Low maintenance gardens
Our guide to finding the easiest ways of gardening
Leave your leaves: Here's why you don’t need to tidy up those garden leaves
Gardeners mean well, but the act of gardening can be a hindrance to increasing biodiversity. Maybe, says Rebecca McMackin, we need to let leaves be. Illustration Rosanna Morris
How to lay a hedge
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
Wondering what no-dig gardening is? Let the expert explain
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
31 small garden design ideas from experts that will maximise impact and space on your own plot
Three top designers share expert advice on creating small spaces that really work, with insightful dos and don’ts to apply to your own garden. Picked by Harry Holding, Caroline Clayton, Harriet Farlam and Ben Chandler
10 facts you (possibly) didn’t know about dahlias
Celebrating dahlia season - here's 10 facts you might not have known about these gorgeous late season flowers
Easy lawn alternatives: here are six plants that will work as an alternative to grass for your lawn and are easier to maintain
A lawn doesn't have to consist of grass. Here are six beautiful alternatives that will cover the ground and give you a green look, without the need to mow.
How to enjoy an attractive lawn with less effort
Want a lawn, but don't want the effort of maintaining it? Garden designer Jack Wallington shows how you can have the best of both worlds.
Struggling with slugs? Here are 38 slug-proof plants and flowers that won't get munched by molluscs
Looking for plants that won't get munched by slugs? Instead of using slug controls, why not grow plants that the molluscs just don't like? Here's 38 to choose from
Reducing plastic in your garden and allotment
The invention of plastic changed how we gardened forever. Now it is everywhere, here's why we need to deal carefully with our plastic usage and how to get closer to a zero waste garden. llustration Vicki Turner
The best crab apple trees for colour and form
Kew-trained plant expert Graham Rice recommends 15 of the best crab apple trees for blossom, foliage, fruit and flavour. Photographs Dianna Jazwinski
Here's what companion planting means and why it can help plants thrive
Ever wondered how companion planting might help your vegetables and deter pests? Here expert grower Matthew Biggs breaks down the companion planting myths and explains how the system works
Think 'No Mow May' is not for you? Try these neat ideas for your lawn
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.
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
Elevate your garden with the best climbing plant supports of 2025
Give your plants the support they need to help them flourish in the garden. Here are a few of the best wall trellis designs for climbing plants in 2025
Ditch the spade and save your soil: why digging is the one garden job you don't need to do anymore
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?
The best small conifers to grow
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.
The best winter-flowering heathers to grow
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
10 ways to improve your garden
Award-winning garden designer Jinny Blom gives us her 10-point plan for improving any garden.
Garden path ideas: how to make a garden path
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
Inspiration and advice for planting bulbs in pots
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.
An airy gravel garden around a modern house in Dorset
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
How to plan a dry garden plus plant combinations
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
Edimentals: What are they, and how to grow them in your garden
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.
A small, sloping in garden in San Francisco
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.