Amateur Gardening

Every week, Amateur Gardening is the first choice for both beginners and knowledgeable gardeners looking for advice and easy-to-follow practical features on growing flowers, trees, shrubs as well as fruit and vegetables. Be inspired, by our beautifully illustrated features covering plant and flower groups, both home grown and exotic, and take a sneak peek into some of the most beautiful private gardens around the country. Plus, every week we feature expert opinion and tips from some of gardening’s most influential exponents including Toby Buckland, Bob Flowerdew, Anne Swithinbank, Peter Seabrook and Jo Whittingham.

Get planting for spring • Bulbs are a brilliant way to add easy colour, said Ruth

Create a palette of colour • Use bulbs all over the garden and patio

Some lawns will not survive • Drought may have killed off roots says Marc Rosenberg

Might brown be the ‘new green’?

Is this the holy grail of grass?

Cutting summer raspberries • Remove old canes for next year’s growth, says Ruth

The greenhouse in autumn • Clean it well in preparation for winter plants, says Ruth

Bringing light to shady areas • Hedgerow flowers are a boon to the garden, says Ruth

Green revolution • Not all green manures are the same, says Bob, as he explains which are the best for gardeners to grow

Running to seed • Val explains why she lets her garden go in September

Focus on… Perpetual strawberries • When it comes to strawberries, you can never have too much of a good thing. Lucy shows you how to grow perpetual or everbearing varieties with real staying power

Radiant Perennials • Vibrant flowers in the garden, year after year

Think pink • Inject the garden with warmth and cheer by getting pink perennials in the ground now. From fiery fuchsia to pastel blush, there is a shade for every border, says Hazel Sillver

The global garden • The globular flowerheads of alliums add shape and colour to borders during late spring and early summer, says Hazel Sillver, as she looks at the best types to plant now

This week… Sedums • If you want colourful, drought-tolerant plants that are loved by pollinators, try sedums

Ask JOHN NEGUS • John will reply personally to all your gardening questions

Doing what comes naturally • Christopher Lloyd, of Great Dixter fame, takes you on a guided tour through the world of naturalised bulbs, listing many of his favourites

Gardeners with a story • We look at the life of William Kent (1685-1748)

A gardener’s MISCELLANY • Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke

Word search

Crossword • …just for fun!

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Dividing Oncidium orchids • Steve and Val Bradley explain how to divide and repot Oncidium orchids

Ask ANNE SWITHINBANK • Masterclass on: keeping air plants healthy

Your LETTERS TO WENDY

Amateur Gardening

Good cop, bad cop • There was a time when you knew who the troublemakers were in your garden, but things have changed, says Toby