Monty Don's 15 Best Gardening Tips, Ranked
Monty Don's best gardening tips in his own words, ranked: mulching, peat-free, leafmould, tulips, dahlias, long grass and more, with a month-by-month plan.
Open guideFeeding, mowing, scarifying, and repair guides for UK lawns.
UK seasons Plain advice Free to read
Longmeadow After Gardeners' World?
What we actually know about Longmeadow after Gardeners' World, plus a simple four-zone plan for making any big, busy garden easier to look after.
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Greater Plantain in Lawns: Fix the Cause
Greater plantain in your lawn is a sign of trodden, compacted turf. How to spot it, dig out the crown and repair the soil so it doesn't come back.
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Creeping Thistle: Identify and Control
Creeping thistle spreads by brittle roots and wind-blown seed. Learn to identify it and starve it out by cutting before it seeds, plus what the law says.
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Creeping Thyme Lawn: The No-Mow Trade-Off
Is a creeping thyme lawn right for you? Where it thrives, why it fails on clay and in shade, how to plant and weed it, and how to stop it going woody.
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Grass in Shade: What Grows and What Won't
Which grass grows in shade in UK gardens, why lawns fail under trees, and how to tell when to stop sowing and plant shade-loving ground cover instead.
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Waterlogged Lawn: Diagnose Before You Dig
Waterlogged lawn? Find the real cause first, from compaction and a buried clay pan to a high water table or thatch, then pick the fix that works.
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Prairie Planting: An Oudolf-Style Border
How to make a prairie border in a UK garden: a grass backbone, late perennials in drifts, lean soil, winter seedheads and one cut a year.
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Chafer Grubs in Lawns: How to Stop the Damage
Chafer grubs in your lawn? Spot the C-shaped larvae, time nematodes for late summer, stop badgers and birds tearing up turf, and repair the patches.
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Naturalising Bulbs in Grass: 6 That Thrive
Naturalising bulbs in grass: the six best bulbs for UK lawns and orchards, how deep to plant, the throw-and-plant method and when you can mow again.
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How to Grow Pampas Grass (and Keep It in Check)
Grow pampas grass in the UK without it taking over: pick dwarf 'Pumila' for small gardens, plant in spring, cut back safely and dry the plumes.
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Wild Carrot: Grow Queen Anne's Lace in the UK
How to grow native wild carrot (Queen Anne's lace) in the UK: sowing, poor sunny soil, wildlife value, self-seeding and telling it from poison hemlock.
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Brunnera 'Jack Frost': Shade That Shines
How to grow brunnera (Siberian bugloss): pick silver 'Jack Frost' or tougher green forms, give shade and moist soil, and stop the leaves scorching.
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How to Grow Bergenia (Elephant's Ears)
How to grow bergenia (elephant's ears) in the UK: tough evergreen ground cover for sun or dry shade, with winter leaf colour and spring flowers.
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Yellow Rattle, the Wildflower Meadow Maker
How to grow yellow rattle to weaken lawn grass and make room for wildflowers. Sow fresh seed August to November, press it in and never feed.
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Mining Bees in Lawns: ID and What to Do
Small volcano mounds in your lawn in spring are usually mining bees. How to identify them, why they're harmless and the best thing to do about them.
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Best Plants for Dry Shade: 15 UK Winners
The best plants for dry shade in the UK: 15 tough plants for under trees and beside north walls, plus the simple ground prep that helps them settle in.
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Voles in Your Lawn: How to Spot and Stop Them
Narrow runs and small holes in the lawn but no molehills? It's probably voles. How to tell them from moles and mice, protect young trees and deter them.
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Legal Time to Mow Your Lawn: What UK Law Says
Is there a legal time to mow your lawn in the UK? No fixed hours, but noise nuisance rules apply. Here are the safe times and how to avoid complaints.
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What Wood Pigeons Eat on Your Lawn
Wondering what wood pigeons are pecking at on your lawn? Mostly clover, seed and grit. Here's what they eat, and how to protect new seed and brassicas.
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How to Grow Sweet Woodruff in the UK
How to grow sweet woodruff in the UK: a scented, white-flowered ground cover for dry and dappled shade, plus how to plant, divide and keep it in bounds.
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Stop Badgers Digging Up Your Lawn
Stop badgers digging up your lawn by clearing the grubs they hunt. When to apply nematodes, how to repair rolled-back turf and what the law allows.
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Stop Rabbits Digging Up Your Lawn
Stop rabbits digging up your lawn with a properly built rabbit fence, an honest look at repellents and a simple way to repair the scraped turf.
