Amateur Gardening

“Whatever happened to the traditional front garden? One rarely sees them, as so many have been paved over for parking. Whilst I understand the practicality (and, in many urban areas, the need), it is a great shame for both environmental and aesthetic

WE are at the time of year when the garden is growing well but is also potentially very vulnerable to a host of problems, exacerbated this year by the ferocious heatwave that hit in mid-July. The main culprits are pests, disease and drought, and toge

AS we creep towards autumn the main target in the flower garden is to keep our beds colourful and healthy for as long as possible. It is time to balance care with ruthlessness – continue to deadhead and feed plants regularly but don’t be afraid to re

ALTHOUGH it is all going on in the garden, houseplants are also in full growing mode. Most will need regular watering and feeding and you will also need to check them over for pests that to break in through open windows. Stand plant pots on a layer o

THIS week’s free seeds are Viola ‘Johnny Jump Up’, hardy perennials perfect for borders and containers. Long-flowering, this is a compact variety that is ideal for edging beds as well as filling containers and boxes. A traditional heartsease, ‘Johnny

ABOUT now, our gardens can become so bountiful that we may be unable to consume it all, so we end up giving much away before it goes over. Who has not pressed carrier bags on a friend, bursting with runner beans or courgettes, hoping they might appre

MANY plants that flowered earlier in the summer will have gone over now and their seedheads either ripened or in the process of ripening. Collecting and storing seeds of favourite varieties is a great way of making sure plants grow where you want the

WITH its juice-packed flesh and unmistakable perfume, a ripe homegrown melon is something everyone with a sunny spot should experience. Eaten warmed by the sun (instead of numbed by the fridge), the perfumed flavour is unparalleled. But how do you ge

AS a young thing in my 20s, I owned two canoes and I used to persuade one of my friends to paddle down the River Avon in Warwickshire with me on a summer’s evening. We went from Wasperton to Evesham and back. The flow of the river took us downstream

This extract from AG 8 August 1970 explains how larger shrubs can be used in the late-summer garden WHILE many of the best late summer-flowering shrubs are small and thus good for associating with the herbaceous plants of their season, there is a sel

QCan you please identify the flower in this picture? It suddenly appeared and seems to spread easily. Margaret Fyfe (via email) AThe plant you have asked us to identify is called Kaffir Lily. Its Latin name is Schizostylis coccinea. More closely rela

THE name coneflower gives it away. Each flower is like a large upward-facing daisy with a ring of narrow petals surrounding a striking cone-shaped eye that can be very dark, giving it the common name of black-eyed Susan, or honey-coloured or gold. In

In this extract from AG 16 May 1970 we look at one of the greatest gardeners of all time UNLIKE some 18th century garden designers, Lancelot Brown really knew his gardening. Rung by rung he climbed the gardening ladder, reaching Stowe in Buckinghamsh

THIS year’s National Allotments Week takes place from 8-14 August. The week was first held in 2002, to raise awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships and b

It’s time for our just-for-fun puzzle – AG’s Garden Wall. This wall comprises 12 bricks in three courses. Each brick has a different word, or phrase on it. The first brick in each course, with BLOCK capitals, is cemented in place and cannot be moved.

Steve Bradley MA MHort (RHS) has written (or co-written) over 40 gardening books, including Propagation Basics, The Pruner’s Bible, The Ground Force Workbook and What’s Wrong With My Plant? He is resident expert on BBC Radio Kent, Sussex and Surrey,

QI know that some of the plants I have bought this year, such as French lavender and African daisies, may not survive winter. Should I be taking cuttings of them now, and where do I keep the cuttings over winter? Sam Pritchard, St Albans, Herts. ANow

Editor: Garry Coward-Williams Email: garry.coward-williams@futurenet.com 0330 390 3732 (Mon-Fri 9.00am-6.00pm) Gardening Editor: Ruth Hayes Assistant Editor: Janey Goulding Art Editor: Al Rigger Editorial Assistant: Lesley Upton Picture Editor and Le

Write to us: Letters, Amateur Gardening magazine, Future Publishing Limited, Unit 415, Winnersh Triangle, Eskdale Road, Winnersh, RG41 5TP (please include your address). Email us: amateurgardening@futurenet.com I READ the letter from Alan Wheeldon (A

ANT day, as it’s known, is when winged black ants head to the skies, their silver wings flashing in the sunshine as they rise. With no shortage of baggage handlers or queues on the runway, the numbers taking the short haul into the heavens is astonis