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English Gardening

The Accidental Gardener
This month is my last article on English Town Gardening and Suite 101. So I look back on my small garden's history and how quite by accident I became a gardener at all.
New Horizons
As we near the end of a truly remarkable summer, I examine my own current garden projects and look forward to other exciting prospects just over the horizon.
In Harmony with Nature
Gardening with nature should be on the agenda of all gardeners. High summer brings problems of drought, aphids, fungal disease that can all affect our plants performance. I look at how nature can help us to help ourselves combat some of the problems we gardeners face.
Mid Summer Moments
Looking at mid summer highlights in my garden. Roses, clematis and the mixed border provide lots of colour and texture for those warm long evenings. The delights of water in the garden and coping with unexpected visitors are all part of high summer.
Early Summer Parade
With May almost over, we look at what is currently in flower and what highlights are to come. June is dominated by roses. I look at what the older roses have to offer for impatient gardeners. Clematis and hardy geraniums are also traditional members of the mixed border in summer. In my own garden there is already a blaze of colour from these reliable performers. Clematis and cranesbills for those difficult places in the garden are described in detail.
Spring Fever
With spring now well under way the activity in the garden is at its height. I continue with my re-potting and replace one or two shrubs that have simply passed away or failed to live up to expectations. My feverish gardening activity is watched closely by the garden robin and I see the first butterflies of the summer.
British Summer Time Begins
Early spring is a very busy time for most gardeners. During an extended dry sunny spell, I have been busy re-potting container plants, feeding and mulching borders. I look at what might need re-potting amongst our permanent plantings, re-discover the joys of flowering potted camellias and describe the way I feed my own border plants.
On the Threshold of Another Spring
With another spring just over the horizon, I look at the many spring jobs now demanding attention. I also enjoy the early spring flowers and look forward to the main spring show to come.
Preparing for Spring
With Christmas now behind us, we look at the winter garden and what improvements we can make. Tackling these jobs now before the spring rush, can make all the difference to the gardener's workload.
Frosty December
As Christmas approaches I re-discover a valuable item of gardening technology and enjoy the many birds now visiting the garden during the short winter days. I also explain how to prune your climbing roses to give them a head start for next season and look forward to some floral winter delights to come.
Winter Protection
With winter now under way, I discuss winter protection for all those slightly tender plants both outside and in pots. Short winter days can also be put to good use preparing for next season. Good housekeeping whilst not always attractive in itself, will give you a head start in the New Year.
Preparing for Winter
With autumn well under way now and winter not far behind, we look at the glorious colours to be found at this time of year and set about preparing for the dark winter months.
Mellow September
As another English summer draws to a close, we review the season and look forward to the fiery colours of autumn. It has been a wet summer here in England, but the plants and wildlife are undaunted and together they make what for me is the perfect garden whatever the weather.
Friends and Acquaintances
I have many long time friends and many other acquaintances amongst my garden plants and their attendant wildlife. In what has been a rather wet and dismal summer, I look at a few seasonal highlights. Highlights that make gardening such a joy even on the dullest day.
Summer Inspirations
We are now at the height of the summer season with roses and clematis in abundance. Garden visiting is a popular pastime in England as elsewhere, now is the time to visit some of these private gardens for inspirational ideas for next season.
Glorious June
With so much to look at this month, it's difficult to know where to begin? The glory of the small town garden in June must feature roses and clematis, those timeless blooms of high summer. I take an in depth look at cultivation of these plants and some of the problems for the beginner.
Frantic Early Summer
Early summer sees a new feature in my garden and lots of work in preparation for a well earned holiday. I look at some problems in the garden and how to prioritise the mounting workload. I also welcome some wildlife visitors to the garden and find time to sit to enjoy the early promise of another English summer.
Splendid Early Performers
Spring has sprung and with it some sunny spring weather. I look at some excellent early performers and explain why small gardens are so much fun. I meet old loves and some suprisingly friendly plants.
Springing into Action
With the snowdrops nearly over and hellebores in full swing, I look at some early spring jobs. These include how to feed the soil and keep it healthy and I also attempt to sort out two major new problems. Whilst Sophie my cat plays amongst the pots in the sunshine.
Spring is in the Air
With winter having a final wild fling, there are signs that the year is now turning. Snowdrops and other heralds of spring warm the heart at this time of year. With the wind whistling around my ears and the rain relentless in its intensity, I go in search of treaures lost and visit a friend with long ears.
Gardening Resolutions
It's another New Year and resolutions abound. The middle of winter is a good time to take stock and think about what our own gardening priorities for the coming season will be. Even I have resolutions I hope to keep this time.