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Too Much Iron Sulphate on a Lawn: The Fix
Put too much iron sulphate on your lawn? How to tell scorched grass from dead, help it recover, shift rust stains from paving and dose it right next time.
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Lawn Daisies: Remove Them or Leave for Bees?
How to get rid of daisies in your lawn by hand, by mowing higher, by feeding or with a lawn weedkiller, plus why leaving a few helps the bees.
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Circular Lawn Ideas to Reshape a Square Plot
Eight circular lawn ideas to soften a square garden, how big to make the circle, the best edging, and an easy way to mark out a perfect curve.
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Slugs on Your Lawn: Real Damage or Just Trails?
Slugs on your lawn leave silvery trails but rarely harm established grass. How to spot real slug damage, protect new seed and stop border raids.
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Worm Casts on the Lawn: The No-Chemical Fix
Worm casts on your lawn? Find out why they appear in autumn and spring, how to brush them away on a dry day and how to have fewer next year.
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How Low Should You Mow Your Lawn?
The right mowing height for UK lawns in mm, by grass type and season. Why scalping does damage, how to measure your real cut and when to raise it.
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How to Grow Liriope for Dry Shade
Grow liriope (lily turf) as tough evergreen ground cover for dry shade under trees: spacing, the one yearly chop, and which type to buy.
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Should You Leave Grass Clippings on the Lawn?
Should you leave grass clippings on the lawn? Usually yes. Find out why they don't cause thatch, when to collect them instead and what to do with the rest.
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How to Cut a Flower Bed Into a Lawn
Turn a patch of lawn into a new flower bed: mark the shape with a hosepipe, then dig the turf out or smother it with cardboard. Easy UK steps.
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Lawn Edging: Crisp Edges That Last All Season
Get crisp lawn edges with a half-moon iron and a few minutes with the shears. Easy UK guide to cutting, timing and keeping grass out of borders.
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How to Level a Bumpy Lawn
How to level a bumpy lawn by matching the fix to the dip. Thin top-dressing for shallow hollows, lifting turf for deep ones, and why rolling won't help.
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Should You Cut Grass in Hot Weather?
Should you mow the lawn in a heatwave? Yes, if it's still green. Raise the blade to 5-6cm, mow in the cool and leave a brown, dormant lawn alone.
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Best Plants for Winter Seedheads: 15 UK Picks
The best plants for winter seedheads in UK gardens: perennials and grasses that look great in frost, feed goldfinches, and when and how to cut them back.
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Can You Mow a Wet Lawn? Risks and Rules
Can you mow a wet lawn? Yes on light dew and firm ground, but never with a corded electric mower. Here's how to judge it and cut wet grass with least harm.
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Improve Drainage in a Clay Soil Lawn
How to improve drainage in a clay soil lawn. Hollow-tine aeration, sand and compost top-dressing, better grass and when you need land drains.
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Small Holes in the Lawn Overnight: Who Dug Them?
Small holes in the lawn overnight? Match the hole shape to badgers, foxes, birds, rats or mining bees, then fix the grubs that draw diggers in.
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Mower Blade Sharpening: The Signs and Timing
When to sharpen a lawn mower blade: the signs it's blunt, how often to do it in a UK mowing season, and how to file and balance it safely at home.
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How Often Should You Water a UK Lawn?
How often to water a lawn in the UK, and how much. Why one deep weekly soak beats daily sprinkling, plus the rules for new turf, seed and drought.
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Japanese Moss Garden: A UK Shade Project
How to make a Japanese moss garden in a shady UK corner: which mosses to use, where to site it, acid soil, spreading moss and keeping it green.
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Lawn Stripes Without a Roller: UK Method
Get smart lawn stripes without a roller mower. A simple homemade striking board or drag mat, plus the mowing pattern that gives crisp lines.
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Lawn Sand: What It Does and When to Use It
What lawn sand is, how it blackens moss and greens grass, when to spread it in the UK, how to apply it evenly and how to avoid scorch and rusty stains.
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First Lawn Cut After Winter: When and How
When to make the first lawn cut after winter in the UK, how high to set the mower, and the quick jobs to do first so spring grass isn't scalped.
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Sodden Garden? What to Do After Heavy Rain
What to do with a sodden garden after heavy rain. When to walk on it, how to check plants and veg, and how to help the lawn recover.
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Cardboard and Grass Clippings Mulch: How To
How to smother weeds with cardboard and grass clippings: which cardboard to use, how thick to spread the clippings, when to lay it and when to plant.
