Veronica Peerless
commissioning content editor
Veronica Peerless is commissioning content editor at Gardens Illustrated. She is a trained horticulturalist and garden designer and is the author of ‘How not to Kill your Houseplant (DK, 2017).
Recent articles by Veronica Peerless
‘When I’m not in the garden, I pull buses and lift rocks' TV producer, director and Instagram sensation Martha Swales
TV producer, director, podcaster and Instagram sensation Martha Swales on her
ambition to get everyone growing something
You could be prosecuted for not dealing with this garden weed properly. Here’s how to know if you’ve got it
Everything you need to know about Japanese knotweed and how to deal with it if you find it in your garden.
A wildlife and child-friendly garden in California
In a California suburb where neat squares of lawn are the norm, landscape studio Terremoto has created something different.
Don’t get ripped off at the garden centre this summer! Here’s what to avoid buying now – and what to snap up
How to be a savvy shopper at the garden centre, with expert tips on what to avoid buying and what to snap up now.
The best fruit pickers for safely harvesting apples and other fruits
We round up the best fruit pickers and fruit picking tools for your harvest - plus some features to look out for.
The 40 plants that garden designers always use – and that you can find at the garden centre
Garden designers reveal their favourite plants that are really ‘good doers’ for all types of garden and style.
Is drought tolerant planting realistic in the UK? Here's the truth about whether you need to adjust your garden to the changing weather
With summers predicted to get hotter, and water becoming a precious resource, everyone is talking about drought-tolerant plants. But are they the answer in the UK and what should we know about planting and caring for them? We ask plant experts and landscape designers for their advice
The modern way to care for your lawn - and the one reason why it never looks its best
Your lawn doesn't have to be such hard work. Here’s how to have gorgeous patch of grass without the hassle.
27 features that are making your garden look dated
Does your garden look old fashioned? Here are the giveway signs
"It has to stop people in their tracks, catch their attention and hopefully stir a curiosity" says designer of a garden for the Lady Garden Foundation
Darren Hawkes returns to RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2026 with this garden for Lady Garden Foundation. Discover the garden with our expert guide.
10 essentials for visiting the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - here's how to make your day run smoothly
From booking lunch to avoiding the Chelsea cough, here are the Gardens Illustrated team's tips for visiting the show
Mary Berry on her guilty gardening secret and biggest mistake
The cookery writer, broadcaster and former president of the National Garden Scheme Mary Berry on her new book and the joy of visiting gardens
Fancy growing something different in 2026? Top plant sellers reveal the plants they're excited about this year
Fancy growing something different this season? Top plant sellers and nurseries told us which brand-new, recently introduced or simply fresh-to-their-lists plants they are excited about this year
Everything you need to know about growing bluebells
English bluebells are one of the highlights of spring. Here's how to grow them in your own garden – and how to differentiate between English and Spanish bluebells.
Everything you need to know about tulip fire
Tulip fire is a fungal disease that can affect tulips. Here's expert advice on how to identify it, and what to do if you find it in your garden
The internet says houseplants beat condensation and mould. We asked the actual experts
The internet is awash with advice on house plants beating mould. But are the claims actually true?
"Don't be put off by funky terms or what concrete or cement is": Henry Agg on demystifying gardening
The garden designer and influencer Henry Agg on not being intimidated by jargon, spreading weeds by mistake and why he loves small gardens
Myth buster | Do you really need to mist your house plants?
We are often advised to mist our houseplants. But is it really necessary?
This dreaded pest can destroy whole gardens in days. This is how to stop them
The box caterpillar, or box tree caterpillar, can devastate box plants in a matter of days. Here's how to deal with it.
Why you should buy snowdrops 'in the green' - plus how to plant them
Planting snowdrops in the green is considered the best way to establish them. Here's advice on why you should buy them, where to buy and how to plant
Alternatives to a Christmas tree
Looking for an alternative to a cut Christmas tree? Here are some attractive conifers that you can grow outdoors in pots all year round, then bring indoors for the festive season
Sustainable Christmas trees: real or fake, what's the best tree to buy?
What is the most eco-friendly Christmas tree option – a real tree, or an artificial one? We investigate the pros and cons of each
Crazy paving, pampas grass and rockeries: 6 naff garden features that are making a comeback
Previously old-fashioned and extremely uncool garden features like rockeries, island beds and even the shrubbery are coming back into fashion – are they crimes against horticulture, or ripe for revival?
This professional designer transformed his own typically long, narrow town garden into an urban oasis
Landscape architect Matt Evans has turned his typically long, narrow, town garden in Bath into a plantsman’s paradise.