Clematis are beautiful and popular climbing plants for the garden, and it’s easy to see why. They climb up fences, arches, pergolas and obelisks, and there are a range of flower colours and shapes to choose from. Different clematis flower at different times, and by choosing several different types, you can enjoy flowers from late winter to early autumn.

Pruning clematis can keep your clematis flowering abundantly, but it can be daunting.

Clematis are classified into three groups depending on when they flower. They are each pruned in different ways.

All new clematis plants can be pruned back to about 30cm in their first spring – this will encourage lots of strong stems.

If you are unsure about which clematis you have in your garden, be guided by when it flowers, and prune accordingly.

You may need to gently detach your clematis from its support before pruning.

Jump to

• Pruning group 1 clematis
• Pruning group 2 clematis
• Pruning group 3 clematis

More on growing clematis:

• Clematis montana: Which to grow and how to prune
• The best herbaceous clematis
• The best late-flowering clematis to grow
• The best winter-flowering clematis

Pruning clematis: Pruning group 1 clematis

Group 1 clematis flowering time: late winter and spring.

Pruning group 1 clematis: These only need pruning to remove damaged stems and to reduce their size if needed, after flowering. Group 1 clematis includes Clematis montana.

If you need to rejuvenate an overgrown plant, you can cut it down hard, although you will lose flowers for a few years.

What clematis are in Group 1?

Clematis in Group 1 include:

• Clematis alpina spp.
• Clematis armandii spp.
• Clematis montana ssp.
• Clematis cirrhosa spp.
• Clematis ‘Early Sensation’
• Clematis ‘Apple Blossom’
• Clematis ‘Broughton Star’

Discover 14 of the best winter flowering clematis.

Read our guide to the best Clematis montana to grow.

Pruning clematis: Pruning group 2 clematis

Group 2 clematis flowering time: large flowers in May and June.

Pruning group 2 clematis: Cut each stems back to a pair of fat buds in February. You can also cut back the plant after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers later in the summer.

What clematis are in Group 2?

Popular Group 2 clematis include:

Clematis ‘Daniel Deronda’
Clematis ‘Dr Ruppel’
Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’
Clematis ‘Vyvyan Pennell’
Clematis ‘Guernsey Cream’
Clematis ‘Niobe’

Pruning clematis: Pruning group 3 clematis

Group 3 clematis flowering time: flowers from late June to early autumn, often with smaller, bell-shaped flowers.

Pruning Group 3 clematis: Remove all growth to a pair of buds about 30cm from the ground in February or early March. The first time you do this can be unsettling – especially when you can see new growth appearing further up the stems you are cutting off. But hold your nerve, cut the whole plant down and a few months later you will have lots of young, fresh, vigorous growth covered in buds and flowers. If you don’t prove, the plant will become tangled, with few flowers.

What clematis are in Group 3?

Popular Group 3 clematis include:

• Clematis viticella types
• Clematis jackmanii
• Clematis tangutica
• Clematis ‘Étiole Violette’
• Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’
• Clematis ‘Princess Diana’
• Clematis ‘Princess Kate’

Read about the best late-flowering clematis to grow.

When we buy a plant, there’s always the temptation to make an impulse purchase. Yet the first question that should pop into a gardener’s head is ‘will it actually thrive in my garden?’

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• How to keep soil healthy
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In a climate as varied as the British Isles, one of the main factors used to work this out is whether it can survive the winter outdoors unaided – what we call ‘hardiness’.

Throughout Gardens Illustrated there are references to a plant’s hardiness described using two separate scales: one from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the other from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Both are based on accumulated experience of a plant’s ability to endure cold conditions, or in the UK, the ability to withstand changeable periods of freezing and relatively mild, wet weather. Plants adapt to tolerate cold to varying degrees. Some will take a light frost (temperatures just below freezing) for a couple of hours, others cope with long periods of freezing to remarkably low temperatures.

Plant hardiness zones USA

The USDA scale was developed in the 1960s for North America but it is now widely used in other countries around the world. It’s based on minimum average temperatures in a range of zones – as shown in the two illustrations – which increase in steps of 10°F. The US zones have been mapped in remarkable detail and plants can be assigned a rating according to the coldest zone in which they can grow or, as we have done here, a range of zones in which the plant is known to grow. These range from 1 (very hardy) to 13 (least hardy), with each divided into two 5°F subzones ‘a’ and ‘b’. This USDA system has been applied to the UK and Europe and gardeners here can use the mapped zones as a general guide.

Plant hardiness zones UK

The RHS scale, introduced in 2012, is a more descriptive system of hardiness ratings. Like the USDA system, it uses a scale (this time in 5°C steps) from H1 to H7, based on minimum winter temperatures. However, it has two major differences. The first is that it runs in the opposite direction to the USDA system – 1 is very tender, 7 is very hardy. It also offers a description for the garden conditions to help reflect the variable nature of UK winters. These are summarised in the scale below, but you can find more detailed descriptions on the RHS website. The most tender rating, H1, has been subdivided into three categories A, B and C.

Perhaps, though, the more important difference is that the RHS scale is a rating of the plant’s hardiness and hasn’t been translated into mapped zones for the UK.

All rating given in the magazine are accurate to the best of our knowledge. Not every plant has been given a rating by the RHS, but where none is available our contributors will sometimes rate the plant based on their own trials. USDA scales are taken from the website of the Missouri Botanical Garden  or based on growers’ experiences in the USA. Both are included as a guide only to help you predict what you should be able to grow in your garden.

USDA and RHS scale (US and UK systems)

A little bit more on microclimate

For those keen to grow tender plants, a south-facing aspect is desirable to maximise exposure to the sun’s heat. Likewise, shelter is critical, either to protect plants from cold winds or from cold air flowing down hillsides.

Gardeners will talk about frost pockets or frost hollows. These are where cold air drains off exposed slopes, as cold air is heavier than warm air, and collects in valleys or in sheltered areas where it cannot escape. This leads to cooler overnight temperatures and more frosts.

Where possible, lay out your garden to avoid slowing or trapping cold as it filters down slopes. Hedges, fences and walls can be strategically placed to protect plants or to provide sheltered nooks where you can grow plants that would not flourish in the open. Walls provide an additional benefit because they absorb heat during the day, which they then give off again at night. Cleverly, this keeps the surrounding air several degrees warmer, which can make all the difference to your plants on a frosty day.

Bear in mind, though, that structures such as walls, fences and hedges also cast shadow. This can mean that after an overnight frost, even though the daytime temperature rises above freezing, the ground remains frozen when in permanent shade.

