With autumn getting underway and many plants starting to shut down for the colder months, now is a good time to try harvesting 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 think. Here are some tips on how to give it a try.Get your timing right - you need to collect seeds when they are just about to disperse, as this means they ...
How to plant bulbs
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 compared to buying plants, so they’re a great way to create real wow factor in your garden without spending a fortune. If you’d like to add some bulbs to your garden, here’s how to do it.Choose your ...
Gardening for Nature: easy ways to create a bee-friendly garden
If you’re interested in gardening and nature you’re probably aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. What you might not be aware of is just how important bees are to us and the planet in general. Bees don’t just make honey and give us a lovely sound in the garden on summer afternoons. Bees are vital for the pollination of plants - including food crops - and this insect family which is in ...
What to plant now – July
We’re into the height of summer now, and you probably think it’s a bad idea to start off seedlings when there is such a high risk of failure due to the hot, dry conditions we (hopefully!) get at this time of year. You’re right to a certain extent, but there are still some crops that you can sow for harvesting later on in the summer. And I know none of us want to think about it yet, but now is also a good time to make a start on crops ...
Plant care tips for containers
Collaborative post The world of plant care can be more than a little bewildering, can’t it? Unless you’re a gardening expert, it can be tricky working out just what you need to do (or not do!) to make sure your indoor and outdoor plants thrive. I love gardening, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’ve got the plant care right every time; in fact I’ve had many disasters over the years. I’ve also had lots of times where my plants ...
7. The 10 minute gardener: quick summer gardening jobs
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule. This time I'm looking at ways to stay on top of your summer garden. Things have certainly warmed up in the last couple of weeks, and I’m really enjoying my garden now the summer plants are bursting into life. I think the ‘little and often’ approach is best for gardening at this time of year; keeping on top of the garden through little ...
Top 10 beautiful low-maintenance flowering plants
Collaborative postIf you have a garden or backyard, you probably love the idea of it being a lush heaven, full of beautiful flowers and verdant shrubbery. But let’s face it: not everyone has green fingers! That’s where low-maintenance flowering plants come in.Low-maintenance plants bloom beautifully, look amazing both in a pot and in a border, but don’t require you to have a degree in horticulture. Pick the right plants, and you can ...
Growing sunflowers with children
Have you planted any seeds yet this year? Now's the ideal time to get growing, and if you're looking for easy seeds to grow with children it's hard to beat sunflowers.As well as producing seriously impressive blooms, sunflower seeds are easy for little hands to deal with, and pretty low maintenance to grow. They're also brilliant for local wildlife; the flowers are great for bees and other pollinating insects, and birds love to eat ...
Taking the RSPB Wild Challenge: spotting signs of spring and sowing sunflowers
Last year we had a great time partnering with RSPB on family-friendly activities that would help to give nature a home in our garden. You might remember that we planted wildflower seeds, grew flowers for butterflies, made a frog and toad abode, grew plants for moths, and made a bird bath. It was a busy year! We’re thrilled to be working with RSPB again on some fun new projects. Over the next few months we’ll be bringing you more ...
The kit you really need for growing seeds
We may still be trying to wave goodbye to winter, but if you’re even remotely green-fingered your thoughts are bound to be turning to what plants you want to grow this year. I’ve already spent a lovely afternoon with the kids planning what to grow on their plots, and a couple of evenings working out what I want to grow in our garden and allotment over the coming months. I've done my seed order and now it’s a case of waiting for the ...