Expert Gardening Tips

Horticultural marmite: The natural phenomenon which divides gardeners all over Britain

Variegated foliage may be the bread and butter of some gardens, but for some horticulturalists it seems sickly and spoiled.

Alan Titchmarsh: The 'Hollywood A-listers' of the plant world are fussy, flouncy — and totally irresistible

Alan Titchmarsh waxes lyrical about the benefits of bulbs, and why disposing of them year on year might not be the environmental sin that it seems.

The biggest snobbery in gardening 'isn't just regrettable — it amounts to a horticultural sin of omission'

If you thought conifers were naff, think again says Charles Quest-Ritson, who joins the new wave of designers rediscovering the opportunities offered by spreading cedars, noble pines and mysterious swamp cypresses.

The 10 best shrubs for your garden, by the legendary gardener who's dedicated his life to them

The revered gardener Peter Catt — one of a tiny number of people to have won the RHS’s top accolade — has bred and grown some of the finest shrubs in Britian. He told Val Bourne about his ten favourites.

How to grow garlic: Delicious, lucky and superbly easy to cultivate

Mark Diacono teaches us how to grow garlic.

Is it possible to live off vegetables and fruit from your garden all year round?

John Wright considers how we could all do more to make the most of home-grown produce.

The two herbs to grow in your garden that'll convince you never to eat parsley again

Charles Quest-Ritson doesn't grow a lot of herbs, but those he does would grace any kitchen — and will have your friends clamouring for seedlings.

Alan Titchmarsh: How I grow dahlias — and why they're my second-most infallible plants

Gardener, writer and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh has always loved dahlias — even in the days before they gained their current huge popularity. Here are his tips on how to get it right.

How to create a tunnel of pears in your garden

Few things are as beautiful and yet bear such fruit — literally — as a tunnel of fruit trees in your garden. The owners of Banks Fee share how they created their pear tunnel.

Why quince, beloved by everyone from Edward I to the Ancient Greeks, is the perfect autumn fruit

The saucily-named plant whose very mention sparks blushing and tied tongues

Titter ye not: the splendid Gingo Tit is a compact cultivar with bright autumn foliage and prolific woody growths.

Britain's top landscape architects on how to make your garden fit perfectly into the world around it

You can't just plant what you like and just expect it to work in sympathy with its setting — it needs a bit of careful thought. Juliet Roberts spoke to five top garden designers to get their tips.

A moorland splashed with heather makes our hearts leap — so why don't we grow it any more?

Charles Quest-Ritson looks at how heather has gone out of fashion — and wonders what we can do about it.

Hydrangeas: Varied, colourful and lovingly tended to by the wizard of White House Farm

Mark Griffiths extols the beauties of this shrub, from its 18th-century beginnings to its revival in the hands of hydrangea champion Maurice Foster.

Alan Titchmarsh: The ultimate flower for the lazy gardener

Penstemons are easy to grow, hardy, and flower for months — even the slugs don't both them. They might just be the perfect border perennial, says Alan Titchmarsh.

How to grow chillies in Britain: What to plant, where to plant them and how to make them grow

We associate chillies with hot climates, but they can be grown on these shores — Mark Diacono explains how.

Aquatic plants: Six perfect choices for those wishing to dip their toes into the world of watery flora

Deadheading? Don't worry about it too much, or you'll miss out on some fine surprises

Mark Griffiths passes on sage advice about deadheading old plants from one of the greats of gardening — but cautions us all not to be over-dedicated, or you might miss out on some unexpected pleasures.

How to win show prizes with your fruit and vegetables, by a former champion-turned-judge

Steven Desmond has seen it all — and done most of it, too — when it comes to fruit and veg shows. He shares some of the tricks and tips he's picked up along the way.

How to make a living off your garden: 'The garden draws you in with its wonderful sense of stillness'

Making your living off your garden is a dream for many of us — but it needn't be a dream, as Anna Tyzack found when she spoke to some people who are already doing it.