Useful Information

RHS hardiness ratings rhs.org.uk
USDA hardiness maps planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

What does it mean to fertilise the soil? There is usually an implied understanding that chemical nutrients are to be added, in order to feed plants better. As a result, one ends up focusing on the nutrient needs of particular plants. An alternative approach is to consider soil as a living organism that has the ability, when well fed itself, to provide conditions of fertility. All plants can then thrive, as long as climate and pH are also correct. This approach benefits from knowledge of soil biology and the factors that can promote extra life in the soil. I suggest that soils with an abundance of fungi, bacteria, nematodes, worms, beetles and so forth have the ability to nourish plants with all they need, and to do so in a healthier way than when synthetic nutrients are supplied. In this article I offer a few thoughts on what makes soil fertile, in the biological sense, leading to healthier growth and less need for synthetic chemicals in the garden.

What is soil?

Instead of seeing soil as a ‘nutrient store’ or ‘bank balance’ of plant food, we might imagine it as a living organism which is respiring and full of life – the skin of our Earth. The next step is to consider how to enhance the lives of all those soil organisms that have the ability both to give a healthy structure to soil, and to make nutrients available to plant roots. Two simple ways of doing this are by keeping a mulch of organic matter on the surface, and by avoiding any unnecessary cultivation. Scientists such as Dr Elaine Ingham have revealed much about soils’ food chain, with invisible bacteria at the bottom and frogs, mice, birds and so on at the top (see below and also www.soilfoodweb.com). At the top of this chain is mankind, which has the ability to either destroy or encourage all the inhabitants underneath.

Maintaining soil health

A first step is to avoid regular use of synthetic chemicals that irritate or even destroy many soil inhabitants. And be extremely careful in their use – for instance, it’s better to use just two or three slug pellets under something like a piece of wood, then retrieve and bin the poisoned slugs. A second step is to avoid cultivating soil as far as possible. Thirdly, most positively, we can increase soil life by adding organic matter to the surface, keeping the most finely decomposed compost for plots where vegetables are grown. Adopting all three of these practices together is self-reinforcing. Not digging soil, for example, will lead to a more healthy soil population and more vibrant plants. Your plants then require less chemical assistance to keep disease at bay, especially when they are well adapted to your type of soil, location and climate.

Buying compost and manure

Home-made compost can be supplemented with bought-in compost or manure. Black and crumbly green waste compost and mushroom compost are often available at reasonable prices, say £20 a tonne, but are not rich in nutrients. Animal manure can often be had for the cost of delivery alone and contains a lot of goodness, but is often lumpy and harder to spread evenly. Horse manure is better for heavy soils and cow manure for lighter soils. Many gardens in the past grew fine plants in soil improved with horse manure.

The soil food chain

There’s an incredible dynamism and interlinkage to the working parts of our soil. Impairment of any one group of organisms has bad effects on the others. We need them all.

1. Bacteria are vital to the planet’s health.
   There may be half a million in a teaspoon of healthy soil, mostly helping to decompose organic matter. When bacteria die, the nutrients they recycle become available to plants.
2. Fungi, unlike bacteria, can travel by increasing in length, helping to aerate soil and move nutrients around. Plant roots use mycorrhizal fungi to fetch and unlock minerals, especially phosphorus.
3. Protozoa include amoebae, ciliates and flagellates, which work with and, mostly, live off bacteria. Protozoa may supply as much as three quarters of plants’ nitrogen requirements.
4. Nematodes, or roundworms, are prolific and mostly beneficial, consuming everything below them in the chain, and some above, such as slugs. Above all, nematodes help to mineralise nitrogen.
5. Arthropods include mites, spiders, beetles, springtails (‘soil fleas’) and millipedes, whose main role is to shred organic matter such as leaves, speeding their decomposition.
6. Earthworms make casts up to 50 per cent higher in organic matter than surrounding soil. Their digestive enzymes make nutrients more available to plants. They can open up compacted soils and increase soils’ water-holding capacity.
7. Gastropods are slugs and snails, who play a vital role despite occasionally devastating our plants. Most gastropods live below the surface and convert organic waste to a more decomposed form. Their excretions help bind soil particles together.

Further reading
Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis, revised edition, Timber Press, 2010.

With perennials often costing £10 and upwards at the garden centre, it makes sense to grow your own from seed. Sown in early spring, many perennials will flower in their first year, and will come back every year, making them excellent value.

We asked four experts – Derry Watkins, owner of Special Plants in Wiltshire, Xa Tollemache, garden designer, Joseph Atkin, head gardener at Aberglasney Gardens in Camarthenshire and Marina Christopher, nurserywoman and skilled propagator, to recommend their favourite fast perennials to grow from seed.

How to grow perennials from seed

• Most hardy perennials can be sown in early spring, under cover in modules or seed trays at a constant temperature of around 18-20°C – a heated propagator helps to ensure a steady temperature.
• Once the seedlings have germinated (this can take anything from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on the plant), remove them from the propagator and place on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse.
• Once they have produced true leaves, prick them out.
• As they grow, pot the seedlings on into larger pots.
• Harden off before planting out in late spring or early summer.
• Alternatively, you could scatter the seed where you want it to grow in late summer or autumn, when most plants are naturally producing seed.

For more advice on sowing seeds, head to our detailed guide to planting seeds.

Fast growing flowers from seed: quick perennials to grow

Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Black Knight’

Spectacular, big, near-black flowers speckled with tiny white stamens. A tall plant, usually grown as a cut flower, this will need some support and a few friends around it to hide its rather unattractive legs. Height: 90cm. RHS H4.
Recommended by Derry Watkins

Pennisetum thunbergii ‘Red Buttons’

The red-flushed flowerheads of this grass bob above compact green foliage from late summer through autumn, gradually bleaching to buff. It prefers a sheltered position in full sun, and is quite drought tolerant once established. Height: 80cm. RHS H3.
Recommended by Derry Watkins

Read our Pennisetum growing guide.

