BBC Gardeners' World

It’s printed inside the coverflap at the front of your 2 for 1 Guide . Simply cut it out and enjoy unlimited use until April 2022. We’ve endeavoured to bring you the most up-to-date information available at the time of going to press. However, as the

So many different varieties of tulip have been grown in Britain over the years – more than 2,500, according to the RHS – that they’ve been divided into 15 groups. That’s all very well if you can remember what the groups are, but Group 5 is not diffic

One of the most enchanting sights of summer is to see a fuzzy bee bottom waggling away as the owner of said bottom gets stuck right into the deep-pocketed flower of a foxglove. We major on them in our garden (both bees and foxgloves), mostly because

Some do it because they have to, others do it because they want to – however you choose to do it, container gardening is universally popular for so many different reasons. For a start, it offers opportunity as well as flexibility. No matter how limit

• Terracotta pots – take care to choose ‘frost proof’ rather than ‘frost resistant’. When growing large plants permanently in terracotta pots, prune their roots and repot every three years to prevent cracking. • Composite materials – some of these ar

Endless riches present themselves when we’re looking for plants for our own shady spots. Plants we may use vary in the amount of light they receive and correspondingly the degree of shade they will experience. Coming down from the canopy, less and le

Creatively planted baskets are colourful, tactile pieces of living art, ideal for brightening up any garden. Suspended at eye (and nose) level, they put on a display that’s easily admired and they’re particularly valuable where space is tight, as the

1 Choose a large hanging basket, at least 35cm in diameter, and without planting holes in the side. Pierce the bottom of the plastic liner several times to ensure good drainage, then half-fill with peat-free multi-purpose or container and basket comp

When Mohammed set out to transform his uninspiring back garden in South London, he had an ambitious dream and a long list of requirements. He wanted to create a luxury hotel-style escape straight out of the tropics, but one his whole family could enj

Gardens of the Year 2021 is set to be a fantastic showcase of the nation’s best gardens. And we want to see your inspiring creations, no matter how big or small they are, or where in the UK they are situated. Previous winners have created everything

Mother Nature shows us that foxgloves, or Digitalis, are incredibly easy to grow, as she generously peppers our countryside with them from May to July. The seed itself is inexpensive to buy, or you can collect your own this year once the flower spike

Our gardens are now at their busiest, noisiest and – I think – happiest. Most garden birds are sitting on eggs or feeding chicks, bee hotels are filling up, butterflies are cavorting in borders and tadpoles are fattening up in the pond. Everywhere yo

Our gardens are great for us, as lockdown has reaffirmed in spades. However, there is increasing recognition that they can provide a wonderful home for wildlife at the same time. With a bit of effort and knowledge, your world can hum with life, which

You can have potted goodness on your doorstep, windowsill or patio in just a few easy steps with these recipes. Well-being is much talked about these days and while there are the obvious nutritional benefits to eating more veg, it can be harder to qu

There’s no better year to enjoy 2 for 1 entry to some of the greatest gardens in the world. They’re the perfect places to get outside, soak up some fresh air, and spend precious time with friends and family – and all in a safe and carefully managed w

1 Line a hanging basket with cloth then plastic, and add drainage holes. Fill with potting compost and mix in slow-release plant food. 2 Basil is easy to grow from seed. Sow some now or buy a pot or two at a garden centre or supermarket, then pop t

There is nothing better than harvesting perfectly ripe, home-grown tomatoes from your very own garden. Popping endless cherry toms, still warm from the sun, into your mouth, is blissful. So, too, is a salad platter, thickly layered with slices of bea

VISIT gardenersworld.com/what-to-do-now for more advice on the best crops to sow and plant this month, and how to do it. Strawberry ‘Marshmello’ Superb flavour. Strong and vigorous plants with excellent disease resistance. Season mid-summer 12 plan

Mowing the lawn is one of the most frequent tasks we do in the garden and there’s a huge choice of different mowers available with a whole host of features. Electric corded mowers are the most common and they’re one of the easiest to use, you just pl

PLUS Sowing biennials ■ Taking softwood cuttings ■ Edging lawns ■ Cutting asparagus ■ Growing lavender from plug plants PHOTOS: SARAH CUTTLE; JASON INGRAM ■

It is easy to luxuriate in May and bask in the growth and fulfilment that surges through the days, but it is also a busy time in any garden. Much of this is because there is a distinct shift in the weather. For most of us, frost becomes increasingly