Trees and Town Gardens
With Christmas and winter almost upon us, our gardens are now entering a long hibernation period. While we are admiring the winter landscape and thinking of warmer days, I consider what trees can do for you and your garden.
An Indian Summer
It is not that often we get an Indian summer in Britain. With the soft, subtle light of autumn many turning leaves take on special effects straight from the theatre. Sunny weather and higher than average temperatures make for a pleasant wander through the garden to admire the last flowers and insects of the year.
A Garden Refuge
In troubled times, gardens are great sources of comfort. They offer much to inspire and delight. Helping directly in the healing process. My own personal experience illustrates just how powerful these places of beauty and quiet can be.
Garden Appraisals
As we come to the end of summer, we look back on our triumphs and failures. This is a good time to take stock and see what changes we can make. Urban gardeners have to cope with many problems, such as bad light and poor soil. See what improvements you can make for next season.
Relax with late summer colour
With August now upon us it is time to finally relax and ease back on all the work. Late summer colour is often sparse, but with a little forward planning, your containers and border need not be bare. White and blue are colours that look good in the evening light and are not that common at this time of year. These cooler colours will add a refreshing touch to jaded borders, just the ticket for relaxing in the garden.
Heady Scents of Summer
How is your garden's attar? Attar is a Persian word meaning smell. The heady scents of summer are now all around us, time to explore the delicious intoxicating fragrances of mid summer. Scents are the souls of flowers and are the very essence of the garden.
Early Summer Bonanza
Summer holidays for the gardener are fraught with mental anguish. But with a little planning and forethought you can have a break even when your conscious forbids you. On your return, all the splendour of high summer is just waiting to be enjoyed. With all the main players still to come, what a welcome awaits!
Plants by Post
Spring has arrived and it's green for go in the garden. Seed sowing and planting will be the top jobs for many gardeners. Serious gardeners get their plants and seeds from specialist suppliers, small family firms that supply plants and seeds by post. Gardening mail order is big here in the UK. I look at the big advantages of receiving your plants with the letters and parcels in the morning post. How to find your plants and Nurseries using the invaluable 'Plant Finder' which lists thousands of plants and the nurseries that supply them.
Spring Ventures
With freezing March winds whistling around my ears, I've been busy preparing for the new season. Spring is now tantalizingly close. Early summer cottage flowers of simple, quite beauty are perfect for town or country. They are unfussy well-mannered partners in the spring garden. If you love restrained beauty, you will love these early summer perennials.
Hellebores on Parade
As winter slowly releases its icy grip, we look at yet more early spring perennials. Hellebores have become very popular recently and rightly so. They are easy to grow, like a little shade and require the minimum of upkeep. So, why are you not growing them?
Early Spring Perennials
With the sap rising and spring not far away, I look at why the structure and bones of the garden are so important in winter. Also, how the dull days of winter can be made so much more exciting and brighter, with some really exotic colours and scents of early spring flowering shrubs and plants.
Winter Reflections
Winter has arrived with a vengeance, bringing snow and ice. Whilst looking at the wonderful landscape, I wonder how to protect my pots, containers and tender plants. All this hard weather makes life difficult for wildlife too and I set up a feeding station for the birds.
Garden Memories
Garden memories of summer are so important at this time of year. This month, we look back to summer remembering the joy and pleasure of that season. We discover a hidden garden and one very well known garden, as well as sampling some home made cakes and jams.
Autumn Blues
With a dismal October finally coming to a close, we look at the devasting affect of climate change on our gardens. We also tackle some common problems that affect many gardens.
Wildlife Safari
Autumn is now well and truly here, but there is much to enjoy in this very special season. In the mellow, golden light of dying summer we can enjoy the garden in a new way. I have been making a wildlife safari in my garden. Join me and learn how you can make your garden a place of wonder and inspiration with the help of mother nature.
Summer's Final Curtain
This first summer of the new millennium is now fading. Gardens can often look blousy and tired at this time of year. See how you can keep your garden interesting and colourful, even when the best of summer has past.
Down to Earth
With late summer now upon us and early autumn not that far away, we look forward to another season and take a look at the soil beneath our feet. What it really is, how to improve it and look after it.
Screens of Green
Widen your garden horizons with fences and walls clothed in green. Small gardens can be made to look much larger than they really are by using a mixture of herbaceous climbing plants. Adorning fences and walls, their flowers and fruits weave a tapestry of colour and scent, softening garden boundaries.
Real Gardens
With the Chelsea Flower Show now behind us, we explore the meaning of real romantic gardens. Gardens that allow wildlife and people to re-connect with nature and soothe the spirit.
Rose Remedies
With early summer just around the corner, we look at roses, that most English of flowers and how you too can enjoy trouble-free roses all summer long.