Sidalcea ‘Rosaly’

Antirrhinum majus ‘Sonnet White’

One of the selections from the Sonnet Series, ‘Sonnet White’ offers upright stems crammed with those familiar-looking snapdragon flowers in pure white. Often grown as an annual, the Sonnet Series can also be grown as a short-lived perennial. It’s a great cut flower and loved by bees, as well as being easy to grow from seed. Sow February to April. Height: 45cm. RHS H3, USDA 7a-10b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Cephalaria gigantea

Delphinium Belladonna Group

There are various cultivars in this group, offering choices in pink, white, blue and purple. It’s the brilliant blues that I really love. Tall stems with racemes of delicate- looking flowers make great impact in border and are perfect for cutting. Sow indoors in spring. Height: 1m. RHS H4, USDA 4a-8a.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Achillea ptarmica ‘The Pearl’

Oenothera lindheimeri

My favourite of all time – and in flower June to November. Previously known as Gaura lindheimeri, its tall stems with willow-like leaves hold aloft the white-flushed-pink, star-shaped flowers with their delicately dangling anthers. Good drought tolerance and loved by pollinators. Sow indoors January to May. Height: 1.2m. AGM*. RHS H4, USDA 5a-9b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Papaver orientale

It’s gorgeous to have such showy plants as these poppies grow so quickly from seed and there’s a lot of choice of cultivar and colour, so choose and plant generously. Prefers full sun in moist yet well-drained soil. Sow direct in spring. Height: 1.2m. RHS H4, USDA 3a-7b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Read about the best poppies for your garden.

Agastache aurantiaca ‘Apricot Sprite’

Verbena hastata

Find out how to grow verbena.

Digitalis purpurea Camelot Series

Foxgloves are a garden stalwart, and we use a number at Aberglasney, but the Camelot Series, in pink, white and cream, are the most reliable first-year flowering and longest lasting for us. If started early under glass, they will flower in their first year in a home-garden situation. Height: 1m. RHS H5.
Recommended by Joseph Atkin

Discover the best foxgloves to grow.

Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’

This colourful daisy can be short-lived, but happily seeds around on light, well-drained soils. This strain is similar to the species, with multi-branching stems and multitudes of small flowers, which open golden-yellow and develop an intense reddish-orange halo around a dark-brown cone as the season progresses. Height: 1.2m. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Read our detailed guide to growing rudbeckia.

Linum narbonense

Nicotiana suaveolens

Unlike most tobacco plants, this species originates in Australia and is reasonably perennial in mild winters. It has softly hairy foliage rosettes and tall flower stems, which are topped with long, slender, tubular, white blooms with muted green and purple calyces, and a heavenly evening fragrance. Height: 1.2m.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Discover how to grow nicotiana.

Geranium pyrenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’

Forming low mounds of dark-green rounded foliage, this geranium is perfectly happy in shade, producing long, branching stems covered with swarms of vivid, purple-violet flowers. Although small, the vibrant blooms appear in early spring before most perennials have started to grow. Seed sown in spring will flower later in the season. Height: 30cm. RHS H6.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Read about 21 of the best hardy geraniums.

Dianthus cruentus

This little gem of a pink has clusters of tiny blood-red flowers, with contrasting blue stamens and curly white stigmas atop slender grass-like stems and foliage. The blooms appear like jewels when planted among small grasses such as Stipa lessingiana. It prefers sun and alkaline soil. Height: 60cm. RHS H5.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Find out how to grow dianthus.

Lychnis flos-cuculi ‘White Robin’

Ragged robin enjoys moist soils and flowers in spring with pink, slightly jagged petals. This pure-white form has attractive contrasting stems and calyces, and will light up a dark corner with its abundance of cheerful and bright flowers. Height: 40cm. RHS H7.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Growing new plants from seed is a magical process, and it is an economical way of growing, too – one packet of seeds will give you masses of plants, plus some to spare for family, friends and neighbours.

But sowing seeds can be daunting. Here, plant propagation expert Carol Klein and veg grower Aaron Bertelsen give us their seed sowing tips.

Jump to:

• Is indoors or outdoors best?
• Seed trays or small pots?
• The best compost for seed sowing
• Is a heated propagator necessary?
• How to water seeds
• How to sow seeds

Sowing seeds: is indoors or outdoors best?

Carol Klein: Most of my seed sowing is done under cover. There is greater control and higher success rates when seed is sown under glass. A cold frame can be used but a greenhouse is more versatile as it also provides the ideal environment for starting off half hardy annuals and tender perennials.

Aaron Bertelsen: Clay soil holds on to a lot of water and is slow to warm up in the spring. This is one of the reasons why I do most of my seed sowing under glass. It also give you greater control over the ultimate spacing of the plants – which is important, if you are a control freak like me – and there is less waste of seed.

Read our interview with no-dig guru Charles Dowding, who also sows his seeds under cover.

Seed sowing kit

Seed trays or small pots?

Carol Klein: I use the same seed trays year after year, washing them and drying them before filling them loosely to the brim with seed compost. I almost invariably use half seed trays as they are strong, stable and manageable. They have a big enough surface area to give a good number of seedlings a sound start and are deep enough to allow development of a strong root system.

It is preferable to plant large seeds in individual modules where they can grow on without competition and without unnecessary root disturbance. Fill and level a divided tray, then drop it sharply onto the work bench to settle the compost.

Aaron Bertelsen: I sow most crops with larger seeds straight into 7.5cm pots.

Which compost is best for seed sowing?

Carol Klein: There are different peat-free seed composts on the market, specially formulated to give seedlings a head start, but seeds will germinate fairly freely in most composts.

When my seed trays are half filled I flatten and slightly compact the compost using a presser board. This is a simple rectangle of plywood with a dowel handle on one side.

Aaron Bertelsen: Tamp the compost down by tapping the pot firmly against a hard surface, or lightly pressing it with your hand. You just need enough pressure to get rid of any air holes and make sure the compost doesn’t sink too much when you first water the pot, leaving the seeds exposed.

Is a heated propagator necessary?

A heated propagator can be useful if you are sowing early in the season – some seeds need higher temperatures to germinate, and some, such as chillies and tomatoes, need a long growing season, so need to be started off when the weather is still cold. However if you sow later in spring, a greenhouse or even a sunny windowsill will be sufficient.

Read our guide to the best heated propagators.

How to water seeds without them washing away?

It is best to wet the seed compost before you sow your seeds.

Carol Klein: Initially, rather than watering from overhead, which can wash away seeds, stand trays in a washing up bowl in shallow water. When the grit top dressing becomes damp, they can be taken out and drained.

Aaron Bertelsen: If using small pots, water the compost and allow that water to percolate through before sowing. This is a good technique to use with bean, sweet pea, courgette and pumpkin seeds, which may rot if they sit in too much water.

How to sow seeds

How deep to sow seeds?

Carol Klein: I surface sow everything except large seeds that need to be sown individually, and press them down into the compost. Many bigger seeds, like sweet peas, lupins and sunflowers, are attractive to mice and hiding them is a partial deterrent to full scale theft.

