If you'd like to add some colour to your garden for relatively little effort and cost, planting bulbs is a great idea. I love growing flowers from bulbs. You can create a really colourful display at times of the year when the rest of the garden is still playing catch up, and there’s such a wide variety to choose from. Bulbs are also relatively cheap when compared to buying plants, so they’re a great way to create real wow factor ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in September
Well here we are - autumn. Summer is such a busy time - with the kids off school, but also in the garden - and September always seems to arrive so quickly. It’s a lovely month though; harvest time, beautiful angles of sunshine, and still plenty of warm weather to enjoy. And it’s also quite a productive month for sowing seeds, planting bulbs and growing new plants - some to enjoy soon, and some to get started for next ...
Tips for saving seeds in autumn
With autumn getting underway and many plants starting to shut down for the colder months, now is a good time to try saving seeds from your garden. Like dividing existing plants, saving seeds is a great way to get lots of new plants for free - and it’s easier than you might think. How do I save seeds for next year? If you'd like to have a go at saving seeds from your garden, read on to find out how to do it, plus some suggestions for ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in August
August is definitely a less hectic summer month in the garden, and chances are you're able to sit back and enjoy the view a little more than in previous months. But if you'd still like to start off some new plants, there are plenty of options that will either give you a quick edible crop, or prepare your garden for the seasons to come. Here’s what to plant in August. Flowers to plant in August Winter flowering pansies & ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in July
We’re into the height of summer now, and you might be thinking it's too late to plant anything and enjoy it's flowers or harvest this year. But there are still lots of things you can plant this month that will give your garden a boost, or prepare it for the later months of the year. Here's what to plant in July. Flowers to plant in July Summer bedding plants At this time of year a few bedding plants are a great way to fill any gaps ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in June
You may be reading the title of this post and thinking “but it’s too late to plant anything now”. Don't worry, I've got lots of ideas for what to plant in June! Starting off your plants a little later than you intended just means your flowers and crops will be a little later too. Summer may be upon us, but there are still plenty of things to sow, grow and plant this month. If you're not sure what to plant in June, here are my top picks ...
Planting Calendar: what to plant month by month
Welcome to your one-stop planting calendar for what to plant each month! Click on the relevant link to see my top picks for what to plant each month, including flowers, fruit, vegetables and bulbs. Your one-stop planting calendar What to plant in January What to plant in February What to plant in March What to plant in April What to plant in May What to plant in June What to plant in July What to plant in ...
The best tools for planting seeds – and how to improvise with what you’ve got
Are you growing seeds right now? It's a great low-cost way to grow your own vegetables, herbs and salad crops - not to mention lots of garden flowers and plants. And you don't have to be a gardening pro - or have lots of fancy tools for planting seeds - to do it. What tools do I need to plant seeds? It's fair to say that having some basic tools for planting seeds can make life easier, and also increase your chances of success. Don't be ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in April
If you’re keen to sow, grow and plant things this month, here are some ideas for what to plant in April. April is when things really start to get going in the garden. The soil is warming up, the risk of frost is much lower, and there's lots of planting to be done! Flowers to plant in April Bedding plant & hardy annual seeds April is a good time to sow seeds for hardy annuals and summer bedding plants. Growing these plants from ...
Grow Your Own for kids: how to grow salad
Over the last few years my kids have got involved with lots of different aspects of gardening; they've sown seeds, harvested crops, dug, planted, watered, weeded and simply played in the mud. They love all of it, but if you asked them what their favourite gardening job was, they'd say growing plants from seeds every time. I can understand why. There's just something so magical about planting a seed, watering it, and watching a tiny little ...