Give yourself a garden surprise - with Spring bulbs



Anemone blanda

Now is the time to choose some spring bulbs to add splashes of colour to your garden from next March. Plant them now, forget all about them, and they will appear from nowhere in a few months to surprise and delight you when you are not expecting it.

Garden Design - Make your garden feel bigger by connecting it to its surroundings



A view across Bodnant Garden to the mountains beyond

Here is a simple way to make your garden seem bigger than it really is. This is used in large scale landscape designs to create long vistas and integrate large estates to the surrounding countryside, but is equally useful in making a small garden seem not quite so small.

Simple tip using colour to add style to garden borders

Here is a simple idea to help add style to your garden borders. Take one colour and use different plants of that colour to create a bold effect by running this ribbon of colour through the border. This has a more coherent look than separate blocks of colour scattered throughout the bed.

Star Spring Plant - Azalea

There should be room in every garden for an azalea. The flowers completely cover the plant, usually blocking out the views of foliage altogether so that you see a pink (or yellow or red or mauve) mass, that really stands out at a time when many other plants are only just getting going. Most are evergreen too, so they look good all year long.

Don't let setbacks stop you creating your dream garden!

Every now and then, things go wrong. Here is proof that it will probably work out ok in the end! 

Have you ever mistakenly cut off more of a plant than you meant to, or forgotten to water something and discovered it a shrivelled up victim of your forgetfulness? Have you ever been a blameless bystander as the fates, the weather, your pets or your neighbours seemingly conspired to undo your hard work in the garden?

RHS Flower Show Cardiff - Silver Balls

The RHS Cardiff Flower Show is the first chance of the year to pick up ideas from the show gardens, buy some of the more unusual plants from the specialist nurseries that exhibit there, and check out the latest garden ornaments, garden tools and gadgets.

RHS Flower Show Cardiff - Scented Pelargoniums - Choose a flavour!



Pelargonium Orange Fizz

The RHS Flower Show Cardiff is a great chance to pick up amazing plants that don't appear in the local garden centre very often. I picked up some scented herbs which are both bizarre and wonderful.

Star Spring Plant -Camellia

A sure sign that the worst of winter should be behind us is the glossy leaves of Camellia being embellished with its rich coloured blooms.

Garden Design - Make a great garden by planning a great garden!

Making a great garden takes some planning. This could mean a detailed design by a professional garden designer, or something more basic, but having some sort of plan makes a big difference. If you want to get the most out of your garden, then spend some time thinking about what you want, and how to get it.