In every case I cover seeds with a fine, even sprinkling of horticultural grit. This replicates the sorts of conditions seeds would experience naturally, allowing light and warmth to get to work on the seed coat and providing the emerging seedlings with sharp drainage. It also retains moisture under the surface where it is most needed.

How to sow large seeds

Large seeds include lupins, sunflowers, beans and sweet peas. Some people prefer to start with these, as they are easier to sow.

Carol Klein: Push one or two seeds into each module and cover the surface with a thin layer of grit.

Sowing small seeds

Sowing finer seeds such as poppies can be daunting, as it is harder to control how many you sow. It is important not to sow them to thickly – you’ll get too many seedlings, and increase the risk of fungal disease.

Carol Klein: Separate a pinch or two of seeds on to your palm or saucer prior to sowing (remembering that each seed should have room to grow and develop its first leaves).

Like everyone else I know who sows seeds, I’m always tempted to sow them too thickly. This almost always results in damping off – a fungal infection that causes healthy looking seedlings to keel over.

Sow the seeds as evenly as possible over the surface of the compost. Start with a fine sprinkle of seed around the edge, then work backwards and forwards across the centre of the tray.

How long do seeds take to germinate?

Seeds can take anything from a few days to several months to germinate, depending on the type of seed. Salad leaves including rocket, for example, germinates quickly. The germination time should be shown on the packet.

You will know that seeds have germinated because one or two leaves, called cotyledons, will emerge from the soil. They are part of the seed’s embryo and provide nutrients to the seed until its ‘true’ leaves appear. You can tell cotyledons and true leaves apart easily, as the true leaves look like the typical leaves on the plant.

If you have grown your seeds in a heated propagator, remove them as soon as they have germinated and grow on in a warm, bright position such as a greenhouse or sunny windowsill.

Pricking out seedlings

‘Pricking out’ means separating out seedlings once they have developed their first pair of true leaves, and transferring them into their own plugs, modules or pots.

Carol Klein: When seedlings have developed their first true leaves they should be pricked out promptly.

Bang the seed tray on the bench to loosen the compost and separate it from the seed tray or pot. If the roots are extensive, each seedling should be pulled away gently by the cotyledon leaves. Once a seedling has developed true leaves, the cotyledon leaves are expendable.

Never pull up seedlings by their stems, which are very fragile at this stage. Very young, well-spaced seedlings can be gently lifted from the compost using a sharp stick (I use a wooden chopstick) – avoid prodding around clumsily, which can break fine, new roots.

Planting each seedling into an individual cell or module where it can grow and develop. When the time comes for its transference into a bigger pot or the open ground, the swap over can be made with the minimum of root disturbance. After pricking out, seedlings need a warm, bright position in which to grow on.

After a few weeks, each seedling will need transferring into its own small pot.

Hardening off young plants

When seedlings are well established in their own pots they should be introduced gradually to the outside over a week or so – a process known as hardening off. Put the pots outside during the day, but bring them back inside at night.

Sowing seeds outdoors

Sowing veg crops outdoors

Aaron Bertelsen: Many veg crops can be sown direct outdoors, but I tend to use this technique mainly for vegetables such as carrots and parsnips that have a tap root, and don’t like to be disturbed. It can work well, but do make sure the soil is warm enough before you sow: if it is too cold, at best the seeds will take longer to germinate and at worst they will just sit there and rot. You can use horticultural fleece both to warm the soil before sowing, and then to protect the newly sown area afterwards.

• Prepare the soil well, digging it over thoroughly and removing any stones and lumps that might prevent the emerging seedlings from pushing through – the phrase that is often used is ‘a fine tilth’. In practice this means that the texture of the soil should be rather like fine breadcrumbs, although this is much easier said than done.
• When you are ready to sow, mark out your eventual vegetable row with a twine string line and make a shallow drill along its length, using the point of a hoe or the prong of a fork. Your drill should be twice the depth of the seed you are sowing.
• Sow sparingly – remember, you will need to thin the emerging seedlings regularly in order to allow some of them to develop to maturity. In the case of a crop such as carrots, this is a bonus: the thinnings are delicious added to a salad.
• Cover the seeds with soil, and water in well. Don’t forget to label your rows clearly. I like to use a stout wooden label at either end, to avoid any confusion.

Sowing biennials

Carol Klein: Some plants are best off spending their entire lives outside from the word go, including biennials such as wallflowers (Erysimum), foxgloves, sweet rocket and sweet Williams. Seed is best sown in late May or in June. The traditional way to sow biennials is in rows in the open ground – the vegetable garden is often a good spot.

• Make a shallow 1.5cm trench with a stick in finely worked soil.
• Sprinkle seed along the row sparingly and cover with soil.
• Firm gently, rake and water with a watering can with a fine rose.
• Thin out seedlings, transplanting the thinnings along the row.
• When the plants are big enough, they can be transferred to their final positions.

Read our detailed guide to choosing and sowing biennials.

Here we’ve rounded up a selection of the best climbing plants, perfect for your garden. We’ve divided the list into climbers for walls, borders and vigorous examples.

Climbing plants, including favourites such as honeysuckle and jasmine, all share the successful strategy of relying on the support of other plants or objects to reach the sunlight. This obviates the need to invest much in producing supportive tissue, such as the wood in trees, and means climbing plants aren’t subject to the usual restraints on growth.

Here are the best climbing plants

How to choose a climbing plant

A climbing plant can be a wonderful addition to your garden planting, and there are plenty more out there to choose from than just the regular honeysuckle or clematis or passion flower. The way to choose your climbing plant depends a lot on the space you have and what you want your plant to be used for. Here are some tips on how to choose the best climbing plant:

• What do you want it to grow up? If you’re using your climbing plant as a screen, then you will want a vigorous climber that provides good, evergreen coverage, with hopefully flowering bonuses at some point too. If it’s something you’ll be looking out onto, make sure you pick a climber you love. They tend to dominate wherever they are.

• Do you have the right supports? A climber needs the right support, so make sure you invest in the correct plant support, or your wall, trellis or even tree is suitable for the particular climber.
• Do you have time to look after it? Lots of climbers are fussy and lots of climbers need work to prune it at the right point in the year. If you’re looking for something that you can chop once a year and then leave to do it’s own thing, consider a Clematis ‘francis rivis’ or Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’.

Luxuriant growth brings its own problems – vigour must be matched carefully to the appropriate space, and abundance restrained where necessary. If you need some climbing supports, we have rounded up our favourites,  and don’t miss our guide to pruning climbing plants like wisteria.

