The clever use and positioning of container grown plants and shrubs can greatly emphasise the beauty and design of a property.

A well chosen display of flowers and foliage plants in an attractive planter can brighten any gloomy corner of the garden. Having two conifers or palms in large pots either side of a path or doorway will highlight these important exterior features of the house.

In warmer Mediterranean climates larger more architecturally impressive plants can be used to compliment any stunning villa design in Nueva Andalucia. (more...)

Most homeowners in the UK keep a garden in the backyard. Depending upon their own particular wants and needs, they can plant flowers fruits or vegetables. Because they improve the outdoor environment, many folks like to plant flowers. In this article we are going to focus on one of the most popular flowers for people who are new to gardening.

Unlike most flowers, full sun perennials don’t expire at the end of the growing season. Rather, they survive in a dormant state with just the leaves and foliage visible. The full sun perennial also produces seeds from which new plants may eventually grow.

With proper care, the original plant will live for many years and it will bloom every spring. This makes them the ideal flower for hedges and border plants. Perhaps that is why they are a common sight in parks and public gardens across the UK. (more...)

The English love affair with the backyard or cottage garden can be traced all the way back to Roman times. Since food was scarce, most homeowners kept fruit and vegetable gardens to help them through the winter. When farming techniques improved and food was plentiful, gardening became a simple hobby.

In time, gardeners began to focus more on decoration than they did on supplementary food sources. What we mean is that they started planting flowers instead of fruits and vegetables. In addition to the decorative benefits, flowers are much cheaper and easier to maintain than fruit and vegetable gardens.

Flowers can also be grown in pots, which can save time, space and money. One impressive new product we had the privilege to review is Stackable Plant Pot Containers. This innovative piece of gardening equipment lets flower lovers stack plants and flowers in sections in a free standing tower. (more...)

Have you noticed how wasps and bees are just about as big as they can get at the moment? Whilst you may be sat in the garden, enjoying some early year warmth and sun, all of a sudden an insect that seems more like a small bird starts to buzz around you and this can scare the living daylights out of anyone.

This is a real sign of Spring and it is simply the queens hunting avidly for a suitable nest for the warmer months ahead. However, this is a time when you may need to be on your guard in the garden, as there is always a possibility that some part of your house or garden could transpire to become a perfectly good nest for these insects.

If this does ever happen, you really must make sure you call pest control experts at the first available opportunity. You should never attempt to deal with either bees or wasps yourself, even if you think you may be able to save a few pounds. (more...)

If you have recently found yourself the proprietor of a garden, the chances are good that you are feeling a little overwhelmed. Cultivating your own ground is more nerve wracking than you might imagine, but luckily, with a little simple advice and some perseverance, you should be able to make the most of your patch of land.

To begin with, it is important that you don't tie yourself up with anxiety. Remember, as a very new gardener, no one expects you to produce a Drayton Manor -like extravaganza. Focus on getting to grips with the basics, and then you can move on to the more complex, delicate elements of horticulture.

To start with, you will want to make sure that you have a good idea of what the climate is like in your soon-to-be garden. You may think it is the same as out on the street and throughout your suburb; however this is not the case. Trees, fences, slopes and the architecture of your house all create unique environmental conditions in your back yard, and you will need to take these into account. (more...)

If you have recently purchased a home with a fix-me-up garden, you will be keen to get started with the tidying and organisational process as soon as you can. While it might seem as if you'll be working your fingers to the bone weeding and replanting, you will be surprised – not to mention rewarded – by how quickly you start to see progress.

To begin with, you will need to stock up on simple, functional garden tools with which to do most of your labour. Ordinarily, you will need to acquire a long handled spade, a long handled fork and a pair of good quality lopping shears. These should allow you to do most of the tasks in you new garden, however you will need to collect more tools as time goes by.

Keep your newly acquired garden implements in a shed or bike sheds if you have one; or else store them indoors in a utility room, garage or scullery. Because your piece of land is bound to be looking a little the worse for wear after a long period of neglect, you will invariably find that you need to call a garden refuse removal company. (more...)

If you are a keen gardener and supporter of eco-friendly principles, you may want to try your hand at organic horticulture. This kind of gardening is designed so that it works with the seasons and makes use only of natural methods of pest control and soil preparation.

To begin with, you will want to ensure that the ground if adequately prepared. Find the right piece of land for your organic garden. You might like to devote a section of your current garden for these purposes; choose an area that catches plenty of sun if you can, even if this means shifting your garden furniture to a new location.

Next, you will want to clear the ground. This should happen twice; once to level the earth and remove stones and rocks, and once again after the first regrowth of weeds has come through. Getting rid of these now will prevent problems in the long run. (more...)