Growing in the Border
a hands-on approach to gardening

Having been asked by several people about watering I thought it might make a good subject for this month’s Diary post. During these hot...

This month generally brings with it a greater certainty of warmer and sunnier weather. That said as I write this I’m wearing a scarf and...

The month of May can often feel like the overture to summer. We’re not quite into the main performance, but this month gives plenty of...

As the garden seems to have taken its time to emerge this year I thought that this month would be a good moment to champion some of those...

As the garden pulls out of the winter we see many flowering bulbs come and go through the month of March. Dependant on the temperatures...

For this month's Diary post I want to focus on Camellias. In much of the British Isles many Camellias will begin to emerge through the...

So here we are in the New Year and the month named for Janus, the two-faced Roman god. Like many people my thoughts at this time of year...

As a Christmas treat this year we wanted to send you all a step-by-step for making a 'dry' wreath, one without any need for a moss or...

Thinking over last Friday's Willow Weaving Course I thought it might be interesting to see how material from the garden is used at this...

Well November is here and it's come around quick. Despite the gloom of this week winter is still holding off, and much of the garden...

This month started with the air smelling of autumn, and the temperatures having noticeably dropped. It can feel strange to be starting...

This month I want to look at dahlias in depth. For a long time out of fashion these plants are now very much loved. I don't tend to place...

Well August is here, seemingly a little too quickly. It's been a strange year so far promising to turn to summer on many occasions before...

In the garden here at Blackbrook, the month of July often feels like a scene change between different acts. The story of spring and the...

Well the summer is here and that means that we are surrounded by roses! Their colour fills the garden and their scents the pathways....

This month as we reach the end of spring I wanted to take a look at the palette of this season. Come the summer the deep reds, oranges...

As we work our way through April the spring blossom of the Magnolias is in full bloom, the rain and the warmer temperatures have...

Spring is here and the plants are stretching their limbs, head’s up, ready to get going for the year’s growing. There is much to be...

February is the month where winter starts to fall away. There will likely be cold stings in the tail, but the new leaves are starting to...

Let’s start 2024 with a focus on apple tree pruning. Winter is the main season in the year for pruning trees, shrubs and woody climbers....