Garden centres: Growing communities, reducing loneliness & creating connections Garden centres have long been places where people come to find inspiration for their homes and gardens, seek expert advice and purchase plants and products to enhance their outdoor spaces. Increasingly, however, they are becoming something much more significant: vital community hubs that bring people together,…
What to do in the garden in August August is one of the busiest and most rewarding months in the garden. With a little attention now, you can enjoy a beautiful garden through autumn and set the groundwork for next year. One of the most important jobs this month is watering. Hanging baskets, containers and…
Making every drop count: watering pots and gardens during hot weather With high temperatures across the UK and hosepipe bans in place in some areas, gardeners need to be smarter than ever about watering. The good news is that a few simple changes can help keep plants healthy while reducing water use. Morning & evening…
Gardening tips for July July is one of the most satisfying months in the garden, with borders in full bloom, crops maturing and outdoor spaces at their most inviting. However, it’s also a time to stay on top of maintenance to keep everything looking its best. Watering Watering, and feed regularly too, is key, especially…
Making the most of your garden in June: colour & pollinators June is one of the most vibrant months in the garden, making it the perfect time to focus on creating colour while supporting pollinators like bees, butterflies and hoverflies. Start by planting nectar-rich flowers to attract beneficial insects. Food sources Popular choices include lavender,…
June jobs June is a busy and rewarding month in the garden, with longer days and, fingers crossed, warmer, but not too warm, temperatures encouraging rapid growth. Key tasks Staying on top of key tasks now will keep your garden looking its best throughout summer. Keep watering regularly, especially containers, hanging baskets, and newly planted…
Tips for growing tomatoes Tomatoes are one of the most rewarding crops to grow and from May onwards conditions are usually just right for them. Whether you’re growing them in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or outdoors, success comes down to warmth, light and consistent care. Young tomato plants can be planted out once the risk of…
May in the garden: growing & caring tips May is one of the most exciting gardening months. With longer days, warmer soil and the risk of frost fading, it’s a time of rapid growth. Jobs to do in the garden now May is ideal for planting summer bedding such as petunias, begonias and geraniums. Harden…
Bag yourself some salad Bags of salad leaves ready-to-use are some of the first things you see in the supermarket fruit and veg sections when you stroll in – they are there all year round. Sow & grow your own But now is the perfect time to sow and grow your own salad leaves such…
The moon and potato planting Gardening is rich with time‑honoured traditions and steeped in folklore, writes GCA CEO and horticulturalist, Peter Burks. One of these is that seed potatoes should be planted on Good Friday. Devil isn’t at work I always try to find the scientific reason behind such rules and, despite being told by…