The best climbing plants for your garden in 2023

Climbing plants with flowers

Rhodochiton atrosanguineus

This ‘purple bell flower’ produces beautiful flowers along the length of its twining stems, and looks effective growing along horizontal twigs or branches. This climbing plant can be sown late April, or August and overwintered frost free. 2.5m AGM. RHS H2.

Jasminum nudiflorum

© Jason Ingram

This jasmine can be persuaded to adopt the semblance of a climber by training and cutting back immediately after flowering. If allowed some freedom, this winter jasmine will flower abundantly in winter and early spring. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’

A climbing plant that’s Perennial in a Mediterranean climate, it can achieve sufficient bulk here to make its presence felt from a late April sowing, without causing too much of a nuisance. Will flower until frost cuts it down. 3m. AGM. RHS H1c.

Ipomoea lobata

An intriguing member of the bindweed family, with flowers that are simultaneously an intense orange and yellow in the early bud stage, maturing to cream. Sow Spanish flag in late April and plant after all danger of frost. 3m.

Bomarea multiflora

Twining herbaceous climber, a relative of Alstroemeria, that arises from a tuber. The trailing lily may come through the winter protected by a thick mulch. Something this gorgeous deserves some effort. 6m. AGM. USDA 10a-11.

Lonicera x tellmanniana

A climbing honeysuckle lacking scent, but abundant, vivid-orange flowers offer excitement enough. Tolerates shade and may be pruned by removing flowered growth annually. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7b-10b. Don’t miss our plant profile for more honeysuckle suggestions.

Solanum laxum ‘Album’

A twining climber with abundant clusters of flowers that look fragile and fresh right up to the first frosts. Trim lateral branches to around 15cm in winter. On the tender side, so site carefully. 6m. AGM.

Evergreen climbing plants

Pileostegia viburnoides

Self-clinging, evergreen climbing plant thats shade tolerant with frothy white flowers in late summer. This climbing hydrangea has a slow rate of growth, but this makes it less work to restrain once established. 6m. USDA 8a-10b.

Climbing plants for shade

Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’

A good early flowering clematis with nodding flowers of great charm in spring. Works well in partial, deciduous shade as part of a woodland scheme. Prune lightly after flowering, if at all. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4b-9a.

Lapageria rosea

Achingly beautiful climber, but requires shade, shelter, good drainage (yet plentiful summer moisture), is slow to establish and an apparently ambrosial beacon for slugs. 7m. AGM. RHS H3, USDA 9b-11.

Parthenocissus henryana

Native to China, this Virginia climbing plant has tastefully variegated leaves that turn vibrant shades of red in the autumn. It self-clings and will tolerate the shade of a north-facing wall. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

A climbing plant that’s deciduous, but in season it completely clothes its space with large, green leaves and white, lace-cap inflorescences. Another climbing hydrangea that will cover a shady wall fast. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 4a-7b.

Schizophragma integrifolium

• Buy now from Thompson & Morgan (£35.99)

Similar to Hydrangea anomala, although you will need more patience. This climbing hyrdrangea is distinguished  by the shape and size of the sterile florets that encircle the inflorescence. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Low maintenance climbing plants

Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’

Good for lighting up dark walls without any fuss. A vigorous, self-clinging, adaptable variegated ivy climbing plant, with smart, glossy leaves tinged with white. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Ipomoea coccinea

Delicate in growth with striking scarlet flowers, this true annual is rarely seen and deserves to be grown more frequently. A climbing plant that’s straightforward from seed sown in late April and then planted out after all risk of frost is over. 6m.

Clematis ‘Prince Charles’

A prolific blue-flowered clematis, similar to Sissinghurst’s ‘Perle d’Azur’ but with slightly smaller flowers and improved resistance to powdery mildew. Cut back hard in spring and watch it go. 2.4m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. Here’s our profile on clematis montana. 

Cobaea scandens

The most vigorous of all annual climbers, and perennial in a frost-free climate. In one year, from seed, the ‘cup and saucer vine’ can cover an astonishing area with bell-shaped flowers from late summer to first frosts. 1.8m. AGM. RHS H2, USDA 9a-10b.

Fragrant climbing plants

Trachelospermum jasminoides

The scent of ‘false jasmine’ is not that similar to true jasmine, but equally powerful. The star jasmine is quite hardy, although the similar Trachelospermum asiaticum is said to be hardier. A climbing plant that’s best on a sunny wall. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 8a-11.

Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’

Vigorous rambling rose, with delicate flowers. Perfect for hoisting up a large tree. Will take time to establish itself, but once it does you will be rewarded with grace, scent and a profusion of flowers. 9m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b.

Fast growing climbing plants

Clematis ‘Alba Luxurians’

One of the most vigorous of the viticella cultivars. Cut back hard every spring, you’ll be amazed at the coverage you get over the course of one season. This climber flowers profusely July to September. 3.6m. USDA 3a-9b.

Read our expert guide to pruning clematis.

Rosa ‘Wedding Day’

The scrambling rose flowers have the agreeable quality of changing colour as they mature, from pale primrose to almost white. The different stages appear side by side in each many-headed inflorescence. 9m. USDA 7a-9b.

Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’

A tough, vigorous, climbing clematis, offering both striking flowers and seedheads over a long period. It’s tolerant of drought and extreme cold, but does best in full sun. 6m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5b-9b.

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’

Honeysuckle, with vivid colouring and a long flowering season. A vigorous and at times untidy grower; it can be kept within bounds by carefully removing flowered shoots in winter. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘Chevy Chase’

A climbing rose with a touch of opulence. The flowers are small double and crimson, with tightly clustered petals. Great in combination with the dark, glossy leaves of a mature holly, which makes a suitable host. 7m. USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘The Garland’

Trained to cover an archway, this climbing rose has always been the most arresting sight in the garden where I’ve been working for the past four years. Now it’s happily rambling on to a neighbouring yew tree. 7m.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’

Often grown in spur-pruned tiers on a wall, although if you allow it the freedom to romp into trees, this climbing plant will seek out the sunshine to flower well, and assume something of its natural character. 12m. USDA 5a-10b.

Vitis coignetiae

A vine in the more precise sense of the word: a close relative of the grape. This climber is grown for its large leaves, which turn spectacular colours in autumn. A wonderful way to enliven evergreen trees. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Clematis montana var. grandiflora

Well known for its extraordinary vigour, which makes it difficult to contain. This climbing plant’s stemmy growth can look rather untidy, especially in the winter. All will be forgiven when it flowers. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 6a-9b.

