Plants
Plants, how to plant, what to plant
Easy natural Christmas star decorations using twigs
Create your own quick natural handmade Christmas decorations with these simple but pretty stars made from twigs and evergreens
You can grow beautiful bulbs in your house over winter by 'forcing' them - here's how to do it
Forcing bulbs is a way to manipulate spring bulbs so that they flower early, bringing a much-needed burst of colour into the home during the winter months. Try these bulb combinations to learn how to force bulbs yourself. Images by Jason Ingram
Stop the needles falling and the droop: here's how to care for your Christmas tree so it's happy for longer
You invest in a Christmas tree and bring it into your home over the festive season. Make sure it's as happy as possible so it last for as long as possible
Subscribe to Gardens Illustrated and claim your gift worth up to £36
A very special Gardens Illustrated subscription offer! Join Gardens Illustrated magazine as a member and choose your bonus reward!
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
What's new?
The top wintry walks in gardens: beautiful spots that look great when it gets frosty
It may be cold outside but you can still visit beautiful gardens over the winter months. Here's our top picks of UK open gardens to visit for a refreshing winter walk
Winter gardening: how to prepare the garden and jobs for the winter
Just because winter is here, it doesn't mean there's nothing to do in the garden. Rosie Fyles, head gardener at Chiswick House, and head gardener Benjamin Pope explain what winter gardening needs to be done
Winter flowering plants: experts' choice of the best winter flowers
Our panel of experts pick the best winter flowering plants to grow over the colder months to ensure bright blooms add colour and interest in your garden
These colourful stems will be a great addition to your winter garden
Cultivars of Cornus sanguinea, Cornus alba and Cornus sericea are grown for their colourful winter stems, but some have the benefit of attractive foliage too, giving them year-round appeal. Plant expert Andy McIndoe recommends some of the best.
These beautiful and delicate autumnal flowers are perfect colour for the season
Cyclamen are a welcome sight in the colder months when little else is in flower. Plant expert John Hoyland recommends his 12 favourite cyclamen and gives advice on how to care for them. Photographs by Jason Ingram.
Autumn
In praise of the chrysanthemum
Plant expert Jonny Bruce picks late-flowering chrysanthemums that will look perfect in your garden, and gives advice on how to grow them. Photographs by Jason Ingram
Gardens to visit in November for glorious autumn colour
Head gardener Tom Brown recommends the gardens to visit the month of November to see seasonal plants at their best
Bonfire night is fun, but don't forget to protect your pets and garden wildlife
Our tips on keeping garden wildlife and pets safe on Guy Fawkes night
Bulbs
How to stop squirrels eating your tulip bulbs
Squirrels can ruin tulip displays. We asked a range of experts for their advice on stopping squirrels digging up bulb displays.
How late is too late to plant bulbs?
Ever wondered how long you can wait to plant your spring bulbs? We asked our readers and the experts, and these are the results.
33 of the best spring bulbs to plant in autumn chosen by experts and tips on how to plant them
Five leading garden designers recommend the best spring bulbs to plant in autumn to add colour into the garden after the dull winter months
Flowers
What to plant and sow in November in the garden for a great crop next year
Put the work into your garden now and you'll reap the rewards come spring. Head gardener Benjamin William Pope and garden writer Aaron Bertelsen explain what you can sow in November
A guide to pruning roses
Discover how to prune all types of roses including shrub, climbing and rambling roses in our guide from plant expert John Hoyland. Photographs by Gavin Kingcome.
The best plants for November
There's plenty of ways to find colour and contrast in the garden on November days. Here Tom Brown and Fleur van Zonneveld pick the best plants for November. Photographs Jason Ingram and Maayke de Ridder
House plants
Can house plants really beat mould? We discover the truth around the claims
The internet is awash with advice on house plants beating mould. But are the claims actually true?
