Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Autumn can be a radiant time of year. Rain and wind are our enemies, because everything is fragile, with leaves and flowers hanging on by threads. But if we have a dry few weeks, autumn can give us a final blaze … Read more
With gardening, as in life, pride usually precedes a whopping great fall, so I’m tempting fate in saying I’ve learned how to grow chillies well. But it has taken a while and was preceded, if not by failure, by very average results. Nowadays I have a great supply and that, in itself, is a cause … Read more
It’s grass roots time! Give your lawn a makeover and prepare for the rewards in spring British gardening expert Nigel Colborn shared advice for making a new lawn He advised using a grass seed including ryegrass for hard-wearing family lawns Whether laying turf or growing seed Nigel offers advice for preparing the soil By Nigel Colborn for … Read more
Monty Don describes the myriad creatures and plants he sees in his garden throughout the calendar year in his joyous new book My Garden World. Last week, in our first extract, he shared his diary entries for autumn and winter, but now spring has arrived… with an unwelcome hazard! Monty Don describes the myriad creatures … Read more
Late daisies delight: These colourful blooms will light up your garden this autumn Nigel Colborn shared his advice for transforming gardens with late daises British gardening expert said they flower when bees are boosting honey stocks He revealed it’s possible to enjoy floral fireworks right up to mid-November By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: … Read more
Over the 25 years it’s been running, the Daily Mail’s National Garden Competition has shown how many wonderful gardens there are in Britain. For many of us, it’s our gardens that have kept us going this year, so it’s not surprising that the standard for 2020 was so high that the judges, led by renowned … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Part of getting to know your garden well is having a detailed mind-map of where the light is at any time of day or year and to make sure that some part of the garden is making the most of what … Read more
Banana drama! Monty Don’s had his struggles with banana plants – but he’s found the secret to making them thrive… Monty Don reveals how to grow bananas despite the often wet and cold climate He suggests cutting the plants to a stump in October, then potting up their roots And the expert gardener answers your … Read more
This has been a good year for cucumbers and gherkins (essentially a warty-skinned, small cucumber ideally suited to pickling) – but then most years are for me. I claim no expertise or special skill because cucumbers are reliably easy to grow as long as you give them the conditions they love, and that almost invariably … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. As summer moves into its second half I rely on the half-hardy and tender annuals to provide colour and form. The most dramatic of all late- season annuals – and one of my favourites – is the sunflower. The knee-jerk response … Read more