Although the weather is feeling decidedly chilly for the time of the year, during May the threat of frost will pass and, with spring well under way, David Coton is in no doubt that this is going to be a busy month in the garden.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Monday, 30th of April, 2018.
Composting is an entirely natural way of recycling your garden and kitchen waste, transforming it into a nutrient rich material that your plants will love. Martyn Loach shows how easy and cheap it is to replicate nature and create the ideal conditions in which your flowers and shrubs will thrive.
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Friday, 4th of May, 2018.
Autumn gardening is unfortunately about saying farewell to the warm summer days and Nathan James Dodd has a few suggestions on how best to prepare for winter.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Tuesday, 13th of October, 2015.
David Hall was digging his allotment recently, keeping an eye on an adjacent plot holder who was constructing raised beds. Taking a breather, it crossed my mind whether I should adopt such a system, would it prove more productive and less hard work?
Written by David Hall.
Published on Friday, 21st of August, 2015.
Many of us have modest outside spaces but they needn't be unproductive and, as David Hall finds out, containers and planters are a brilliant way of growing vegetables and herbs.
Written by David Hall.
Published on Wednesday, 17th of June, 2015.
If you have a small garden, courtyard, or no garden at all, container growing might be the perfect way to fill your outside space with some of your favourite plants. David Coton considers timber and stone containers and how best to use them.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Monday, 11th of May, 2015.
Orchids in pots, especially the ‘Moth Orchid’ or Phalaenopsis, are widely available and popular gifts. Placed on a window sill, they bloom for long periods when pruned, watered and fed correctly. In this article David Coton share some important orchid plant care tips.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Thursday, 20th of August, 2015.
At this time of the year, when the growing season is coming to an end, you may feel that the garden needs replenishing with nutrients.
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Tuesday, 19th of August, 2014.
The RHS define sustainable gardening as 'the concept of using practices to maintain a garden so that natural resources are not exhausted and without causing ecological damage'. Martyn Loach wonders how the average gardener can achieve these aims.
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Thursday, 1st of January, 1970.
Martyn Loach explains that organic gardening is about working with nature rather than against it, if nature had succeeded in sustaining life over millions of years, it must have something going for it.
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Friday, 24th of May, 2013.
Any soil with a pH below 7.0 can be defined as acid and although the number of hardy perennials that prefer this type of soil is limited, David Hall knows that you can choose from a large selection of some of our most attractive shrubs.
Written by David Hall.
Published on Friday, 22nd of February, 2013.
Choosing the correct compost is important as its make-up must reflect the needs of different plants at various stages of their life cycle. This is Nathan James Dodd's guide to the various composts that match a plant's individual requirements.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Tuesday, 5th of April, 2016.
At home it used to be chips with everything. Admittedly I was still a child then, but I thought chips and mashed potatoes were entirely different animals.
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Thursday, 24th of January, 2013.
Interest in growing herbs has increased sharply over the last few years as we have turned back to nature to exploit the culinary, medicinal and aromatic properties of these plants. David Hall gives you a few tips on what herbs to choose and how to grow them.
Written by David Hall.
Published on Thursday, 27th of August, 2015.
In October, David Coton is getting the garden prepared for the onset of colder weather but, at the same time, the arrival of spring bulbs in the garden centre is a reminder that you should also now be planning ahead for next year.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Monday, 2nd of October, 2017.
At this time of the year you'll find a fabulous selection of summer bedding at our Garden Centre in Birmingham. David Coton will be planting the bedding in containers this month to achieve a wonderful display of colour and here are some other jobs to do in the garden in June.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Sunday, 27th of May, 2018.
Jamie Oliver launched his Kitchen Garden Project several years ago to meet the needs of the new compulsory food education curriculum. David Coton finds out how schools can get involved and the campaign's tie-up with the Soil Association.
Written by David Coton.
Published on Thursday, 4th of December, 2014.
Certain challenges in life are easier to negotiate than others, Ellie Goodall thinks that persuading children to become interested in gardening shouldn't be too difficult and can be very rewarding.
Written by Andrew Taylor.
Published on Friday, 8th of April, 2016.
Many gardeners like to think of themselves as thrifty individuals. Why go to the expense of buying anything new when you can cobble it together from odds and ends?
Written by Martyn Loach.
Published on Wednesday, 6th of November, 2013.
