Colour me happy! Fragrant phloxes help brighten up those tricky gaps between seasons Nigel Colborn says border phloxes are valuable summer perennials Colourful, fragrant and with sturdy stems, best could carry flowers in September UK-based gardening expert they grow best in fertile, free – draining soil By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: 22:05 … Read more
Loopy about lupins! These versatile favourites give a riot of colour all summer Colour of lupins run from blue, pink, red and white through creams to yellow Lupins are easy to grow from seed and much cheaper than buying plants Gardening expert Nigel Colborn, says lupins prefer free-draining soils in sun By Nigel Colborn for … Read more
Thyme for sage advice: Home-grown herbs are best for fragrance and flavour Nigel Colborn says herbs are as pretty and fragrant as the finest garden plants British gardening expert claims they’re easy to grow, especially in sunny spaces He says each summer you can increase herb numbers with annual varieties By Nigel Colborn for the … Read more
Self-sowing seductors: There is nothing staid about Granny’s Bonnet — and they reproduce prolifically Nigel Colborn says Granny’s Bonnets, also called columbines, are delightful British gardening expert reveals almost all columbines are easy to grow He says columbines tend to be short-lived but will self-sow copiously By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail Published: 22:07 … Read more
My purple patch! Plants with plum-coloured leaves may need more pampering but they’re worth it for the splash of colour they serve up, says Monty Don Monty Don says purple-leaved plants need more pampering than green-leaved British gardening expert claims purple-leaved plants add more depth to a border He reveals purple-leaved plants in his Jewel … Read more
This spring has been exceptionally cold and dry so far, but lovely for all that, with frosty mornings dissolving into bright, clear days. Normally late frosts – any time in April or May – are a disaster for the gardener as the tender new growth is the first to be damaged and blossom is reduced … Read more
Perfect peonies: Make a statement in your garden with these vibrant summer blooms Nigel Colborn says peonies have the ability to stand out on any planting scheme British gardening expert explains peonies are native to Europe and Asia He recommends growing in well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail … Read more
Three years ago I sowed a packet of seed of the beautiful, ethereal feather grass, Stipa tenuissima. At first they appeared as hair-like seedlings but by that autumn the small plants were growing in individual pots and the following spring I planted them out into what was then the new Paradise Garden. These were the … Read more
Carole Middleton is passing her love of gardening onto her grandchildren, and believes it’s important for children to grow up ‘appreciating nature’ and ‘get a bit muddy’. The Duchess of Cambridge’s mother, 66, who lives in Berkshire with husband Michael, told how Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, three, enjoy potting plants and … Read more
Action plan: Nigel Colborn’s essential jobs for your garden this week Nigel Colborn shares advice for avoiding further damage caused by a cold snap He says don’t buy non-hardy plants unless you can keep them fully frost-free British gardening expert says a heated greenhouse is best for protecting them By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail … Read more