Amateur Gardening

“I’m not going to surprise you when I say the cost of gardening is on the rise (see Marc Rosenberg’s report, page 7), because that is the case with pretty much every aspect of our lives. Everybody up and down the country will be looking at ways to sa

I SOMETIMES wonder whether laws are more trouble than they’re worth – often the largest single area of garden, they can be beset by problems whatever the time of year. Sunny, exposed areas dry out, shaded areas overhung with trees and shrubs can accu

AREAS of the lawn where soil has become compacted, either because they are clay or because they receive most of the garden’s footfall, should be opened up every two or three years. This helps the soil cope better with water saturation and drought, an

THE cost of gardening is set to rise as inflation bites, and suppliers of everything from compost to garden chemicals say they can no longer absorb rising costs, so shoppers may have to pay more for gardening essentials. “Compost prices are going to

GROWING plants from seed is great value for money, so will seed prices rise in 2023? Head of marketing at Mr Fothergill’s, Ian Cross, said the company was holding prices for next year – the fourth year it has frozen prices – but will be reviewed for

IF you are new to taking cuttings, pelargoniums are a good place to start. Also known as bedding geraniums, they are a common summer garden sight, usually bought to bring a few months of colour to beds and containers, before being chucked on the comp

◼ Lawns can become lumpy over time but this is a problem that’s relatively easy to fix. ◼ Not everyone has a heavy-duty roller these days, so instead you need to even out the soil by hand. ◼ Cut around a section of turf and lift it, to see what lies

IT’S hard to know where to start when talking about our lawns this autumn. In large areas of the UK our grass has been fried to a brown crisp that crunches when walked upon. Northern areas have had more rain, and hopefully have lawns in better condit

THE Russia-Ukraine war is driving inflation in the garden sector, according to a European industry expert who spoke to AG anonymously. Ukraine is a major exporter of fertiliser, which has risen in price by 30% since the conflict began. Wheat, another

AUTUMN is no longer so predictable, with the last few years of mild weather lasting way longer than in previous years. So whereas in the past, the advice at this time of year could be confidently along the lines of getting your garden ready for the c

CORNFLOWERS used to be a familiar rural sight, though they are not so common now thanks to increased use of herbicides and more intensive farming methods. They are a charming flower, adding natural beauty to the garden. Although they have now been br

I MUST walk past our village sycamore tree, planted in the middle of our small village green, once a day, and yet I have never given it a second thought. Well, that is, not until the Father Brown actor Mark Williams asked me about it. He told me that

IF any of your houseplants spent summer in the garden it is time to start thinking about bringing them back in, before the evening temperatures drop much further. They will need to be acclimatised to being back indoors, with lower light levels and a

LEEKS are often in the ground for 10 months, are an essential part of any winter plot and don’t require any technical growing kit – just soil. It’s no wonder gardeners can’t get enough of this allium! So, how do you guarantee successful harvests? Wit

Do asters multiply? YES, they do. Asters spread at the roots, some vigorously and some more steadily, and they also spread by seed. If you simply leave your clumps of asters alone, short runners will usually develop from the edge of the plant during

ASTERS are summer and autumn-flowering hardy perennial plants with flowers like daisies. In spring, shoots arise from a steadily spreading crown and the vertical stems carry pale or dark-green leaves that are usually narrow and lance-shaped, though o

Q We have been given a lovely gold-coloured rose to mark our 50th wedding anniversary and would like to transplant it into a larger, terracotta pot rather than directly into the garden. Should we do this now or wait until the spring? Ken Gilbert, Bry

Q This plant appeared from a batch of mixed annual seeds. What is it? A The plant seems to be a perennial salvia, probably a variety called ‘East Friesland’. It is fairly hardy and should survive winter if you deadhead it and mulch the roots. Q My Pi

This extract from AG 30 April 1966 looks at plants that will survive in shade ALTHOUGH many garden plants will tolerate partial shade and others thrive in it, there are not many that will grow in the dense shade found at the foot of deciduous trees o

In this extract from AG 8 August 1970 we look at one of the greatest gardeners of all time OF the many people to whom gardeners are indebted, the one to whom they probably owe most is William Wilks, Vicar of Shirley, near Croydon [now in South London

This week it’s: Amazing facts about this incredible plant PASSION flower blooms are, let’s say, a little unusual. I think they look rather like the gears and cogs of a floral stopwatch! I guess it is no coincidence that passion flowers are known as ‘

No: 079 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 b

WITH its autumn tints and fresh spring leaves, Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is a great favourite and easily raised from seed. Surprisingly, cotoneaster (C. horizontalis) makes a fun subject, with spring flowers and red autumn tints. Olives make anc

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

I READ with interest Val Bourne’s article, ‘Compost Woes’ (AG, 30 July). Like Val, I have been trying to become peat-free for a couple of years, but find it difficult, due to the shortage of quality peat-free products on the market at local garden ce

MANY older properties have what are known as restrictive covenants quilled into their title deeds. These are designed to stop new buyers changing a property’s use and lowering the neighbourhood’s tone. Buckland Castle is no exception, and according t