read more
Taking to the water: Ponds, streams and bogs can give your plot a splash of colour Nigel Colborn shares his advice for giving your water feature a splash of colour Claims a natural stream, pond or bog can look prettier in garden than in the wild UK-based gardening expert says mauve cuckoo flowers could open … Read more
Stars of the rose show: Shrub varieties are easy to grow and there’s one for every garden Nigel Colborn says shrub roses are far less trouble to grow than bush varieties Shrub roses less likely suffer from pests or diseases and many need no pruning British gardener says favourites include R. Nevad and R. Marguerite Hilling … Read more
Loopy about lupins! These versatile favourites give a riot of colour all summer Colour of lupins run from blue, pink, red and white through creams to yellow Lupins are easy to grow from seed and much cheaper than buying plants Gardening expert Nigel Colborn, says lupins prefer free-draining soils in sun By Nigel Colborn for … Read more
Self-sowing seductors: There is nothing staid about Granny’s Bonnet — and they reproduce prolifically Nigel Colborn says Granny’s Bonnets, also called columbines, are delightful British gardening expert reveals almost all columbines are easy to grow He says columbines tend to be short-lived but will self-sow copiously By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: 22:07 … Read more
Thyme for sage advice: Home-grown herbs are best for fragrance and flavour Nigel Colborn says herbs are as pretty and fragrant as the finest garden plants British gardening expert claims they’re easy to grow, especially in sunny spaces He says each summer you can increase herb numbers with annual varieties By Nigel Colborn for the … Read more
My purple patch! Plants with plum-coloured leaves may need more pampering but they’re worth it for the splash of colour they serve up, says Monty Don Monty Don says purple-leaved plants need more pampering than green-leaved British gardening expert claims purple-leaved plants add more depth to a border He reveals purple-leaved plants in his Jewel … Read more
Between the ages of seven and 16 I was at boarding school, and on my birthday in early July my parents would visit with the special treat of strawberries from the garden at home. The quantity varied enormously. Some years I was presented with just one small punnet; in other years I could feed practically … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Euphorbias have an astonishing green intensity that adds an electric charge to the garden as they emerge, energising everything – including me – around them. The first to come into flower at Longmeadow is Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, which is in … Read more
Top of the poppies! These beauties will self-sow, giving you free flowers all summer long Nigel Colborn advised people to begin sowing some of their plants for summer The gardening expert said he is transplanting his crowded poppy seedlings Nigel also told gardeners to grow native yellow Welsh poppies in shaded areas By Nigel Colborn … Read more