Climbing plants are a great addition to any garden as they not only provide aesthetic appeal but also offer practical benefits such as shade and privacy. With a wide range of varieties to choose from, gardeners have the opportunity to experiment with different climbers to suit their taste and requirements. Whether you have a small balcony or a large garden, there is a climbing plant that can transform your outdoor space. By selecting the right type of climbing plant and providing the right conditions for it to grow, you can create a beautiful and functional garden that is a joy to be in. So why not take the leap and add a climbing plant to your garden today!

If you’re in need of climbing supports for your climbing plants, we have rounded up the best climbing supports for 2023. Or here’s our piece on how to make your own plant supports. 

With the shops running low on salad crops and rationing supplies, there’s never been a better time to think about growing your own. With a small amount of effort and attention, you could soon be enjoying a more interesting range of leaves that are fresher and taste better than anything you could buy in a shop, and without a supply chain issue in sight.

How to grow salad leaves

For the widest choice of what to grow, start with seeds. You’ll find a good range of choices available from the main seed suppliers.

Sprinkle seed sparingly on the surface of a pot or seed tray of good compost, gently but firmly compress down (tamp) the surface to make sure the seed is nicely in contact with the soil, water gently and wait for germination.

Once the seedlings have grown their first full set of leaves (beyond the first two seed leaves), they can then be moved to their final growing position – whether that’s in a veg bed, a window-box or a large pot, depending on your set up.

For more advice on sowing seeds, head to our detailed guide to planting seeds.

Alternatively, you can fast forward to the seedling stage by simply buying a couple of trays of plug plants from your local garden centre. You might not have as much choice of what to grow but these can be planted straight out into their final position. Just firm the soil gently around them and water in well.

Top salad leaves to grow

Of course, before any of this you need to decide what you’re going to grow. Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Just a handful of these will give everything you need for a salad that will add real pep and flavour to your meals.

Basil

Sun-loving basil needs as much warmth as you can give it in order to thrive. A good size on a sunny windowsill or doorway is perfect. The plants can be slow to get going in our cooler climate but will soon romp away. As with so many salad crops, regular picking is key to keeping the plants fresh and productive. Make sure to pinch out the flower buds too so the plants don’t run to seed.

Here’s how to make home made pesto

Beetroot

Beetroot will happily grow in your veg bed or in a large pot. The virtues of these root veg, of course, are well known – picked when golf-ball sized and steamed or roasted, there is little more delicious – but the leaves should not be overlooked, adding colour and a rich earthy flavour to the salad bowl. If growing from seed, cover the pot with fleece to speed up germination. I like to sow small amounts at intervals to guarantee a steady supply throughout the spring and summer.

Here’s a lovely recipe using beetroot 

Chives

All the delicious onion flavour without the acidity and unwelcome side effects. Chives, like beets, also offer two for the price of one – the flowers are not only beautiful, but they are also delicious to eat, and their pale mauve colour looks so pretty against the green leaves. Look for pots of young plants in the garden centre as they are slow to grow from seed, and add a little grit to the soil as they like it free draining.

Coriander

Versatile coriander is indispensable in my kitchen and extremely easy to grow from seed. I sow once a month through spring and summer. Despite their delicate appearance the plants are winter hardy, but you will need to get them started while the weather is still mild. Even the most diligent of pickers will struggle to stop this one running to seed, but don’t despair – you can eat the flowers and of course use the deeply fragrant seeds themselves as a spice. I love a little in my salad dressing.

Dandelion

Often dismissed as a weed, dandelion is an excellent and highly nutritious salad green, bringing a welcome edge of bitterness to the bowl. It’s also hardy, so ideal for year-round growing – and eating. I have it both in pots alongside other crops such as tomatoes and in the ground. Easy to cultivate from seed, it will also self sow.

Here’s how to make dandelion flower honey

Lettuce

The backbone of any good salad, a decent supply of lettuce is one of life’s great affordable luxuries. The beauty of growing your own is the sheer variety in terms of colour, texture and flavour. Try my new favourite ‘Cerbiatta’, with its striking oak-shaped leaves, or the classic ‘Little Gem’. If you’re growing from seed, sow every three or four weeks; if you’re using plugs, just plant out another tray. The wider availability now of winter varieties means this is a truly year-round crop. Just watch out for slugs in the colder months – I like to use beer traps to keep them under control.

Parsley

Parsley is one of the most useful crops you can grow and will provide a burst of fresh green taste all year round. The curly variety has rather fallen out of fashion lately, but I find it best for winter flavour. The easiest way to get started is with seedlings from the garden centre. Plant out into a large pot and keep well-watered to stop them running to seed too quickly – although note the seed has a delicious flavour, both raw and cooked.

Rocket

I sow wild rocket – my favourite form, with the most intensely peppery leaves – in the cracks of my paving. It thrives here, the odd extra sprinkle of seeds every so often enough to keep me in leaves throughout the year. This gives you a clue as to the conditions it likes – free draining, as befits its Mediterranean background. Rocket flowers are edible too, as are the seeds – or of course you can just sow more.

Sorrel

By the middle of the winter most of us are desperate for some fresh greens to perk up our dinner and help keep colds and flu away. Look no further than sorrel. Hardy, refreshingly tart and packed with vitamin C (as well as vitamin A and many of the Bs) it is wonderful in soups and tarts, as well as adding a citrus zing to salads. Buy a young plant from the garden centre and dig it up and split it every few years to refresh the plant and increase your stocks. When it runs to seed in the spring, simply cut it back, dress with organic matter, water, and wait for fresh leaves to appear.

And finally…

If you really don’t have space to grow anything but still want to add a nutritious boost to your diet, try sprouting seeds – I tend to buy a pack that includes a mix of lentils, beans and pulses for a good range of flavours. Other options include broccoli, radish or alfalfa seeds. Make sure you buy an organic choice, then soak the seeds thoroughly, rinse and place in a jar in a warm place – a windowsill is ideal. Keep rinsing and draining until they start to sprout, then add a handful to your salads for a burst of nutty goodness.

For all our recipes, that can be made using home grown ingredients, head to our recipes hub

“If we increase our carbon levels in the soil by 0.4 per cent we substantially reduce greenhouse gases,” says Henrietta Courtauld. One way of doing this is by making excellent compost. In this optimum environment, microbes work with plants to sequester carbon underground, with the aid of air and water.

Pulling more carbon out of the air and into the ground can be as simple as improving a plant’s rate of photosynthesis. A healthy plant is supported around its roots by vast communities of microbes and fungi, which feed the plant with minerals in exchange for a photosynthesis by-product, carbon sugars. It pays to optimise this natural coexistence; the more efficiently the micro-organisms are working, the more carbon will be taken out of the atmosphere and sequestered into the ground.

