Expert Gardening Tips

Alan Titchmarsh: The most spectacular flowers of spring are easy, guaranteed to flower — and now is the time to plant them

Alan Titchmarsh doesn't like tulips. He loves them.

Inside the National Trust's secret nursery

Charles Quest-Ritson was invited in to the National Trust's top-secret plant nursery. Here's what he discovered.

How to grow broad beans: How to plant them, how to look after them, and the best varieties for your garden

Mark Diacono names the best broad beans for flavour, reliability, tenderness and the beauty of the plant itself.

Alan Titchmarsh: The plants that I simply can't ever grow

Unless you're lucky enough to have a garden with medium loam soil, chances are that there are plants which you'll always struggle — but you're not alone, says Alan Titchmarsh.

Plastic pots revolutionised gardening in the 1960s — but field-grown plants are the future

John Hoyland always opts for bare-root plants if he can — and here's why you should too.

The spectacular flowers that will thrive on chalky soils

There are 7,000 varieties of apple out there — and you've probably tasted less than a dozen. Here's how to put that right.

Our grow-your-own expert columnist Mark Diacono shares his advice on how to branch out in to the wonderful world of apple varieties.

The gardening jobs to enjoy with secateurs in one hand — and a glass of wine in the other

Gardening does need hard work, says John Hoyland — but not all the time.

How the Leyland Cypress went from botanical accident to taking over the world

The near-ubiquitous Leyland Cypress — or leylandii — is an evergreen with an extraordinary back story. Martin Fone explains.

Charles Quest-Ritson: The 'devastating consequences' when two of Britain's greatest-ever gardeners met for afternoon tea

A single meeting between Graham Stuart Thomas and Gertrude Jekyll shaped the career and thinking of the 'greatest gardener ever', says Charles Quest-Ritson. But at what cost?

Curious Questions: Why do leaves change colour in Autumn? And why do some go yellow while others are red, purple or brown?

The riotous colours on the trees around us are one of the highlights of the year — but why do leaves change colour in Autuumn? Mark Griffiths explains.

Irises: 'The next batch isn't even planted yet, but I am already excited about seeing them flowering next year'

John Hoyland, the gardens advisor at Glyndebourne, on how irises with 'elegance and delicacy' are a constant joy.

John Hoyland: The only garden tools you'll ever need

You can easily blow your gardening budget buying tools for all sorts, says John Hoyland, but don't be fooled: a handful of the right tools is all you need to garden.

Alan Titchmarsh: The priceless flowers I planted before my grandchildren were born — and they're still going strong

How to grow your own figs that'll be 'like a feather on the tongue'

The fig is one of the most exotic fruits you will be able to grow in Britain. Mark Diacono explains how to go about it.

Charles Quest-Ritson: 'I'm always amazed by the codswallop that garden experts write'

Charles Quest-Ritson takes aim at some of the gardening advice that constantly does the rounds despite being complete nonsense.

I'm planting a shrubbery and my gardening friends are horrified — but I'll have the last laugh

Some gardeners may scoff at the idea of planting a shrubbery, but not John Hoyland.

Best plants for people who hate weeding? Five beautiful (and low-maintenance) flowers to grow in gravel or sand

Sarah Price shares with Tilly Ware five plants which will grow in sand or gravel.

Sarah Price, one of Britain's great garden designers, takes Country Life round her own garden

Close artistic observation combined with a deep horticultural intelligence has made Sarah Price one of the finest garden designers today. Tilly Ware visits her at home in Monmouthshire, where she is experimenting to magical effect to create 'a level of harmony that pins you to the spot'. Photographs by Sarah Price.

Alan Titchmarsh: The secrets of my wildflower meadow

It's been 10 years in the making, but Alan Titchmarsh's wildflower meadow is now full of life, colour and needs next to no maintenance.