Successful Home Gardening Second Edition

Wildflowers

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We all want a beautiful, thriving garden, but how can we improve our skills so that our garden will prosper? These gardening tips from expert Chris Bonnett, owner of online garden centre Gardening Express, will give you a great start.

1. Positioning

The most important part of gardening is making sure you position plants in the right places. Some plants love the sun, while others thrive in the shade. Some handle a good drenching and others can last with very little water.

Do your research and work out what types of plants will do well in your garden, taking into account soil type, sunlight, water and drainage. You might love a certain plant but that doesn't necessarily mean it will survive well in your garden's conditions.

2. Space

Plants need sufficient space to grow so they're not competing to get the nutrients they need. Spreading them out will make your garden look tidier and well balanced as well as allowing the plants to flourish.

The key is forward planning. Always keep in mind where the garden is going, not just what it currently looks like, and plant accordingly. If you've just moved into a property, wait about a year before doing anything drastic to your garden so you can see what it's like in each season. You can then plan what you're going to keep and what you want to dig up and replace.

3. Soil Preparation

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Knowing whether the soil in your garden is clay, sand, silt, loam, peat or chalk will help you choose the right plants. To find out more about soil types, visit the RHS website.

Always thoroughly dig over any beds before planting. This stops the soil becoming too compacted and allows you to introduce compost or other fertilisers for extra nutrients.

4. Fertilising

Fertiliser is a great way to improve soil quality and plant growth and is especially useful for plants in pots, fruit and vegetables. If you have healthy soil it's not always necessary to use fertiliser but for nutrient-deficient soil it's a good way of giving your plants a boost.

Make sure you get the right fertiliser as different products have formulas designed for different plants. Never mix fertilisers together as the chemicals in them could react and have disastrous consequences. Always read the packet carefully to choose the right fertiliser for your garden and follow the instructions for achieving optimum coverage.

5. Planting bulbs

many crocuses in spring - flowering flowerbed

K_Thalhofer Getty Images

It is important to make sure you plant bulbs the right way up! It's an easy mistake to make but it will mean growth will be delayed while the roots try to find their way down into the soil and it will use so much energy the plant might not survive.

Place the bulbs in the hole with the shoot, facing upwards – if the shoot isn't immediately obvious then have a look in a gardening book or online first to work out which way is up. Space them at least twice the bulb's width apart for optimum growth.

6. Weeding

When some plants start germinating they can often look like weeds so it's important to label everything you plant so you don't pull them up by mistake. If you don't have plant markers then old ice lolly sticks are a great alternative. This is also a great way of keeping track of what you've planted and where.

7. Watering

Watering can water drops on garden grass

Flavio Coelho Getty Images

Watering is essential to a healthy garden but it can be tricky to get the balance right between giving a plant enough water to thrive and not over watering which will cause the roots to rot.

Keeping soil moist, especially in very hot weather, is important. If you just sprinkle water on the surface then it will simply evaporate so make sure it soaks in about 10cm – scrape back the soil to check it has percolated through enough.

If plants are watered in full sunlight then you risk burning the foliage as the water droplets will magnify the sun's rays. It's best to do your watering in the morning or wait until early evening once the sun is lower in the sky.

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22 best gardening gifts under £35

Gardening letterbox gift — Gardening Gifts

RHS Gardening Letterbox Gift

Treat your gardening-loving friend to this wonderful RHS gift set. Small enough to fit through the letterbox, it includes a pair of gardening gloves and a handy set of wooden plant labels.

Wildflower bomb — Gardening Gifts

Pollinator Beebom, Wildflower Seed Mix

nationaltrust.org.uk

£4.50

These easy-to-use seedboms biodegrade into the environment leaving only plants behind. The ultimate stocking filler, each pack contains Cornflowers, Vipers Bugloss, Wild Marjoram, Red Clover, Borage & Phacelia.

SEE MORE: 6 steps to sowing wildflower seeds in your garden

Gardening gloves — Gardening Gifts

Burgon & Ball Flora & Fauna Gardening Gloves, Medium

Burgon & Ball johnlewis.com

£14.99

Gloves are a must-have for gardeners. With a sweet bird print and ultra-soft fell palms, this Burgon & Ball style is perfect for all.