Adding homemade compost or sowing green manures over exposed ground helps the soil to retain carbon. Weeds also protect soil and add diversity, both above and below ground. Monocultures encourage pathogens: even with a lawn, soil health will be improved by spreading compost over it and allowing for clover and daisies. Mowing less frequently and allowing grass to grow longer will encourage deeper root systems, supporting richer microbial life while aiding water retention.

How to improve soil health

How to create good compost and soil health

• Add water to each layer of carbon (such as straw, cardboard) and nitrogen (garden or kitchen waste).
• Include 10 per cent clay and a biodynamic preparation (they use 507 Valerian Prep) or 10 per cent existing compost, as an activator. Turn the pile, then again over several days when a thermometre is thrust into the heap and reads between 59F and 65F.
• Cover with a breathable membrane. Compost is ready in six-eight weeks.

You may also like

• The Land Gardeners Arts and Crafts garden around Wardington Manor
• What is soil and how can gardeners improve it?
• How to reduce plastic garden waste

How to encourage soil microbes

What are soil microbes?

Microbes are never far from The Land Gardeners’ thoughts. “The soil acts as the stomach of a plant,” says Henrietta. “The roots go down into the soil and release sugar for the microbes. They in turn take minerals from the soil and exchange them, in a plant-available form.” In other words, microbially rich soil produces plants of amazing vitality. “We need to look after the creatures underneath the ground as much as those above,” says Bridget. “We are almost farming those microbes.”

Tips for happy soil microbes

Avoid digging

Aeration and hydration are important in keeping the microbes (as well as all the other symbiotic organisms, including fungi about which we know surprisingly little) happy, so digging, except in extreme cases of compaction, is avoided.

Use a broad fork instead

They use a broad fork which lifts the soil. “Normally we layer compost on the soil, which we might have broad-forked, just to aerate it,” says Bridget. “We’re not turning the soil. We plant the width of the broad fork, with small paths in between for walking on.”

Cover the ground with green manures

When a crop is harvested, green manures cover the ground. Henrietta: “We are covering the soil all the time. We dig the green manure in before it flowers but sometimes we leave it because it’s too irresistible – and bees love it.”

In processing their own green waste and digging deeper into the physics of compost, it has become clear that soil health should be vital to the planet’s health. “We don’t need more carbon in the atmosphere but we really need it in the soil,” says Henrietta. “Years of ploughing have released it upwards.” Carbon is naturally taken out of the air through photosynthesis but compost-making can add hugely to a ‘carbon sink’ effect through careful preparation on a domestic or grand scale. The Land Gardeners call their own version, manufactured with the aid of a neighbouring farm, Climate Compost.

Soil is a business for The Land Gardeners. In the same way, the garden at Wardington is a business, which is why they are reluctant to disappoint garden groups looking for perfection. Weeds are allowed to increase biodiversity above the ground and among the micro-organisms below the ground.  As Bridget says, quoting environmental economist Dieter Helm: “Where there’s mess, there’s life.”

Mulching should be on every gardener’s mind. An integral and fundamental part of gardening, mulching keeps plants looking beautiful and productive through the year. For many it’s a passion that I’d wager rivals even the joy of planting. But the debate about the specifics of mulching is endless: from the perfect mulching depth to the right compost mixture for mulch.

• Our guide to everything you need for composting
• How to make foliar sprays
• Composting using the bokashi and worm methods

What is mulching?

In nature mulch comes from fallen leaves, plant debris and passing animals, and when we mulch in the garden we aim to recreate that cycle. However, the term mulch can be used to describe any material a gardener chooses to cover the soil with, such as compost, rotted manure, cardboard or even seaweed. Perhaps surprisingly, it is only recently that we’ve started to fully understand the sustainable and ecological benefits of mulching.

Why should we mulch?

It helps the soil

To understand the benefit of mulching we first must look at the soil. Soil is endlessly fascinating with a complex ecosystem and expanse that’s enough to rival our own universe. Under the microscope, soil is revealed as a place both beguiling and terrifying with an ‘eat or be eaten’ philosophy, and it’s that microbe eco-system that is one of the chief reasons we mulch; providing food and nutrients.

Bugs and beasties such as worms suck the mulch into the depths of the soil where microbes then begin to break it down. These microbes become swollen with nutrients like small bags of fertiliser that attract other hungry microbial predators and the waste from this digestion is then drawn up by the plant to ensure healthy growth. In essence we mulch to feed soil microbes, not the plant directly.

All this activity from worm tunnels, material shredding and microbe hunting develops good soil structure that allows enough water and oxygen to infiltrate the soil and limits the negative impacts from compaction, which can lead to anaerobic conditions, aiding plant diseases and pathogens.

Retaining water

Mulch also allows for beneficial moisture retention helping plants through hot summers, limiting the need for constant irrigation. While reducing soil erosion and wash off from excessive rain will help keep the soil protected from the frost and sun.

Mulching and weeds

Mulch also has an important part to play in weed suppression. Adding mulch will help smother early spring weed germination and allow you to avoid the mad rush of spring growth. It will keep your garden looking neat and tidy by covering messiness that winter can bring.

How to make mulch

The mulch you use really comes down to preference and accessibility. It must be made from good materials and in the correct way so as not to transfer weed seeds or disease. Being cost effective is also a bonus.

The best mulch for garden borders

Compost

A good garden compost is one of the best forms of mulch for plant and soil health and has been proven many times over. One chief benefit is that good compost contains a rich diversity of creatures, microbes and fungi that aid all soil health, comparable to a woodland floor. However, the usual dilemma is not being able to create enough for the size of the garden. Local council composts are a great resource and can be bought in bulk for a relatively cheap price, solving the quantity dilemma. They work even better when mixed with your own garden compost to help build microbe diversity. An added benefit is that you are also helping recycle household waste.

Animal manure

Rotted animal manures are also a good mulching substitute as these can be brought in bulk. But they can lack the microbial and nutrient diversity of compost, depending how long they have been allowed to break down and varies depending on the type of animal. Therefore it is important to research the source of the manure and the type of farming it has comes from.

Mulching with leaves, straw or cardboard

If you don’t have access compost or manure, there are many ways to mulch. Shredding and leaving garden debris can work effectively or simply gather up all your garden leave – but always be wary of slugs when using leaves or straw. Cardboard can also be placed over the soil but works best with annual or vegetable beds. It makes an amazing weed suppressant and works better when compost is applied over the top.