Garden Snippets
As spring is bursting out all over, we look at some of the plants that make spring such a joy and how to keep one step ahead with that growing list of jobs.
The Glory of the Garden
What makes gardening such a popular pastime? It is without doubt the pleasure and satisfaction of growing a variety of plants in the most trying of circumstances. In this article, we glory in the garden of town and city.
Camellia Lore
With spring just around the corner, we start another gardening year. Spreading garden compost or leafmould around the borders and discussing that Queen of spring shrubs, the Camellia.
Hellebores
In late winter and early spring when we all need a lift, my mind immediately conjures up those stalwarts of the early spring flower brigade, the Hellebores. Reliable, colourful and just what the spirit needs at this time of year.
Winter Words
We all need inspiration in the cold dark days and nights of winter, books such as these lift the spirit and make the coming spring full of opportunities in which the physical boundaries of our particular plot seem endless
Turning Leaves
Winter is fast approaching and with it the opportunity to plan ahead to the next growing season. In this, the first of two articles, I explore the best of English gardening writing.
Natural Gardening
Autumn is a time to wind down both for the garden and the gardener. It also the time for renewal and rethinking how best to achieve a better garden, nature's way.
On the Wild Side
How to garden with nature and create a wildlife garden that is both productive, colourful and interesting.
The RHS comes north
The Royal Horticultural Society comes to the north-west of England. With so many town and urban gardeners close by, including myself, this was an event not to miss.
Mid-summer roses of distinction
Mid-summer in England means roses. We have look at some roses old and new for the small garden.
Sublime Chaos
Early summer is here and with long cool drinks in the evening, but also pruning, cats and a few surprises.
'chilly finger'd spring'
Spring is a busy time for all gardeners. Staking, weeding and much else besides. Make your bit of 'paradise' in the city and don't forget to sit down and enjoy it!
A Town Garden Awakes
An town garden awakes to spring and looks forward to the colours and scents of summer.
Clematis - To Prune or not to Prune?
Pruning clematis need not be a complicated affair. In this article I show you how to achieve maximum flower power with this Queen of climbers.
The Garden Architect
Architectural garden planning. How to give your garden the bones and structure it needs to be attractive all year.
Scents & Sensibility
Winter scents and colour in the garden.
Berried Fruits
Autumn and Winter fruits, the key to a colourful garden in the middle of the bleak months.
Autumn's Loyal Friends
Remembering those hastily bought plants in high summer, now re-discovered in Autumn and needing some tender love and care.
Golden Days
Enjoying autumn flowers and planning ahead for next season.
Big Ideas for Small Places
Thinking big in a small garden is not only possible it is essential. How to make sure you plant shrubs and perennials that give you pleasure the year round and provide value for money.
Late Summer Performance
How to bridge the late summer flower gap with some very interesting and dependable plants for both the border and containers and pots.
An English Garden in High Summer
Key front row performers for your garden. Covering such plants as old fashioned roses, a host of clematis and other star performers of the summer garden.
Cranesbills for summer flower power
Hardy Geraniums or Cranesbills are perfect plants for the border in cottage and city gardens. Ranging from tiny alpines to tall stately giants. Utterly dependable and easy to grow, they cover a wide range of colours.
Green Shoots of Recovery
Blasts of winter of winter snow and rain in early spring lay low many plants. This does not stop the spring growth of many plants and many spring jobs are already upon us gardeners.
National Gardens Scheme of England & Wales
An inside view of a garden on the National Garden Scheme of England and Wales. This is a charity founded in 1927 and has over 3000 gardens on its list open to the public.
Pots of Gold
Pots and containers are the key to a bold display for small gardens in the city or town. They come in a variety of types, I explore both the plants and the containers themselves.
Double Your Money with Clematis
Clematis come in a bewildering range of colours and sizes. I explore the way to make the most of your space, often doubling the flower power of most gardens.
I Spy Spring!
Spring is just around the corner and with it all the promise of a new and exciting gardening year. I explore some of the plants for late winter colour and scent.
Heavenly Scent
Winter scent in the garden is the theme of my article this month. They range from tiny evergreens, to quite lare shrubs.
Web of Life
Wildlife in the garden. How to attract wildlife into the garden, be it a tiny plot or a large estate. Having wildlife within the garden contributes so much to many gardens.
The Hard Work Starts Here!
Autumn is a season to enjoy. Mists and mellow fruitfulness, you can almost smell autumn. Whilst spring is busy autumn too has many jobs for the gardener. I explore the jobs that we can tackle at this season.
An English Summer
I explore the plants of an English garden in high summer.

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