New to the world of gardening? Or know somebody who is? Or perhaps you would just like to brush up on your core gardening skills. Our latest special-edition guide, Beginner Basics, is packed with advice to help you get started in the garden. Turn your dream plot into a reality, grow easy crops and enjoy enhancing your gardening skills, with our practical know-how and expert advice. Discover essential techniques, simple planting combinations, tackling weeds, easy design ideas and much more!
Welcome
Garden inspiration • Whether you’re creating a garden from scratch, revamping an old one or trying to add a new style to a border, other gardens are a good place to seek inspiration. Look at gardens in magazines or visit some in person to get an idea of the type of design, planting styles and plants that appeal to you. Here’s a mix of gardens to get you started, from small town gardens, roof top city spaces and balconies, to cottage gardens and simple family plots.
1 Getting started • Getting started in gardening can be overwhelming. All those long Latin plant names, all those different techniques. It’s no wonder so many people delay making a start. If you’re coming to it cold, without any experience imparted from others, it all seems so complex. It can seem easier to let the garden lie fallow and call it rewilding. But to do that is to deprive yourself of the thrill of creating an escape from life’s stresses and strains.
Where to start • The most difficult part of a new project can be getting started – follow our guide to taking your frst steps into gardening
Five golden rules • Get to know your plot before you get started on your garden, or even on a new border. Follow these guidelines and make a masterplan
Alan’s top tips
Understanding aspect and soil • The best gardeners know the shady and sunny spots in their plot, and the plants that will suit the soil conditions that they have. Find out what to do in our guide
2 Design guide • ‘Designing your garden’ sounds difficult – it’s easier to think of it as improving your garden, with a series of small changes. Over time, these small changes will transform your space. It can be something as simple as where you place a large container to make a focal point or adding a small tree to create height in your border. Discover how to improve your space, whether it’s a balcony, patio or large garden, with our easy design ideas.
Five golden rules • Learn a few simple design rules and it’s easy to transform your garden or flower border. Here are a few expert tips to get you started
Alan’s top tips
Easy design ideas • Whatever the size of your garden or your budget, these ideas will help you transform your space. Even the smallest garden can be full of impact and it doesn’t matter how much experience you have – tiny changes can make a big difference. Successful garden design is about being clever with the space available. Here we share a few tricks of the trade used by garden designers to make the most of every plot, whether it’s creating a focal point to draw the eye or increasing garden storage with an attractive bench.
The dos and don’ts of garden design
Perfect patios • Patios give us the chance to relax and enjoy our garden as well as entertain al fresco. Here are some top tips on ways to revamp an existing patio or create an inviting outdoor entertaining space
Key features to include
Create garden lighting • Adding lighting to your garden sounds tricky, but there are easy ways for beginners to make an instant impact that won’t blow the budget
Power sources
3 Foolproof plants • In every day, week and month, there are plants that demand attention. Many stand out for months, for instance, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, which flowers from June until October. So what is the...