Summer
Direct sowing: 21 easy seeds to sow outdoors
Sowing seeds where you want them to flower is an easy, bother-free way to bring colour to your garden. Here, three experts recommend their favourite flowers for growing direct
21 brilliant bulbs to plant that will give you colour in every season
Garden designer Adam Hunt recommends his favourite bulbs for colour almost all year round.
A pot planting design to try using edibles in a rustic tin bath for colour from now through the summer
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson offers new container-planting inspiration with an idea for flower combinations for late spring
How to care for and propagate aeonium
These dramatic and often statuesque succulents are finally having their moment in the sun – which is just where they like it. Words Nick Bailey, photographs Annaïck Guitteny
Is this grassy perennial the perfect solution for shady gardens? How to use this low-maintenance plant
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
9 new plants you won't have heard of that you should grow this year
We asked expert plantspeople, designers and gardeners which brand new and recently introduced plants they are excited about growing this year
When to plant summer bulbs and the best to choose for a gloriously colourful garden
Spring is the ideal time to plant summer-flowering bulbs. We asked four experts to recommend their favourites
The scene-stealing plants that will stop you in your tracks
Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter's head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact
Get the Great Dixter planting look with the plants Fergus Garrett couldn't live without
One of the UK's most innovative gardeners, head gardener at Great Dixter, Fergus Garrett, shares the plants he loves the most. Portrait Jim Holden
How to grow, care for and dry pampas grass – plus the best varieties
Once hugely popular, pampas grass fell out of fashion, but along with growing numbers of dried flower enthusiasts, expert grower Adrian Bloom is keen to show they are worth a second look. He highlights the best that he grows in his own garden Foggy Bottom in Norfolk, and advises on growing them. Images by Adrian Bloom and Richard Bloom
Ten facts you probably didn't know about poppies
The poppy is widely recognised flower with a fascinating history. Here are ten interesting facts about poppies. Main photo by AnnaÏck Guitteny
Papaver: the best poppies for your garden
The scarlet poppy may be one of the most instantly recognisable flowers, but with more than 70 species of Papaver, in a range of shapes and colours, there’s one for every garden. Plant expert John Hoyland picks the best and gives his growing advice
How to make your garden child friendly without ruining it
If you thought children's play areas and a stylish garden don't mix, here's our advice on pleasing the whole family in the garden.
Everything you need to know about eryngiums
As varied in form as they are widespread, sea hollies lend instant character to a planting scheme with their sculptural bearing and shimmering colour. Photographs by Jason Ingram
34 beautiful white flowers to grow
Discover some of the most beautiful white flowers around and learn how to make a stunning white border to delight from early spring to late summer
Annual climbers: 21 of the best annual climbers to plant
Annual climbers can be sown and grown in a year and are an easy and colourful way to cover walls or trellises. Plant expert Matthew Biggs chooses 21 of his favourite annual climbers
The best scented sweet peas
Choose from our list of favourite scented sweet peas – perfect for your garden and hand-picked bouquets
Growing sweet peas: tips from a cut flower grower
Find out how to grow your best sweet peas yet with help from cut flower grower and florist, Georgie Newbery. Images by Jason Ingram.
How to grow Miscanthus and the best varieties to plant
These enthusiastic ornamental grasses are superb performers, whether used in borders, prairie-style planting schemes or for bold, simple drifts in the garden. Words Neil Lucas Photographs Jason Ingram
Begonias: the best for your garden and how to plant
These tender foliage plants embody a new, light-hearted and exuberant approach to gardening. Garden writer Matt Collins is your guide to how to grow begonias, when to plant them and chooses his favourite varieties to grow. Photographs Jason ingram
Tulbaghia: choosing and growing the best tulbaghia
New forms of these little-known gems with their dainty, tubular flowers and often delicious scent are at last finding their way into nurseries and gardens – and rightly so. Words John Hoyland. Photographs Jason Ingram.
How to grow Persicaria
Persicaria are versatile perennials with late season, brightly coloured flower spikes on hearty green plants from July through to late October. Plantsman Rory Dusoir shares his advice on how to grow persicaria and where to plant it. Photographs Dianna Jazwinski
How to grow Eucomis and the best types to plant
Commonly known as pineapple lilies, these exotic-looking plants are generally hardier than they appear, and can bring a fresh burst of colour and scent to late-summer gardens. Words Benjamin Pope, photographs Richard Bloom
80 beautiful and sustainable plants
Our changing climate is already changing the way we garden. But what plants should we grow? Must we sacrifice lushness for toughness? We asked five leading designers whose gardens have sustainability at their core for their ideas