Abutilon ‘Red Tiger’

This year, one of my favourite plants in my garden has been my Abutilon. I bought it in April, and it is still flowering now. They are utterly marvellous plants, and I plan to grow many more.  My plan adv...

Crystal apple cucumber

This year, one of my most successful crops has been the Crystal Apple cucumber. I bought a bunch of plug plants of this lovely fruiting vegetable, and watched it scrambling about my garden enthusiastically.&nbs;...

Green tomatoes

Today, scurrying to post a letter, I realised that The Nip had arrived. Everyone knows The Nip. It turns up unannounced on one of those fine October days when the Virginia creeper glows warm paprika and the che...

Cally Gardens

Cally Gardens is secret walled garden in Scotland packed with rare plants from around the world.

The Lowdown on the Thuja Green Giant

As you might imagine, the thuja green giant isn’t a diminutive tree – it can grow very rapidly to reach 40 feet in height and this growth rate makes it perfect for hedges and privacy screens. The thuja green gi...
speckled star chicken

How to Use Woodchips in Your Chicken Run

We’re looking forward (as it were) to warmer and wetter summers so chicken keepers are going to have their work cut out when it comes to keeping their runs free of mud. Mud is a real problem for chickens as ...

How to Build The Perfect Small Garage From Scratch

Do you need some space of your own? Whether you’re hoping for a workshop, somewhere to store your beloved motorcycle or just need somewhere you can retreat to (preferably with a beer), a new garage might be jus...

Discover the secret garden

If you’ve never been to The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, add it to your 2016 must-do list. These tropical gardens, which now welcome over 290,000 visitors per year, were consigned to history until a ...

Prepare your Garden for a spectacular Garden Party

There’s one thing you cannot beat in summer, and that’s a good garden party. The perfect excuse to get together with family, friends and neighbours to socialise and enjoy the beautiful weather. Hosting your own...