Low maintenance gardens

The subtle grass-like sedges of Carex are perfect for adding texture and beauty in challenging and shady spots in the garden. Words Giacomo Guzzon, photographs Jason Ingram

Worried that No Mow May will turn your garden into an unmanageable mess? Here are some ways that you can embrace the 'No Mow' concept while keeping your garden acceptably neat.

As Ken Thompson explains, the key to a good soil lies both in its structure and in the life it sustains. But is any of it improved by digging?

Kew-trained plant expert Graham Rice recommends 15 of the best crab apple trees for blossom, foliage, fruit and flavour. Photographs Dianna Jazwinski

For many, the word conifer conjures an image of imposing trees and hedges, but there are also smaller types that can add useful evergreen structure. Matthew Pottage, Curator at RHS Garden Wisley, recommends some of the best to grow. Photographs by Jason Ingram.

Winter heather provides colour in the coldest months. Shrub expert Andy McIndoe recommends 20 of the best winter-flowering heathers, including Erica carnea, to grow in your garden. Photographs Dianna Jazwinski

Interested in the centuries-old skill of hedge laying? Follow our guide on how to lay a hedge and learn about the traditional ways to lay a hedge. Words Louise Allen, photography Andrew Montgomery, illustration Liam McAuley

Paths are not just a means of getting around – they can knit areas of the garden together and are as much a part of the overall design as any other feature. Designers James Alexander-Sinclair, Andrew Wilson and Arne Maynard offer solution

Lavender is a very versatile, low maintenance plant to grow and is suitable for gardens of all sizes. Here is a list of favourite lavender cultivars, along with tips on how best to grow and maintain them

To help you get the very best out of bulbs in pots, follow these step-by-step instructions, advice and inspiration to create and maintain stunning container displays throughout the year.

For their mid-century modernist home in west Dorset, Vanessa Barlow and Jethro Marshall looked to designer Alice Meacham to create an airy gravel garden that would complement their open plan home. Words Hannah Gardner, photographs Jason Ingram

Spanish designer Fernando Martos explains why he combines the beauty of Spain's arid landscape with English planting ideas in his dry garden designs. If we're considering climate change, his approach could be a useful one for us to take note of

Edimental plants – plants that are both edible and ornamental – are a beautiful and easy way to grow your own food. We asked three expert growers to recommend their favourite edimentals to grow.

Careful sculpting, artfully placed local stone and considered planting has transformed a sloping garden in San Francisco into a charming, immersive space. Images by Marion Brenner.

Terrariums are indoor miniature gardens created under glass using moss, succulents and other low-maintenance plants. Follow our easy step-by-step guide to planting up your own terrarium.

Generations of gardeners have been told that digging is the best way to prepare soil for planting – but that’s a myth, according to grower Charles Dowding, who practises no dig gardening. Charles explains what no dig is and how it works

Plastic waste in the garden is a problem. Here we look at how gardeners can reduce plastic use in the garden and offer some tips on how to get closer to a zero waste garden. llustration Vicki Turner

Author and landscape architect Marian Boswell offers tips on how to create a layered, mixed garden border