26 things at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018

The consensus so far from people at RHS Chelsea? “This is a good ‘un”. Variety is the spice of life and vari

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 – first impressions

This year I’ve spent a couple of days mooching about RHS Chelsea Flower Show during construction. It’s a reminder

Review: Stihl FSA-56 strimmer

My review of the 36V Stihl FSA-56 strimmer, currently available for between £130 – 170 online, tested for the last mont

Allotment Month 30: a close look at 2018’s plan

How I’m into month 30 on my allotment blows my mind. I’ve made reasonable progress in that time, looking back at 

Arts and Crafts at Hidcote

It’s been on my list of gardens to visit for as long as I can remember. Chris and I finally stepped out the car at Hidco

Pot’s Growing On in May: self-seeding, hardy outdoor cactus and propagating tricky seeds

If I did nothing to our garden this year it would become an Echium, Allium, Ricinus, Verbena and Fennel jungle – these s

50 Dahlia photos from my garden and allotment

As you may have heard, I love Dahlias (see more Dahlia posts here), they rock my flowery world. Below is a selection of those

Orchidize

One day there will come a moment when I’ll have seen all of the species of native wild orchids. I’m not sure how I

The 99 Topiary Yew Trees of St. Mary’s church in Painswick, Cotswolds

At the weekend Chris and I attended the most beautiful wedding of our friends George and Rosanna Ryan at the Parish Church of

Copper tape – it works

People who’ve been to our garden always ask how I keep my Hostas safe from slugs and snails. I use a mini armoury of mea

My garden, my lifeblood

I’ve just stepped back inside from the first quiet couple of hours in our garden this spring. Sitting there in a tshirt

Pot’s Growing On: white flowers, propagation and sempervivum

It’s finally spring proper and our garden is growing again in the most spectacular way. The fastest grower has been our

Pulsatilla vulgaris

Finally, after many years, today I came up close and personal with one of my favourite plants growing and flowering in the wil

From the streets: Nine Elms Lane, Vauxhall urban planting

I first noticed the unusual oval shaped flower beds along the recently redeveloped Nine Elms Lane in Vauxhall this time last y

From the streets: American Embassy prairie garden – first winter

Chris and I often walk to Vauxhall from our Clapham flat to visit the new things popping up as the area regenerates, like the

And it was all yellow

When I first started seriously geeking out on gardening I kept reading again and again that “yellow is banished from gar

Pot’s growing on in March: spring bulbs start turning up to the party

My biggest delight so far this month is the success of our perennial spring bulbs. Given the extreme cold weather this year I&

Oh Beehave!

I was pottering around outside today in our little urban garden and while watering the ferns I spotted that little badger up t

Allotment Month 28: harvesting parsnips, beating weeds, sowing seeds and signs of spring (at last!)

Currently I feel I have the measure of my allotment, how long that feeling will last remains to be seen.

Behind-the-scenes of McBean’s Orchids, Sussex

“We’re going in!” I hit the car breaks, indicated and abruptly swerved into the driveway. “ORCHIDSR

Robot lawn mowers, battery operated gardening tools and other tech at the Garden Press Event

I attended the Garden Press Event for the first time this year and it was a wonderful meet-up for the gardening bloggers, jour

Houseplant trends: the bigger the better

Over the last few years we’ve seen an explosion of interest in houseplants, largely driven by Instagram. As people’

Surviving: checking the damage caused during the coldest week in eight years

The week during Storm Emma – the coldest week in our garden in eight years – was one of the most worrying weeks I&

12 plants that add COLOUR-POW to your garden in winter

If your garden doesn’t look something like the above right now, it’s time to act! Plan now to add a little sparkle

Mossy Rock (part two)

I know what you’re thinking moss fans, will he shut up about that bloomin rock what’s happening with Mossy Rock? Well, goo

Fleeting flowers

The joy of the snowdrop, cherry blossom and tulip. The fritillary and daffodil, the allium and poppy. Momentary pops of colour

Collecting seeds from Leonotis nepetifolia

Over the last few years I’ve been growing Leonotis nepetifolia (thanks to Jonathan Gregson for correcting the species in

Pot’s growing on in February: Hellebores, Snowdrops and vigorous perennials forcing changes

It’s been three years since we set up our garden. For the first time a large number of plants have multiplied so much th

How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (Part Two)

A year ago I experimented with nipping out the growing point of my Aeonium ‘Zwartkop‘ to make it branch. It worke

Spring is in the air in London

In the air but importantly, not quite here. Yet on mild sunny days the signs of spring are all around us and, here in London a

Dr Nathaniel Ward’s Clapham home and garden to be demolished imminently

Three years ago almost to the day I wrote this blog post about discovering the existence of Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward’s

Allotment Month 26: sprucing and rearranging

Toward the end of autumn I find the battle against couch grass and other weeds relentless and with the coming winter, I just s

Pot’s growing on in January: Planning for summer, sowing sweet peas, Eucalyptus gall wasp and houseplant love

After an incredibly busy end to 2017 when all thought of our garden went up the chimney with Father Christmas, my mind is now

Mossy Rock (part one)

Some strange ideas run through my mind and I admit this is among the strangest. Last year I had to replace a section of fence

Add some zing this summer with the unnatural flowers of Zinnias

Zinnias are odd. Almost unlike any flower I’ve come across before, they just do not look or feel real. Like a primary sc

An introduction to native wild orchids the alien wonder beings

People tell you that magic isn’t real, that Utopia is impossible. They’re talking bollocks. I know because I’

There you are

For hours now I search for you Across chalky downs of grass Jewels a plenty everywhere But where are you I ask

12 Photos that shaped my year

The last twelve months have given me the chance to explore my design likes and dislikes in my own gardens and to study combina

From the streets: A walk in the winter sunshine

The interplay of nature and humanity is endlessly fascinating to observe. Nowhere is it more obvious and at the same time hidd

Allotment Month 25: planning for the year ahead – parsnips, cauliflower, kale, carrots, apples

Can you believe I’ve had my allotment for two years?! The excitement of taking ownership still feels like yesterday to m

2 Littlebury Road: a year in photos

I could write an entire book about our little inner city garden flat in Clapham. Instead, ta da! Here’s a supersized blo

How long do you spend planning your garden?

So here’s a question: throughout the year, how much time do you spend planning and thinking about how your garden will l

10 moments of exotic garden genius in Kent

One of the most enjoyable days for me this year was visiting my friend Philip Oostenbrink, a fellow tropical and rare plant nu

Garden Blog of the Year

Exciting news! My little blog has only gone and won an award. A real one! LOOK: I’m very honoured to have been given the

DAHLIAGEDDON

It’s mid-November and some of our Dahlias in the garden are still flowering, just. This follows an absolutely epic windf

Reforesting Yorkshire

Chris and I popped up to Yorkshire this weekend to celebrate my birthday and my mum’s, both on bonfire night the fifth of No

The Great Mystery: closer to nature with the awesome power of seasons

I had a rare day to myself on Sunday and I used it to wander around one of my favourite wild areas and to spend time on my all

Propagating Hippeastrum from offset bulbs

Hippeastrum (incorrectly called Amarylis by shops for some reason) are amazing indoor plants that flower in Winter / early Spr

Oh Autumn!

As an artist, through each waking day there are thousands of wonderful things that catch my eye. In that split second when eye

Gardening jobs to do in October: harvesting, bulb planting, propagation by dividing, cutting and sowing

If like me, you may have been coasting along on a post-summer ‘put your feet up’. Well, I’ve got news for yo