gardening

Keyhole gardening, push/pull control of pests and growing amaranthus

Some take away ideas for gardeners from the Oxford Real Farming Conference and some questions about roses

Jan 22 •

Flood risks, feeding birds, Chinese artichokes and a giveaway

This week I look at the Environment Agency’s recent assessments for flood risk, how bird feeders can spread disease, and give away some Chinese…

Dec 18, 2024 •

Plants that make your mouth fizz, tingle and go numb

This week I look at the numbing ability of Szechuan peppers, chillis and those crazy electrifying flowers known as buzz buttons or electric daisies

Nov 13, 2024 •

Growing in sand

Peter Korn at the Beth Chatto Symposium, quarries, Chatto Wood and creating an experimental raised sand bed

Oct 9, 2024 •

New pests, more rain and climate stats

We’ve had more than enough rain in September.

Oct 2, 2024 •

A quartet of potagers, some weird edibles and a numbing flower

Sep 18, 2024 •

Roots, structural complexity in the garden and worries about the monarch butterfly

A couple of weeks ago I attended a brilliant symposium which has filled my mind with lots of ideas for the future.

Sep 11, 2024 •

A love of salvias

Growing up, salvias meant those garish red bedding plants (Salvia splendens) but decades later I have come to love this genus of flowers for its…

Aug 21, 2024 •

Tomato swarms and flocks plus cover crops

Some innovative tomato varieties and how to create you own swarm, flock or population, tomato blight and some amazing cover crops.

Aug 14, 2024 •

Top tips for rewilding your garden

Last week I visited the walled garden at Knepp. Find out how they have rewilded the garden and how you can boost biodiversity in your own outdoor space…

Jun 13, 2024 •

5 take-away ideas from RHS Chelsea

Have you thought about installing rain chains? I share 5 ideas from RHS Chelsea including rain chains and edible meadows, plus I dip into the…

May 22, 2024 •

Cuckoos, camassias and a visit to a Pig

‘The cuckoo comes in April, sings the month of May, changes its tune in the middle of June, and in July he flies away.’

May 8, 2024 •

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