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How to Get Rid of Couch Grass for Good
How to get rid of couch grass from beds, borders and allotments: forking out the roots, smothering, weedkiller options and stopping it creeping back.
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Wildflower Turf: How to Lay an Instant Meadow
How to lay wildflower turf: preparing the ground, laying the rolls, watering until it roots, and the once-a-year cut that keeps the flowers coming back.
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Protect Grass Seed From Birds: What Works
How to protect grass seed from birds in UK gardens: rake it in, cover with raised netting or fleece, add shimmer tape and know when to take covers off.
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Storing Garden Tools for Winter: Clean and Oil
How to get garden tools ready for winter storage in the UK: clean, de-rust, sharpen and oil them, then put away mowers, batteries and hoses safely.
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Growing Indian Spices in the UK: What Works
Which Indian and Eastern spices you can grow in the UK, from coriander and methi to chillies, turmeric, ginger and curry leaf, and which ones won't crop.
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Lawn Drought Recovery UK Guide
Brown lawn after a heatwave? It's probably resting, not dead. How to check, when to water, and a simple four-week plan to get it green again.
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Mushrooms in Lawns UK: Causes and Fixes
Mushrooms in your UK lawn this autumn? Why they appear, which ones to be careful of, what fairy rings are, and how to clear them without fuss.
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New-Build Garden Aftercare: 3-Year UK Plan
New-build garden aftercare made simple: a 3-year UK plan to keep developer planting and turf alive, rescue compacted soil, replace losses and settle in.
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Lemongrass in Pots: A UK Conservatory Crop
Grow your own lemongrass in a pot from a supermarket stem. Easy UK guide to rooting, warmth, winter care, dividing and harvesting for curries and tea.
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Allotment Paths: Widths, Materials and Building
How to build allotment paths that last. The right widths for a wheelbarrow, woodchip, slabs, gravel or grass compared, and a woodchip path step by step.
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Perennial Pot Combinations That Last for Years
Perennial pot combinations for UK patios: foliage-led mixes of grasses, heuchera and ferns that stay planted for years, with simple seasonal top-ups.
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How to Sow Grass Seed Evenly, Step by Step
How to sow grass seed evenly by hand or spreader. Weighing the seed, the two-pass method, raking in, watering and keeping birds off until it comes up.
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How to Top-Dress a Lawn: When and What Mix
How to top-dress a UK lawn: the best time of year, a simple sandy mix, how much to spread and how to work it in for thicker grass.
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How to Clear an Overgrown Allotment Plot
How to clear an overgrown allotment without wearing yourself out. Cut it down, cover most of it, clear a small patch by hand and grow a crop in year one.
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How to Grow Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)
How to grow blue fescue (Festuca glauca) for year-round blue in gravel, pots and edging: best varieties, gritty planting and stopping brown centres.
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Deschampsia: Native Grass for Damp Clay
How to grow deschampsia (tufted hair grass) in UK gardens: the best varieties for damp clay and light shade, planting, spring tidy-up and dividing.
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When to Cut a Wildflower Meadow and How to Do It
When to cut a wildflower meadow in the UK: why late summer beats June, first-year cuts, the best tools, raking off hay and what to do if you miss a cut.
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Modern Mixed Borders With Matrix Planting
How to design a modern mixed border with matrix planting: a grass or ground-cover base with repeated perennials and bulbs, for sun or shade.
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Wildflower Meadow for Wildlife: Make a Habitat
How to make a wildflower meadow that feeds bees, butterflies and birds. Pick the right spot and seed mix for your soil, then manage it for wildlife.
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Euonymus: The Shrub That Keeps Going All Winter
How to grow euonymus in UK gardens: evergreen ground cover, wall climbers, coastal hedges and native spindle, with planting, pruning and scale care.
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Colchicum: Naked Ladies for Autumn Colour
How to grow colchicum (naked ladies) in the UK: plant corms in July or August for flowers from September, where to hide the big spring leaves, and safety.
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Camassia: Blue Spires for Damp Soil and Grass
How to grow camassia in the UK: the bulb for heavy, damp soil and long grass. When and how deep to plant, best types, mowing and May-June flowers.
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How to Grow Lily of the Valley in Shade
How to grow lily of the valley in UK shade: planting pips in autumn, the best varieties, keeping the spread in check, dividing clumps and pet safety.
