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Quick answer: Plant herbaceous Peonies in autumn as bare roots, or any time the ground isn’t frozen from pots, in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Keep the buds no more than 2.5cm (1in) below the surface, as planting too deep is the main reason Peonies don’t flower. Support the stems in spring, deadhead after […]

Quick answer: When you prune a Hydrangea depends on its type. Mophead and lacecap Hydrangeas are pruned in March, cutting the old flower heads back to the first pair of fat buds and no further. Paniculata and Annabelle Hydrangeas flower on new growth, so cut them back hard in late February or March. Climbing Hydrangeas […]

Quick answer: The most common reasons a Wisteria won’t flower are missing the summer and winter prunes, a plant that is too young or grown from seed, too much nitrogen feed, not enough sun, and dry soil in late summer when next year’s flower buds are forming. Fix the pruning first: five or six leaves […]

Quick answer: A modern garden comes down to restraint. Use clean, straight lines that take their scale from the house, one or two hard landscaping materials such as porcelain or sawn stone, and plants repeated in blocks rather than dotted about. Add rendered walls or Corten steel for structure, light it well and keep the […]

Quick Answer The best raised beds for most UK gardeners are galvanised steel (20 to 30 years), pressure-treated timber kits (10 to 15 years, most affordable) or composite WPC beds (15 to 20 years, minimal maintenance). Check the inside dimensions before buying: 1.2m wide at most, and at least 30cm deep for vegetables. Raised beds […]

Quick Answer Hellebores are hardy, evergreen perennials that flower from December to April. Plant them in autumn or late winter in partial shade, in humus-rich soil that stays moist but drains freely, with the crown level with the soil surface. Cut off the old leaves as the flower buds emerge in midwinter, mulch each autumn, […]

Quick Answer The best time to sow grass seed in the UK is late August to the end of September, with mid April to May as the second window. Sow when the soil is above 8°C. Prepare a weed-free, level, firm seedbed, sow 35 to 50g per square metre in two passes at right angles, […]

Quick Answer Grass seed takes 7 to 21 days to germinate in the UK when the soil is above 8°C and kept moist. Perennial Ryegrass appears first, in 5 to 10 days, Fescues take 7 to 14 days and Bents 10 to 21 days. A new lawn is usually ready for its first cut after […]

Quick Answer Water new turf until the soil underneath is wet as soon as it is laid, then soak it every two to three days for the first fortnight, easing to twice a week by week five. Keep off it for two weeks. Once it passes the tug test, usually at three to four weeks, […]

Quick Answer The best grass seed for most UK gardens is a hard wearing mix led by Perennial Ryegrass, such as Johnsons TuffGrass for family lawns. For shade, choose a Fescue and Meadow Grass mix like Boston Seeds Shady Lawn. For fine ornamental lawns, pick a Fescue and Bent mix with no Ryegrass. Match the […]