Check the dilution rate then use the measure provided to add the right amount of feed to your watering can. Add it before you put the water in, then it will be evenly mixed. Otherwise, give it a good stir. Plants can absorb the feed through the roots

■ Sow courgettes, pumpkins and squashes under cover ■ Keep potting on and transplanting tomatoes, aubergines and peppers ■ Tie in the shoots of wall-trained peaches and plums with sturdy ties ■ Net developing soft fruit to protect your crop from bird

Grow lavender from plugs to make a low hedge, edge a border or plant in any sunny spot. They’ll add colour and scent, as well as attracting bees and other pollinators. Plugs are a great way of bypassing the fiddly propagation stage, and the young pla

The BBC Radio 4 experts answer this month’s pick of readers’ queries, including: ■ Fruit and veg for a mini greenhouse ■ Clover vs turf for lawns ■ Growing bird of paradise plants I’ve already discovered vine weevil in my garden this year. Wondering

Soil matters. Get your soil right and, as night follows day, your plants will be right too. The old adage is a wise one: feed your soil not your plants. The converse is true. It does not matter how much you feed your plants or how much money you spen

What is it about the month of May that gives joy to the soul when we look at our gardens? Is it the flush of verdant leaves or the peonies, spireas and purple haze of ceanothus, all vying to catch our attention? With the warmer temperatures and extra

What’s been the response to you opening up online about your love of gardening? I’m out and proud – it’s been really positive, when you realise how many gardeners there are, which is brilliant, we need more! However, my view on gardening is a bit ‘d

mood changes with the unfolding of spring? Your shoulders come down, there are sunny days that show off the iridescence of daffodils, and out come camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas, and suddenly everything in the garden is lovely again.

Allotment holders across the country have been left struggling to afford the rents on their plots after steep rises that, in some cases, have tripled or even quadrupled fees. Reader Eleanor Morgan wrote to GW (Have Your Say, March issue) to tell us t

We still have a small sign, gold on black, in perfect calligraphy, executed by my friend Dick Thorne for one of our Chelsea exhibits. It reads: “Everyone has some shade in their gardens but rather than think of it as a problem we should look at it as

For an instantly cool and contemporary vibe in your home, simply add Monstera deliciosa. An instantly recognisable symbol of house-plant obsession everywhere, this tropical beauty has inspired the design of everything from jewellery to wallpaper. Als

Sow spring bedding biennials like wallflowers and sweet Williams outside in a nursery row, so you can lift and plant them this autumn to flower in the garden early next year. Find an area of clean soil and create a shallow drill. Water the bottom of

After years of enriching the heavy clay soil at Longmeadow, the garden can support dramatic growth in just a season from robust plants such as Ensete (banana) and cannas (left). Where the ground floods, as it often does in autumn, damp-loving ferns,

Excited barely describes how I feel right now! My heart is racing as the outdoor air warms up and the seedlings start shooting up day after day. Forget those lockdown shopping queues, all my potted main-crop potato tubers are waiting patiently (socia

Even the smallest pond will transform your garden – it blows my mind to see the wildlife that arrives when you make one. I have wonderful memories of investigating the dipping tanks my nan made from old Belfast sinks in her garden – I spent hours try

■ Where are you mowing? A convenient power point is essential for an electric mower but you may need an extension lead as well. Check that the length of the cable is long enough to reach all parts of your lawn. If your lawn runs right up to walls, fe

Warming rays of spring sunshine and the earliest shoots of summer have never felt more welcome than now. While we’ve not yet felt the last nip of frost, there’s an energy in the air and coming up through the ground that’s irresistible. April into May

Enjoy easy-to-follow videos and demos, as our team guides you through the do’s and don’ts of creating fabulous pot displays. Packed with expert advice and inspiration, this one-hour session will cover all your container queries and problems, from cho

All eight winning entries will have a professional photoshoot of their garden and be featured in BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine in 2021-22. The winner of the Judges’ Choice will also receive a holiday for two, courtesy of South Carolina Tourism, worth

Collect waste vegetation in a compost heap to make your own soil conditioner or ingredient for a potting mix. Composting depends on soil microbes so make the heap on the ground. The rotting microbes need air, moisture and warmth to work. Use a mix of

• Annuals and vegetables will do well in peat-free multi-purpose compost, as long as you also give them a liquid feed every week, from a month after planting right the way through summer. The same compost is suitable for hanging baskets and temporary