What is the ‘Chelsea Chop’? Simply put, the ‘Chelsea Chop’ is the pruning of herbaceous perennials to improve and control their shape and flowering. A good time to do this is late spring, often around the time of the Chelsea Flower Show, hence the name. At this point, perennial plants are growing strongly after their winter dormant period and will grow back vigorously. Why do the 'Chelsea Chop'? By cutting back herbaceous perennials with a ‘Chelsea Chop’ you can improve their shape and extend their flowering period. Each newly cut stem will develop side shoots, significantly in ..read more

There’s nothing more cheering than to look up some summer colour on the Mr F website and dream about dahlias. You know what I’m going to say next don’t you: order tubers now before they sell out. I’ve just been drooling over the forty plus Dahlia tuber varieties Mr F are offering at the moment… Over at Mr F HQ the team grows a trial of dahlias every year, helping them choose the best new varieties to add to the range and also helping to decide if some varieties need retiring. Mr Fothergil's team and I are obviously on the same wavelength because they've chosen tw ..read more

Unbeatable for sheer flower power combined with the size of their blooms, these easy to grow, vivacious climbers are so full of vitality and energy, they never fail to bring a garden to life. Whether grown over an obelisk in patio containers, covering pergolas, archways, hiding a garden shed or decorating large areas of wall, there is a perfect variety for just about every situation. With early, late, and repeat flowering varieties available, Clematis can be used to create genuinely jaw-dropping displays that continue from late spring right through into autumn. It is no wonder they h ..read more

At the very start of our gardening lives, often as our parents try to get us interested in gardening for the first time, we’re encouraged to sow seeds of hardy annuals. Flowers whose seeds you can sow outside and in the garden and which will flower in a few months’ time. My mum took a different approach starting me off with radishes because they’re ready to eat so quickly. Bad move. I spat them out – put me off gardening for years. She should have tried hardy annuals instead. They take a little longer but the reward is far far greater. But whether you’re trying to tempt your kids or grandkids ..read more

 This is the month we can take our foot off the brake and dive headlong into sowing and planting. However an overnight frost can undo all our hard work so proceed with caution and be ready with a fleece or cloche to cover up your most precious plants if necessary. The days may feel balmier but Jack Frost is still waiting in the wings and will take great delight in scuppering your plans. In the flower garden WEEDS  At the first sign of warmth weeds will make their presence felt. Young developing plants need all the nutrients they can get so don’t let them lose out to weeds ..read more

Things really step up in the garden through May. For much of the country threat of frosts are gone by the middle of the month meaning planting for summer can really begin though the further North you are the longer you’ll have to have frost protection at the ready – even into early June for parts of Scotland. For those without indoor space for early sowings this is the month to sow outside in earnest – pretty much all hardy annuals and even the half hardy types can be sown outside this month in the warming soil. Those that do make an early start will have windowsills cold frames and greenhouse ..read more

Planting Out Hardy Perennials in March As long as the soil is not waterlogged or frozen, March is an ideal time to plant hardy perennials in the garden. Hardy perennial plants are just starting to come out of their winter dormancy, and they will respond well to the opportunity to get into growth for the season ahead. There is still the chance of a cold snap at this time of year, so it is important the plants are hardy varieties. Wherever you have bought your young plants or if you have raised them from seed yourself, it is likely that they have been carefully nurtured in a protected ..read more

The Secret to growing fabulous Hydrangeas One of the most important things a gardener needs to know about hydrangeas is that they need plenty of water to thrive. That means that those gardeners with fast draining, dry sandy soil will definitely need to add great quantities of well-rotted organic matter to their soil so it can hold moisture and provide a thick mulch around the base of plants to try and retain it. Large containers are also a good option here, but regular watering will be essential, especially in hot dry summers when it may need to be done on a daily basis. Setting up a ..read more

This is the month when seed sowing really gets into full swing especially in the south of the country, with half-hardy flowers and vegetables which need gentle warmth for germination and the early stages of development. At our trials ground in Kentford our grounds manager has already begun to make under-cover early sowings and his activity will move up a gear or two as March gets into full swing. The busiest time of the gardening year arguably is late February and March as we fill up our seed trays and all available space in coldframes windowsills and under cloches to get an early start o ..read more

February Jobs In The Garden Pick a nice day to potter.. For those itching to get into the garden on those rare but exceptional, sunny February days, there are plenty of reasons to go and make the most of them. Even though the weather may be cold and the plants still dormant, there are still many useful things you can do to keep your garden looking it best, healthy and ready for spring. Right Now, It Is All About Pruning, Cleaning, Protecting, Planning and Preparing First on the February list of winter garden maintenance jobs is to continue to tidy up your garden, clearing out any leaf litter ..read more