Expert Gardening Tips

How to create a beautiful rooftop garden in the heart of the city

With the cost of land at a premium as the benefits of Nature and green space become ever more compelling, roof gardens are having their moment in the sun, says Natasha Goodfellow.

Mary Keen: The secrets of vertical gardening

Gardener and author Mary Keen on why you should think up to make the most of your garden.

Alan Titchmarsh: How to grow exotic flowers in English country gardens

Alan Titchmarsh shares his tips on bringing exotic blooms to life in the gardens of Britain.

Best tulips: The bulbs to buy now to light up your garden throughout next summer

Charles Quest-Ritson once looked down on tulips, something he deeply regrets. Don't make the same mistake, he says, as he names his favourite tulips of the summer and suggests you look to buy bulbs now.

How to get rid of bindweed

Although treasured by children for the pop of those white trumpet flowers, bindweeds are no friend to gardeners, says Ian Morton. He takes a look at the history of this plant — and explains how to get rid of bindweed forever.

Curious Questions: What is a weed?

They're the bane of gardeners' lives, but do they even exist, at least in any consistent and logical sense? Martin Fone takes a step back to think about which plants are and aren't weeds — and how the mystery of fast adaptive evolution means that the 'wrong plant in the wrong place at the wrong time' definition isn't quite enough.

Alan Titchmarsh: 2021 was the slowest-starting Spring of my life — but my garden has given me more pleasure than ever before

Frost, deluges, heatwaves... the weather this year has been nothing short of madness, but Alan Titchmarsh has come through the other side and is enjoying his garden like never before.

Fuchsia jam, rowan brandy liqueur and the curiosities you can make from an English country garden

Charles Quest-Ritson looks at some of the berries in the typical English garden which you might never even have thought of as edible.

Arthur Parkinson: 'Chicken company and chat is underrated. Chickens will accompany you around the garden, happily running to greet you'

Arthur Parkinson shares his tips on keeping both garden and hens happy.

Iford Manor: How to introduce modern touches into a historic garden

Nowhere are Harold Peto’s talents as a gardener and architect more apparent than the gardens and grounds of Iford Manor, so new additions need to respect the spirit of the place.

Alan Titchmarsh: 'I share my patch with all manner of animals, birds, bees and butterflies, and creepy-crawlies — they have every right to be there, but so do I'

We should stop beating ourselves up and cultivate responsibly for wildlife and the environment, but also enjoy the pleasure of a well-mown lawn.

Everything you need to know about Foxgloves: Beautiful, useful, poisonous — and a dream for bumblebees and plant-breeders alike

Charles Quest-Ritson celebrates one of the most striking flowers of this time of year, and offers his tips on how to make the most of them.

How the 'greatest gardener ever' helped make British roses as we know them today

Charles Quest-Ritson, author of The RHS Encyclopedia of Roses, on Graham Stuart Thomas, how he nurtured British roses, and why now is the time for a proper national collection.

How to grow blackberries that are 'consistently plump, reliably sweet and almost laughably juicy'

Blackberries are a gardener's dream, says expert fruit grower Mark Diacono. And while they grow plentifully in the wild, there are vigorous and unfussy domestic varieties than can be even better...

What to deadhead and what to leave alone

We delve into the Country Life archive to revisit Mark Griffiths's tips on deadheading — and in particular being careful about what you take and what you leave.

Arthur Parkinson: 'Dahlias don't just give a garden colour — they give it life'

The gardening writer and broadcaster Arthur Parkinson picks some of his favourite dahlias — and revels in the fact that they can be the stars at Chelsea later this year.

Why gardens can be a biodiversity resource

Gardens such as Great Dixter have proved that active management can produce not only great colour, but also richness of biodiversity, says Noel Kingsbury.

Best poppies to sow in your garden

Spread a little happiness with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. John Hoyland selects the best poppies to grow at home.

How to make a compost cake

The Land Gardeners — aka Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld — share their tips on how to make compost without a compost heap.

Best strawberries to grow at home, and how to make sure they keep producing fruit all summer

Expert fruit farmer Mark Diacono chooses the best strawberries, picking out varieties which will keep you in fresh strawberries all summer.