gardening

Action plan: Nigel Colborn’s essential jobs for your garden this week Nigel Colborn said Easter is a gardener’s busiest and most productive weekend The gardening expert urged people to prepare their grounds for seed-sowing He also advised people to freeze lightly cooked rhubarb stems to preserve it By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: 22:10 … Read more

Back in the 80s, and even the 90s, there were only a few dahlias that were at all acceptable to self-appointed arbiters of horticultural good taste, but thankfully we have moved beyond all that nonsense and I’d recommend that every garden should grow as many dahlias as they have room for. I certainly do. Dahlias … Read more

Go on, have a flutter! Take a few tips from the new book by biologist Dave Goulson and it’s a safe bet that beautiful butterflies will start gathering in your garden Dave Goulson said if you have the right flowers you can still see some butterflies Biologist said numbers of garden butterflies are far lower … Read more

Go wild this spring: Mix delicate wildflowers with showy border plants Nigel Colborn says to abandon your garden and visit your nearest woods Expert says the woodland flowers are at their glorious best from now until May Meadow and roadside flowers have become popular for gardens more recently By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail … Read more

READY, STEADY, SOW!  Now’s the time to sow your first seeds outdoors. Plant them as soon as your soil becomes dry, workable and crumbly.  Direct sowing is suitable for hardy veg such as brassicas, onions, peas and salad leaves. Hardy annual flower seeds should also be sown now. Examples include calendulas, poppies, sweet peas and … Read more

Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series.   British gardening expert Monty Don shares his advice for growing primrose. Pictured: Monty with his primroses People ask me often what my favourite flower is. The truth is that it depends on the season, the situation, on what I am doing – … Read more

Dance with the daffs: Get outside and enjoy the vivid displays of our golden trumpets Nigel Colborn says now is the time to get outside and enjoy daffodil varieties British gardening expert advises storing bulbs somewhere cool and dry He adds daffodils thrive in a wide range of soils and should be planted in autumn By … Read more

Action plan: Nigel Colborn’s essential jobs for your garden this week Nigel Colborn shares his advice for planting early seed potatoes and tomatoes British gardening expert recommends choosing a sunny position for potatoes He also answers a reader’s question about briars growing from the roots of roses  By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: 22:03 … Read more

Pass the parsley: There’s no question in Monty Don’s mind that parsley is his favourite herb – and here he tells you how to grow your own Monty Don says parsley is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals British gardening expert explains parsley thrives in well-drained but fertile soil He also answers a selection … Read more

Action plan: Nigel Colborn’s essential jobs for your garden this week Nigel Colborn says mid-March is the perfect time to plant Gladiolus bulbs British gardening expert reveals they thrive best in free-draining soil with sun He also shares advice for a reader who wants to split polyanthus primulas  By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: … Read more