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Hakonechloa: The Golden Grass for Shade
How to grow hakonechloa (Hakone grass) in UK shade: the best golden varieties, planting, pots, autumn colour, dividing and good shade partners.
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Pennisetum: Grow Fountain Grass in the UK
How to grow pennisetum fountain grass in the UK: hardy and tender kinds, the best varieties, planting, cutting back, winter care and growing in pots.
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Hypericum: St John's Wort for Every UK Spot
How to grow hypericum in UK gardens: ground cover for dry shade, 'Hidcote' for borders, tutsan and berry types, plus pruning and dealing with rust.
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Leatherjackets: Why Your Lawn Has Brown Patches
Leatherjackets are crane fly grubs that eat lawn roots. How to spot them, when to use nematodes, and how to help a patchy lawn recover in spring.
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How to Grow Stipa Feather Grass UK
How to grow Stipa feather grass in a UK garden, from golden oats to Mexican feather grass, with easy tips on planting, cutting back and self-seeding.
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Rewilding Your Garden: A UK Guide
A friendly guide to rewilding your garden: mow less, plant natives, add a pond, link up with neighbours and follow a simple month-by-month plan.
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How to Grow Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis)
How to grow Alchemilla mollis, or lady's mantle, in the UK: where to plant it, the one big summer cut, dividing clumps, and what to grow with it.
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How to Grow Fritillaria in the UK
How to grow fritillaria in UK gardens, from snake's head fritillary in damp grass to Crown Imperial and Persian lily, with planting depths and care.
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How to Grow Pulmonaria in the UK
How to grow pulmonaria (lungwort) in UK gardens: the best varieties, planting in shade, cutting back to stop mildew, dividing and feeding early bees.
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No Mow May and No Mow Lawns Guide
How to do No Mow May in a UK garden: what flowers to expect, how to keep it looking tidy, and how to start mowing again in June without harm.
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How to Grow Cyclamen in the UK
How to grow hardy cyclamen in UK gardens: the best kinds for autumn and winter, where and how to plant them, easy care and growing in pots.
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How to Grow Aubretia in the UK
How to grow aubretia in UK gardens: easy varieties, planting in walls and rockeries, the trim after flowering, and growing new plants from cuttings.
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How to Grow Chamomile in the UK
Grow chamomile in the UK from seed: Roman or German, making a chamomile lawn, picking and drying flowers for tea, and month-by-month care.
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Lemon Grass on the Patio: Grow, Harvest, Store
Grow lemon grass in a pot on a sunny UK patio for summer, then harvest the stalks and keep them fresh, frozen or dried for months of cooking.
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How to Grow Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) UK
How to grow muscari (grape hyacinth) in the UK: when and how deep to plant, the best varieties, growing them in lawns and pots, and keeping them in check.
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Forest Gardening for Beginners: Where to Start
Forest gardening for UK beginners: what the seven layers are, the easiest plants to start with, your first winter's planting and the yearly jobs.
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How to Grow Sedum (Stonecrop) in the UK
How to grow sedum in UK gardens: tall border types, ground cover, green roofs, easy cuttings and the best varieties for sunny, dry spots.
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How to Grow Thalictrum (Meadow Rue) UK
How to grow thalictrum (meadow rue) in a UK garden, with friendly tips on varieties, part shade, moist soil, staking, dividing and good partners.
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How to Grow Crocus in the UK
How to grow crocus in UK gardens: spring and autumn types, how deep to plant, drifts in lawns, pots, and keeping squirrels off the corms.
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How to Grow Miscanthus in the UK
How to grow miscanthus (silver grass) in UK gardens: the best varieties, planting, cutting back in late winter, dividing and lovely border partners.
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Wildflower Identification Guide UK
Spot common UK wildflowers by season and habitat, with easy tips for telling look-alikes apart and which ones bees and butterflies love.
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How to Plan a Mixed Border
Plan a mixed border of shrubs, perennials, bulbs and grasses that looks good all year. How deep to make it, what goes where and how to prep the soil.
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Best Ground Cover Plants UK
The best ground cover plants for UK gardens, for shade, sun, slopes and paving cracks, with spacing and planting tips to keep weeds down.
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Robot Mower Guide: Wire-Free vs Wire
Wire-free or boundary wire? A friendly guide to robot mowers for UK lawns: how they find their way, wet grass, slopes, hedgehogs and getting started.
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How to Create a Low-Maintenance Garden
How to turn a busy UK garden into a low-maintenance one: cut back the lawn, cover bare soil, choose the right surfaces and let a timer do the watering.
