gardening

 Get containers winter ready The weather may have turned, but now is the time to prepare permanently planted containers for winter.    Shrubs or large plants in outdoor pots are highly vulnerable during autumn. Excessive rain, gales and sharp frosts can all take their toll. You can keep all containerised plants healthy by taking a few … Read more

Plump for pumpkins! Whether roasted, mashed or made into soup, pumpkins are a princely veg, says Monty Don. All they need is sun and space to spread… Monty Don shares his tips for growing the best pumpkins Says that growing cross-patch crops such as lettuce or radishes can fill space Ensure 5cm of the pumpkins neck … Read more

A ripe pear has slippery, silky flesh with honeyed juices that coat your fingers and dribble down your chin.  The sweetness is intense but not cloying and the irreducible pear-ness of it deeply satisfying. The chances of buying a pear like this are remote, so the best place to get one is in your garden. There … Read more

Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series.  Autumn can be a radiant time of year. Rain and wind are our enemies, because everything is fragile, with leaves and flowers hanging on by threads. But if we have a dry few weeks, autumn can give us a final blaze … Read more

It’s grass roots time! Give your lawn a makeover and prepare for the rewards in spring British gardening expert Nigel Colborn shared advice for making a new lawn He advised using a grass seed including ryegrass for hard-wearing family lawns Whether laying turf or growing seed Nigel offers advice for preparing the soil  By Nigel Colborn for … Read more

Monty Don describes the myriad creatures and plants he sees in his garden throughout the calendar year in his joyous new book My Garden World.  Last week, in our first extract, he shared his diary entries for autumn and winter, but now spring has arrived… with an unwelcome hazard! Monty Don describes the myriad creatures … Read more

NEXT SUMMER STARTS HERE With non-hardy perennials, such as fuchsias, heliotrope or pelargoniums it’s time to plan for next summer.  Most of these are easily raised from cuttings taken in the autumn.  If you have a greenhouse or conservatory, there will be no need to buy new plants next spring.  Instead, take cuttings of your … Read more

Late daisies delight: These colourful blooms will light up your garden this autumn Nigel Colborn shared his advice for transforming gardens with late daises  British gardening expert said they flower when bees are boosting honey stocks  He revealed it’s possible to enjoy floral fireworks right up to mid-November By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: … Read more

Over the 25 years it’s been running, the Daily Mail’s National Garden Competition has shown how many wonderful gardens there are in Britain.  For many of us, it’s our gardens that have kept us going this year, so it’s not surprising that the standard for 2020 was so high that the judges, led by renowned … Read more

GIVE LAVENDERS A HAIRCUT This has been a bumper year for lavenders. With hot weather at the right time, flowers were abundant and fragrant.  Bees and other pollinators crowded among them, but it’s time to prune now for a great show next summer.  If grown as low hedges, clipping at least once a year is … Read more