There’s no time to waste; let me, Lee Burkhill, show you how to use this site to go from zero to Garden Ninja in a matter of helpful guides and gardening videos. If you want to become a fantastic gardener, then let me help train you at your own pace! I’m an award-winning garden designer […]

Quick Answer Hostas need moist, fertile soil and partial to full shade, with spring or early autumn the best time to plant them. Water consistently through the growing season, mulch each spring with peat free compost, and protect young shoots from slugs in April and May, since that’s when the vast majority of hosta damage […]

Quick Answer No dig gardening means covering weeds or grass with cardboard and a thick compost mulch instead of digging or tilling the soil. You plant straight into the compost, top it up once a year, and let worms and soil life do the cultivating for you. It is quicker to start, kinder to your […]

Quick Answer Prune most conifers between April and August while they’re actively growing, and only ever cut fresh green growth, never back into old brown wood, since it won’t regenerate. Yew and young Thuja are the main exceptions that can tolerate a hard prune. Always check for nesting birds first, use sharp, sanitised tools, and […]

Quick Answer Buy plants online from reputable, UK-based nurseries with detailed descriptions, clear real-life photographs, and genuine reviews. Check the plant’s exact size (plug, P9, 1 litre or larger) before ordering, avoid buying in extreme weather, and inspect roots and foliage as soon as the box arrives. A seller who won’t say where a plant […]

Quick Answer Yes, spent compost can be reused. Sieve out old roots, mix with fresh compost or well-rotted manure to boost nutrients, then use it to mulch borders, top dress lawns, help lawn seed germinate, boost a compost heap, or refill pots for a second season. Avoid reuse only if the previous plants showed disease. […]

QUICK ANSWER A dying ceanothus is usually down to waterlogged roots, frost or wind damage, hard pruning into old wood, or simply old age, since most varieties live only ten to fifteen years. Scratch a stem with your thumbnail: green tissue underneath means the plant can likely be saved, brown and dry means it has […]

Quick Answer The Ryobi OHT1855R ONE+ is a 2.7kg cordless hedge trimmer that cuts branches up to 22mm, runs for around 30 minutes on a 2.0Ah battery, and uses the same ONE+ battery as over 100 other Ryobi tools. It is heavier and pricier than entry-level rivals, but the rotating handle and clean cut make […]

Quick Answer Sow courgette seeds indoors in April or May at 18 to 21 degrees, then plant out in a sunny, sheltered spot once frost risk has passed. Feed weekly with a high potassium fertiliser once flowering starts, and harvest fruits at 10 to 15cm every two to three days to keep plants cropping all […]