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Common Lawn Weeds: Identification and Control
Spot the common UK lawn weeds, from dandelions and clover to daisies and buttercups, and learn friendly ways to keep them in check.
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Lawn Diseases: Identification and Treatment
Spot and sort out common UK lawn diseases, from red thread and fusarium patch to fairy rings, rust and snow mould, with simple fixes.
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How to Fix a Patchy Lawn
How to fix bare patches in your lawn, from finding the cause to sowing seed or laying turf, plus the best months to do it and how to water.
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How to Feed Your Lawn in the UK
When to feed your lawn, which feed to use in spring and autumn, how to spread it evenly, and the easy mistakes that leave brown patches.
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How to Prevent Weeds Without Chemicals
Prevent weeds without chemicals in UK borders and veg beds. Cover soil with mulch and plants, stop digging, hoe little and often and stop weeds seeding.
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How to Grow Grass from Seed in the UK
How to grow a lawn from grass seed in the UK: when to sow, which seed to buy, getting the soil ready, how much to use, watering and the first mow.
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Mini Meadow: Grow a Small Wildflower Area
How to make a mini wildflower meadow in a small UK garden: pick a sunny patch, strip or pot, choose the right seed, sow it and give it one cut a year.
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How to Get Rid of Moles in Your Garden
How to deal with moles in your lawn, from setting traps in the right run to which deterrents don't work, getting a molecatcher and repairing hills.
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How to Grow Thyme in the UK
How to grow thyme in a UK garden or pot, with easy tips on the best varieties, sunny spots, gritty soil, cuttings, trimming after flowering and harvesting.
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Best Plants for Shade in UK Gardens
The best plants for shade in UK gardens, from deep shade to dappled light: perennials, shrubs, ground cover, ferns and climbers that brighten dark corners.
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Dog-Proof Lawn: Keep Grass Alive
Keep a green lawn and a happy dog: how to fix yellow wee patches, which tough grass seed to buy, simple training tips and a monthly plan.
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Autumn Gardening Jobs: Complete UK Checklist
Your friendly autumn checklist for UK gardens, September to November. Planting, bulbs, lawn, borders, fruit, leaves, wildlife and pond jobs in order.
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When to Sow Wildflower Seeds: Autumn or Spring?
When to sow wildflower seeds in the UK. Why autumn usually wins, when spring is better, which mixes suit each and how to sow so the seed comes up.
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Lawn Alternatives: Ground Cover Plants UK
Fed up with mowing? Friendly advice on UK lawn alternatives, from chamomile, thyme and clover to moss, gravel and easy creeping ground cover.
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When to Mow Your Lawn in the UK
When to mow your lawn in the UK, month by month. How often to cut, what height to set the mower, and when to make your first and last cuts.
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How to Lay Turf: Step by Step Guide
How to lay turf in the UK, step by step: the best time of year, preparing the soil, laying it neatly, watering and the first mow.
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How to Get Rid of Ants in the Garden
How to get rid of ants in the garden: deal with ant hills in lawns, ants on plants and nests in pots, and know when it's better to leave them be.
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How to Grow Heather: 3 Types & Best Soil
How to grow heather in a UK garden: which of the three types suits your soil, when to plant, how to trim without killing it, and a care calendar.
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Lawn Care Calendar UK: Month by Month
A friendly month-by-month UK lawn care calendar: when to mow, feed, scarify, aerate and overseed, so your grass looks its best all year.
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Ornamental Grasses for UK Gardens
The best ornamental grasses for UK gardens, from tall Miscanthus to little blue fescue, with easy tips on planting, cutting back and dividing them.
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Low Maintenance Garden Plants for the UK
Easy-care plants for UK gardens that look great with very little work: tough perennials, evergreen shrubs, grasses and weed-smothering ground cover.
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How to Create a Wildflower Lawn
Turn part of your lawn into a wildflower meadow: getting the soil right, yellow rattle, when and how to sow, and the one cut a year it needs.
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Spring Gardening Jobs: Complete UK Checklist
Your friendly spring checklist for UK gardens, March to May. Lawn, borders, pruning, sowing, greenhouse, fruit, wildlife and pond jobs in order.
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How to Get Rid of Moss in Your Lawn
How to clear moss from your lawn and keep it away, with mosskiller timing, scarifying, aerating, overseeding and fixing shade and soggy ground.
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How to Scarify and Aerate Your Lawn
How to scarify and aerate a UK lawn: the best time, which tools to use, how to do each job and how to help your grass bounce back thicker.
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