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 ...
My top winter plants to perk up your garden
We’re heading towards the last ‘official’ weeks of winter, phew! With spring not far off in the garden, it’s only natural to be a bit impatient for that rush of colour that the warmer weather brings. Our garden has been looking decidedly drab all winter. For the last couple of years I’ve promised myself that I will make some changes to our planting, to stop this lack of interest continuing into another year. Guess what? It ...
Gardening in February: jobs to tackle this month
Here's your one-stop resource for gardening in February. If you're struggling to carve out time to stay on top of the garden, or just need some help with what to focus on each month, this is a great place to start. You can check out my garden jobs for every other month in this post. While January was a low-input month in the garden, we spent a lot of time planning, sketching and dreaming. Now the end of winter is temptingly in sight, ...
Gardening with children in winter: quick and easy growing seeds to plant
We’ve started the seed planting for this year, hurrah! Sowing seeds is my kids favourite gardening job; it never fails to grab their attention and we always have a really great time doing it. Usually a messy time too, but that goes with the territory! Now, you may be thinking “But it’s still freezing outside, no way could we start growing tender little seedlings” - and yes, if you planted most seeds outdoors at this time of year you’d ...
3. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening in January
If you always feel like you don't have enough time for gardening, or just need some guidance on what to focus on each month, this is the series for you! Read on for tips and ideas on quick but effective gardening in January. The start of a new year has worked it’s magic on my gardening enthusiasm, as it always does. I’ve replaced the frenzy of Christmas with a gentler form of excitement, and my mind is buzzing with ideas for the ...
Tackling my autumn garden maintenance with Gardena tools | AD
This is a commissioned post in collaboration with Gardena I do love the slower pace of autumn in the garden. There’s less weeding and watering to do, which gives me a chance to potter about, tidy up and make plans for new projects. We’ve had a lot of rain so far this season, but also some gloriously sunny days - it’s hard to beat autumn sunshine isn’t it? I’ve been working with leading watering and garden tool brand Gardena ...
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 ...
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 ...
Top 10 beautiful low-maintenance flowering plants
Collaborative post If 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 ...
Exploring the Stihl Hillier Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show | AD
This is a commissioned post in collaboration with Stihl This is one of those weeks where I feel ridiculously lucky to do my job. Flower Show season is in full swing, and earlier this week I spent a fabulous day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show as the guest of premium garden tool brand Stihl. I was given an exclusive tour of the Stihl Hillier Garden, and was able to explore it in all it’s glory. Such a great opportunity! Stihl produce a ...