Woodchip mulching

Woodchip should only be used when the source is guaranteed to avoid acid imbalance or toxicity from certain trees, or by importing nasty chemicals used in timber treatment. If you can find a good sustainable wood source it is still required to be mixed with compost and broken down to balance the carbon : nitrogen balance. I find woodchip best used as a carbon source when making compost.

• Discover more about worm composting and bokashi

How to mulch

When to mulch?

Once you have chosen your desired mulch the next step is application. Simply spread it in late autumn/early winter or early spring.

How deep should you mulch?

Spread your mulch at a maximum of 2.5-5cm in depth. However, if weed suppression is the primary role then 7.5cm is more suitable but beware: anything more can end up being wasted or could even cause further damage to certain plants and the soil.

How to spread mulch?

For those of us that have to walk over the soil to mulch, put down wooden boards to walk on to reduce compaction, and never dig it in unless you have a real compaction problem. Digging will only destroy all the structure you are trying to create. Simply allow all the creatures living in your soil to do the work for you while you sit back and wait in anticipation for the gardening year ahead.

If you’re looking for a mulching lawnmower, here’s our round up of the best. 

British gardens are key habitats for bees and butterflies and gardeners can do a lot to attract wildlife and help the decline in pollinators. An increase in beneficial insects can mean fewer pests, too. Our guide to attracting wildlife into the garden gives advice on ecological design, the best plants for pollinators and stylish container displays for beneficial insects.

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If a plant is listed as pollinator friendly, it means it will provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies. It also refers to the shape of the flower and how the plant has been grown. Pollinator-plants will often have trumpet-shaped blooms or single flowers for insects to crawl into and land on, and mostly free from pesticides. Look out for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Plants for Pollinators symbol at garden centres and plant nurseries if you want reassurance that you’re buying the best plants for garden wildlife.

Here is our guide to attracting wildlife into the garden, with advice on pollinator-friendly plants and how to improve wildlife habitats through considered garden design.

How to attract wildlife to your garden

There are lots of ways to encourage wildlife into the garden, from simply planting a range of different flowering plants, to building an insect hotel or introducing a bird feeder. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Grow a range of bee and butterfly-loving plants and flowers

• Make sure the plants have different flower shapes to invite a whole host of beneficial insects into the garden. Salvias or Verbena bonariensis attract butterflies and bees, and trees and evergreen or flowering shrubs that will provide shelter for birds. Try to leave a patch of nettles, as they are beneficial as food to caterpillars. Here’s our list of the best plants for bees, and the best plants for butterflies. 

Leave seeds head up over winter for insects

• In winter, leave architectural seed heads for birds to feed on and plants with strong stems are perfect for hibernating beetles and solitary bees.

Look for plants that bees will love – full of pollen

• Avoid sterile plants with little or no pollen. These are often double flowered cultivars.

Build a pond

• Build a pond for frogs. They’ll eat the slugs attacking your lettuce. Make sure small animals can get out of the pond easily by creating a boggy area around it. We love these garden design ideas on ponds and pools. 

Make space for insect hotels and bird boxes

Hedgehog houses, insect hotels and bird boxes are all easy to add to the garden and are invaluable to hibernating wildlife and nesting birds. Don’t miss our guide on how to build a bug hotel, and here are our favourite insect hotels to buy.  Bird boxes are a great way to get birds to stick around too. 

 Plant for the birds

Planting a hedgerow a bird can eat could get them through winter. We have a great guide on the best plants for birds. 

Make sure you plant with biodiversity in mind

• Enhance biodiversity. Don’t tidy your garden too much. In autumn, leave all plants and leaves that have died off and don’t start clearing them up until February. The dead plant material offers protection against frost and shelter for insects and other small animals. Most insects like cool, moist conditions, but bees prefer a sunny spot.

Never use pesticides

If you’re looking for tips on how to control things like slugs, our piece from organic grower Poppy Okotcha explains how you can do that without nasty pesticides. 

Aim for ladybirds

• There are several pollen plants that attract ladybugs that tend to be yellow and white, such as Angelica, Cosmos and Fennel.
• Plant decoy plants that will attract aphids away from your desired bug free plants until the ladybugs remove them for you. Aphid attracting decoy plants could include: Early Cabbage, Marigold and Radish.

Ladybugs eat two things: insect pests and pollen, and there are several pollen plants that ladybugs like, including: Calendula, Chives, Cosmos and Marigold.

Attracting bats to your garden

Did you know that attracting bats to your garden is one of the safest and most efficient methods for natural insect control? One little brown bat can eat 1,200 insects per hour.

A great bat attracting method is to build a bat house to provide a warm cosy shelter for the creatures. Since bats tend to set up colonies in the early spring, building a bat house is the perfect winter project! Some tips are:

• Use a rough, nontoxic wood (such as plywood or cedar) to make your box. The rough surface will make it easier for bats to climb in and out of the house.
• Place in a warm, sunny position for warmth
• Keep it close to a freshwater source (pond, stream)
• Support on a pole or the side of a building.

The key to attracting bats to your garden is to plant night-scented flowers, such as Yucca and Evening Primrose.

Attracting frogs to your garden

Attracting frogs to your garden is beneficial for the welfare of your plants. Frogs make great insect killers so why not attract some garden frogs to help with those little pests.

• Build toad houses – overturned flower pots buried lightly in the soil make great shelters.
• Avoid using pesticides in your garden. Frogs are sensitive to chemicals so use natural sources of nutrients in your garden such as compost.
• Keep pets away from the part of the garden set up for attracting frogs.

Toads and female frogs usually spend winter on land, under rockery stones (or in a log pile). Recommended rock plants are: Aubretia, Hardy Geraniums and Sedums.

Wildlife-friendly container display

If you want your garden to benefit pollinating insects like bees and butterflies but worry your garden isn’t big enough for swathes of planting, consider creating a pot display. Containers planted with plants that attract wildlife suit a garden of any size. Try this gorgeous example.

The best seed heads for winter structure

Seedheads glistening with frost play an important part in bringing structural winter interest to the garden as well as providing food for birds and insects. For our recommended list of the best seedheads to create and eye-catching display in winter, click here.

Appreciate spiders in the garden

A healthy spider population will help reduce pest insects and should be welcome in any garden. Spiders obviously make no distinction between pests and helpful insects like hoverflies and bees, but they help maintain a natural balance wherever they are. Find out how to appreciate the spiders in your garden.

Improve your soil

No-dig gardener Charles Dowding explains why caring for the soil in your garden is just as important as caring for the plants you grow in it. Nurture your soil and you nurture the helpful organisms living in it, such as earthworms and beneficial fungi and bacteria.