Secateurs and loppers are handy pruning tools, but for thicker branches, a pruning saw is the tool for the job. The last resort before you need a chainsaw, a pruning saw has a toothed blade capable of ...

Ginger is a root vegetable with a fresh, spicy flavour. It's used in a number of dishes, including curries, stir-fries, salads and smoothies. It has powerful anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory ...

Tobacco plant (nicotiana) is a popular summer bedding plant, with long tubular flowers that attract butterflies and moths. Many nicotiana varieties are night-scented and open their flowers only in the ...

Purple sprouting broccoli has great flavour, a long harvesting season and is extremely good for you – a single portion provides half your daily requirement of carotenoids, plus high levels of folic ...

Star jasmine (also sometimes known as Chinese jasmine), Trachelospermum jasminoides, is a beautifully scented, evergreen climber. Perfect for growing up a warm wall, or a fence, it's slow growing ...

Duckweed is a common pond weed, visible as masses of tiny, rounded green leaves that float on the surface of ponds and other bodies of still, nutrient-rich water, including in water butts. The ...

When designing a garden it can be difficult to know where to begin. How do you assess the space, draw up a plan, start planting? And what about paths, boundaries, seating and screens? Whether you're ...

Indoor plants bring a wealth of colour to the festive season, lending themselves to table displays and other natural decorations, as well as working as part of a standalone display. Outside, Christmas ...

Grass seed germinates at different rates, depending on various factors such as the grass species, weather, time of year and soil moisture. Typically, germination takes between five and 10 days. Once ...

Bathrooms are a popular place to keep house plants as they typically provide high levels of humidity, similar to a jungle environment, in which many indoor plants thrive. By adding some greenery, your ...

Mimosa tree (Acacia dealbata) is a fast-growing, evergreen tree, with fern-like leaves and bright yellow flowers that resemble fluffy balls, and have a strong fragrance. In the UK it grows to a ...

Take an elephant garlic bulb and divide it into cloves. Plant each clove into well-prepared, weed-free soil, with its pointed end up, 10-15cm deep. Space the cloves 20-30cm apart so they have plenty ...