My garden in 2017 - the best and worst plants of the year

What grew well in 2017, and what didn't? Read my 

review of the gardening year to find out the biggest successes and failures in my garden and on my allotment, then tell me yours.

How your garden can help you look to the future

Your garden has a remarkable ability to keep you focussed on the future rather than dwell on the past.

Six plants I'm leaving alone for now - November in the Garden

If you want a low maintenance garden, here are some plants you don't need to look after for now, just let them do their thing over winter.

Six things that shouldn't be happening in my garden (but are)

Pelargonium quercifolium - leaves smell of cedarwood

Stormy weather is expected here this weekend, but it's still very mild, and the unseasonably warm weather has got lots of plants in my garden very confused about what time of year it is...

Six things in the garden for October

Four things I'm doing in my garden this October - and two things I'm not...

Plant Sale - Should you buy from the garden centre bargain bin?

How do you make sure that a bargain really is a bargain?

How to sow seeds - A Beginner's Guide

You don't need green fingers to be able to grow new plants from seed, and it only takes a few minutes.

What's eating my viburnum and what can I do?

If you have a viburnum with leaves full of holes, this is the most likely culprit! The viburnum beetle. But what can you do about it? Well I may have identified their weakness...

The vines they are a changing - #mygardenrightnow

Go on, show us your garden! Join the #mygardenrightnow project by taking a picture of yourself in your garden this weekend and sharing it on twitter using the hashtag.

Six things to do in your garden during August

There is plenty to do in my garden right now. The weather is still warm, but here in South Wales we've had plenty of rain as well as some sunshine, and that combination means everything is growing strongly.

Create a magical fairy garden for children of all ages

Do you believe in fairies? If you or your children do, then over the summer holidays a great thing to do is invite the fairies to visit you by creating a magical garden for them. There are some simple things you can build that will make them want to take up residence in your garden, and the kids will love them too! 

Garden Update - 6 things happening in the garden in July

Here is my latest update on what's happening in my own garden at the moment. I'm following on from The Propagator, who shared his Six on Saturday. Here are my six...
             

7 easy ways to attract wildlife into your garden - A Guest Blog for The Handy Mano

I'm delighted to share with you a guest post I have written for The Handy Mano blog. The Handy Mano has a collection of ideas and tips for inside and outside the home. You can read my tips for helping wildlife thrive in your garden here.

Garden Update - Six things I'm doing in my garden in June

I'm linking up with The Propagator again to share what's going on in the garden right now. Heavy rain has been followed by really hot sun here in Cardiff in the last fortnight so things are really growing well. I've been enjoying the poppies but at this time of year things in the garden tend to move fairly quickly, and they have already been surpassed by the roses. There's plenty to do. Here's what's been keeping me busy...

Can a vegetable garden or allotment be beautiful?

For many years I've thought that growing your own fruit and veg was more or less incompatible with having a stylish and beautiful garden. Vegetables just aren't that pretty to look at. But after seeing vegetable gardens at Westbury Court Garden in Gloucestershire and at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show recently, I think I might be starting to change my mind.  

Garden Update - Six things I've been doing in my garden today

This extra post was inspired by The Propagator, who is sharing six things going on in his garden every Saturday. It seems like a good idea, so I thought I would respond by sharing six of my own. Here they are:

 

1) Pyracantha is now in full bloom on the North facing wall outside the back door. It covers the whole height of the wall, and is a mass of tiny white flowers which smell great and attract so many bees it is absolutely humming. Today I have been training the straggly stems by putting screws in the wall and tying them in. 

Is gardening a battle against nature - and who is winning?



The lavender is dead - long live the lavender

I wrote recently about one battle I had with nature - the unusually late frost that threatened to ruin the developing display of flowers on our wisteria and other plants. Well, (spoiler alert) the wisteria survived, and in fact thrived, but I have another casualty to report, which set me thinking about whether we gardeners can ever truly claim to have nature under control.

Wisteria hysteria as late frost causes panic in the garden

It's been a nervous week for gardeners in the southern half of the UK. Weather forecasters predicted unseasonably frosty mornings as a blast of cold air spread across the country from the Arctic. Although late April can often be rather chilly here and can slow plants' development considerably, it is rare to get a seriously cold spell with the potential to cause significant damage.

There is nothing in my garden which isn't hardy to at least -5C, so a bit of frost is unlikely to kill anything, but it can still ruin my day! It's all about timing. 

Cheap and easy ways to help pollinating insects in your garden: ideas from the RHS Cardiff Show

Betsy the Bee

What can you do to attract pollinating insects and other wildlife into your garden?

How I got into gardening - A Guest Blog for Tongwynlais.com

I'm delighted to announce that I have been asked to contribute a guest blog for Tongwynlais.com. It's about how I got into gardening and why I created this blog. You can read it by clicking here.

Paths for the allotment - Hello yellow(ish) brick road

My yellow brick road, straight down the middle!

The plan for your allotment or veg patch needs to include some paths, so that you can get around the plot to tend your crops. There are several options, but which is best? Here are some ideas:

Join the #mygardenrightnow project

What's happening in your garden right now? Take a picture and share it on twitter using #mygardenrightnow. Let the world see your garden as it is today, and see how it compares to everyone else's.

Houseplant Help: How to grow your own spider plants, for free!

If the cold, rain, wind, or all three, keep you indoors this weekend, then it's time to focus on houseplants. The humble spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum, is a popular but underrated houseplant. It's easy to look after, difficult to kill, and very simple to propagate. You will soon have dozens of baby spider plants to fill your house or office, or give away to friends. All you need is a happy spider plant, some pots of compost, and some paper clips!