How to care for and propagate sansevieria
Sansevieria, or the snake plant, is an almost indestructible houseplant that is creeping out of the shadows to take centre stage. Illustration Patrick Morgan
10 of the best bathroom plants
Here are ten low-maintenance plants that will thrive in your bathroom.
Planting ideas
Get inspiration for your garden and discover which plants will work best and where
No-dig expert Charles Dowding recommends the best winter vegetables to grow
Organic vegetable grower, Charles Dowding chooses his favourite vegetables to grow in the garden or allotment in winter and offers his advice for getting the most from your crop. Photography Andrew Montgomery
Plants to grow for your gut microbiome to boost your health
Growing your own edible plants is a great way to boost your gut microbiome. Discover expert picks of edimentals that are both beautiful and beneficial.
Words: Sid Hill
Where designers buy their plants – discover the display garden and nursery that inspires the UK’s top placemakers
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Perennials in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials. Words Jonny Bruce, photographs Richard Bloom
Pots
A warming winter pot for wildlife using Cornus alba and cotoneaster
Designer Jo Thompson offers a stylish display to see you through the colder months. Photographs Jason Ingram
Discover how to make this beautiful autumnal pot design idea with tones and textures using Heucherella from expert Jo Thompson
A pot with autumn foliage and colours from designer Jo Thompson perfect for the season
Pastels in the shade: a late summer pot with a soft colour combination through autumn
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
Shrubs
Cotinus: smoke bushes to grow for autumn colour
Bold autumn tints and early plumes of flower make the cotinus, or smoke bush, an indispensable shrub in the garden. Shrub expert Andy McIndoe advises on how to grow them. Photographs by Richard Bloom
100 beautiful plants and flowers you'll love in your garden recommended by head gardeners and experts
Head gardeners from some of the most spectacular gardens around pick their top beautiful plants and flowers
Winter interest | Top roses for rosehips
A rosehip is the 'fruit’ of the rose, coming after the summer flowers and
offering vibrant colour in the winter garden. Discover the top roses to grow for rosehips and how to care for them to get the best display.
Spring
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.
Bulbs border display: download our designer plan
Garden designer James Alexander-Sinclair’s bold bulb plan for a bulb-filled border offers a spectacular display of flowering bulbs from January to July. Download the plan here. Illustration Hannah McVicar
When to plant bulbs - make sure you don't miss the moment to get your bulbs in the ground for a great display next year
There are several answers to the question 'When should I plant bulbs?' and here we break down the basics
Summer
The best fuchsias for your garden
Hardy fuchsias can flower from late spring right through to early autumn. Mat Reese, head gardener at Malverleys in Hampshire, recommends his favourites and gives advice on growing them
Why Japanese anemones are the perfect bloom for late-summer and autumn borders
These elegant blooms are perfect for brightening up late-summer and autumn borders, here we explain how to use this colourful flower.
Words: Matthew Reese, Photographs: Jason Ingram
Discover the beautiful National Dahlia Collection and the person who helped save it from disappearing
The National Dahlia Collection has had several homes since its inception in the 1980s, and now, under the care of a dedicated dahlia aficionado, it has been rescued and relocated once more to a new site in Cornwall. Photos Jason Ingram
Trees
Think you want a small tree? You really need a 'trub' - a tree-like shrub - and we've got 13 expert picks
Want to create height and interest in a small garden? You might think you want a tree, but you really need a tree-like shrub – a ‘trub’
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
30 plants that will make your garden look good all year-round
These hard-working plants provide several seasons of interest in your garden through flowers, fruit, foliage, bark and even spring shoots
Winter
November jobs for the garden: don't forget these key things to do right now
There's always something to do in the garden, even in November. Aaron Bertelsen explains a few key things you can do in the garden right now. Illustration Alice Pattullo
Gothic plants for Halloween: these are the plants that could help to spookify your garden
Discover some of the blackest plants, just in time for Halloween
The weirdest, scariest pumpkins and gourds to grow and how to grow them
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy’s pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks. Photographs John Campbell