Plant care set — Gardening Gifts

Plantsmith Houseplant Care Gift Box

Surprise plant parents with this houseplant care gift set. Featuring plant food, tonic and care mist, it has all the essential nutrients to help keep plants happy and healthy.

Trowel box set — Gardening Gifts

Sophie Conran trowel gift boxed

Sophie Conran crocus.co.uk

£19.99

Presented in a lovely box, this Sophie Conran trowel makes the perfect gift for your garden-loving friend.

Slate market — Gardening Gifts

Engraved Slate Plant Marker

gettingpersonal.co.uk

£9.99

Make a friend or family member smile with this lovely personalised state plant marker.

Plant pot — Gardening Gifts

Dutch Floral Patterned Plant Pot

notonthehighstreet.com

£11.95

Have you ever seen a more beautiful plant pot? These even come with their own bulbs, so expect Delft Blue Hyacinth to blossom next spring.

Tool bag — Gardening Gifts

Sophie Conran tool bag

Sophie Conran crocus.co.uk

£23.99

Keep tools and accessories neatly stored away with this stylish gardening bag. Designed by Sophie Conran, it's water resistant, wipe clean and has practical restraining straps to keep your items safe.

Hand lotion — Gardening Gifts

Lemon and Rosewood Organic Hand Lotion

nationaltrust.org.uk

£14.00

Gardening is often tough on the hands, so it's important for regular gardeners to look after their skin. Trust us, this hand cream will go down a treat...

Gardening tea towel — Gardening Gifts

Dig the Earth Tea Towel

emmabridgewater.co.uk

£12.00

Dry up dishes in style with Emma Bridgewater's tea towel featuring everything you might find in a potting shed.

Watering can — Gardening Gifts

Mini Green Earthenware Watering Can

Formed from earthenware and finished with a glaze, this watering can is a must-have for avid gardeners.

Bee house — Gardening Gifts

Shetland Hexagonal Bee House

gardentrading.co.uk

£25.00

Encourage bees into the garden with this affordable bee house. Designed to imitate honeycomb's hexagonal shapes, it's the perfect nesting site.

Garden kneeler — Gardening Gifts

Canvas Garden Kneeler

notonthehighstreet.com

£24.95

This practical canvas kneeler is a must-have for every gardening aficionado. Its long handle makes it incredible practical to hang in a shed or garage after use.

Ceramic plant set — Gardening Gifts

Personalised RHS Set Of Two Ceramic Planters

gettingpersonal.co.uk

£22.99

Get personal with your gift ideas and give something printed with your own message. These ceramic planters make excellent presents.

Great for book lovers — Gardening Gifts

Wild at Home: Style & Care for Beautiful Plants Book

A book is always a good idea. Wild at Home is a great title to gift plant and garden lovers alike.

Hand fork — Gardening Gifts

Hawkesbury Hand Fork

gardentrading.co.uk

£12.00

Every gardener needs a practical hand fork. Tidy up flower beds and borders with this three-pronged hand tool from Garden Trading.

Planter — Gardening Gifts

Lloyd the Llama Ceramic Planter

Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com

£15.00

Keep succulents and small cacti in this sweet llama-shaped ceramic planter.

Potted plant — Gardening Gifts

50cm Peace Lily | Spathiphyllum | 13cm Pot | By Plant Theory

Bring a smile to your friend's face with this peace lily in a soft grey pot. With dark green foliage and long-lasting white flowers, it's a beautiful way to brighten any room.

Garden tools mug — Gardening Gifts

Seconds Good Gardening Gardening Tools 1/2 Pint Mug

emmabridgewater.co.uk

£14.95

With a gardening tools design, this gorgeous mug is a brilliant gift for every garden lover.

Workshop — Gardening Gifts

Chilli Grower Workshop for Two

virginexperiencedays.co.uk

£20.00

Learning new skills are always exciting. This experience gift will give guests the chance to professionally learn how to grow their own chillis at home.

Bird food tin — Gardening Gifts

Burgon & Ball Enamel Bird Feed Tin, Cream

Burgon & Ball johnlewis.com

£22.49

This enamel tin is an incredibly stylish way to store bird seeds. We're certain it will make a well-received gift.

Fat ball set — Gardening Gifts

Fat Ball Bird Seed Gift Box

notonthehighstreet.com

£25

This gift box will give your gardening friends a step in the right direction to help care for any small garden birds.

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