Expert Gardening Tips

Alan Titchmarsh: Why I've decided that life's too short to keep growing the same old things in my greenhouse

Alan Titchmarsh's greenhouse has become a bit predictable – but he's now got big plans to mix things up.

Jason Goodwin: How legginess, though desirable on humans, is the devil in seedlings

The best daffodils and narcissi to grow your garden, whether in pots, grass or borders

With more than 26,000 to choose from, it can be agonising deciding which narcissus to grow. Charles Quest-Ritson asks daffodil doyenne Christine Skelmersdale for ideas.

The best garden designers and landscapers in Britain

A beautiful country house is as much about its surroundings as its bricks and mortar, something that the best garden designers in Britain all understand. We've completely revised and updated our list of the finest of them all.

What to grow in a conservatory, from cacti and succulents to orchids and herbs

Conservatories are once again being used for cultivating and enjoying plants. Amelia Thorpe reports on a growing trend.

Alan Titchmarsh: My chickens are scatty, stupid, selfish and bullying – but I wouldn't be without them

Chickens are scatty, stupid, selfish and bullying, says Alan Titchmarsh – and yet he wouldn’t be without them.

Alan Titchmarsh: The joy of identifying trees in winter from the merest scrap of twig

Our columnist Alan Titchmarsh gives thanks for the tough training he received half a century ago – and how it kindled wonder and awe at the breadth of beauty and curiosity in the world’s botanical riches.

From the Sweet Lady to the Crème de Cognac: Three expert opinions on the top dahlias to buy and plant now

The chase is on: if you want to grow the best dahlias in your borders this year, you need to get your orders in soon, says Val Bourne.

The willow weaver: 'I like to let the host structure feed the form'

With such romantic names as Dicky Meadows, Flanders Red and Noir de Verlaine, willow is one of Nature’s most versatile materials. Jane Wheatley meet Laura Ellen Bacon, who crafts works of art from twisted stems of Salix.

David Austin, Britain's late, great king of roses: The man who brought about 'a revolution in taste, expectations and how we garden'

Charles Quest-Ritson pays tribute to David Austin, the rose breeder and entrepreneur who passed away at the end of last year aged 92.

The trials of collecting snowdrops: 'Is there no love for a Heffalump or a Grumpy?'

A galanthophile’s work is never done, says Michael Heseltine, as he tells us about his family's floral hobby; collecting snowdrops.

Why you should grow your own potatoes and the 8 varieties you need to try when you do

Country Life’s best gardening tips of 2018: Wisteria, Christmas trees and getting rid of box moth caterpillars

Our panel of experts includes writer and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh and Charles Quest-Ritson, author of the RHS Encyclopedia of Roses as well as many others. Here are their most popular gardening tips of the year.

Alan Titchmarsh: The best hyacinths and narcissi to bring flowers indoors at Christmas

Gardening writer and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh shares his tips on growing indoor bulbs to bring heavenly scents indoors at Christmas.

Dogwoods and willows: A new style of winter planting?

Mark Griffiths extols the merits of these bare-stemmed beauties in the world of winter planning, which are both a joy to create and easy to maintain.

Growing your own Christmas tree: Alan Titchmarsh on what to plant and where to plant it

Why buy your Christmas tree when you can grow your own and enjoy these handsome, statuesque trees all year round? Alan Titchmarsh offers his tips.

Across Britain, bizarre fruits have appeared – thanks to the freezing snows and blast-furnace heat of 2018

Britain's brutally-cold winter followed by a scorchingly hot summer have caused all manner of wonders to appear in our gardens, even months after the weather has returned to normal. Steven Desmond explains how it's happened.

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

Alan Titchmarsh: Cyclamen, October colour and Nature's most extraordinary colour clash

Our columnist Alan Titchmarsh reflects on the ups and downs of Autumn gardening, where this rag bag of a season occasionally gives us reasons to be joyous.

Japanese knotweed: How a delicate bloom beloved of the Victorians became a modern British scourge

Japanese knotweed took Britain by storm in the 19th century as a beautiful and highly-prized plant that was hugely fashionable. More recently it's had a very different impact, as Mark Griffiths explains.