Alys Fowler's gardening column
Gardening columnist Alys Fowler shares her wisdom every week on growing vegetables, fruit and flowers
Farewell! We have gardened together for 12 years, but it’s time for me to sling my billhook
After hundreds of columns, I’m handing over the reins, but leaving memories of happy planting, picking, pruning and composting in a changing world
My shabby shed poses a planting problem: the answer is rhubarb
A dry shady area around my tatty old shed needs a creative approach
Power tools are scary so it’s handheld pruners for my hedges
With good loppers and a pruning saw you can let the wintry light back in without the need for a trimmer
Terrace, lawn or courtyard, there’s an apple tree to fit every plot. So plant one now
Ordering a bare-root tree is an investment that will bear flavourful fruit
The winter gloom shocks houseplants: here’s how to brighten up their lives
Mirrors and diffusers will help your plants cope with darker days, but leave any repotting until the spring
Coppicing is great for your garden – and gives you lots of material to play with
Apart from the enjoyment of making household items out of stems, coppicing trees and shrubs has aesthetic and eco benefits for gardens
Get your secateurs out now to fill next year’s garden with freebies
The time is perfect to take semi-ripe cuttings of your favourites – saving you effort, time and money
If you want your plants to survive our changing climate, know their wild habitat
It’s about putting the right plant in the right place, which means knowing your soil and the plant’s soil needs
The hot summer has taken its toll. Luckily, some plants know how to stand their ground
When your garden unravels prematurely, you need foliage that declines with elegant conviction
Love a big, blowsy tulip? Order bulbs now and get ready to dig a bit deeper
Want bigger, better heads on your tulips? Buying the best organic bulbs is only part of the story …
Pining for some architectural chic in your garden? Try a tiny conifer
Hardy, drought-tolerant and in striking shapes and sizes, conifers are not just for Christmas
Quaking grass dances and looks golden in the sun – and growing it is a breeze
One of our prettiest native grasses self-seeds effortlessly – and watching it quiver in a vast meadow is a joy
Gardeners beware – time is running out to sow leafy greens
Believe it or not, the nights are drawing in. And anything planted after August won’t produce any interesting growth until next spring
Bare walls can be an eyesore. Here’s what to plant to soften and hide them
We can’t keep ripping up and starting again just because something offends our aesthetic sensibilities
The best autumn-flowering bulbs for beginners: kick off with naked ladies
So easy to grow but otherworldly in their beauty, colchicums are the stars of the autumn garden
Who says you can’t prune trees in summer?
Certain species benefit from a bit of nip and tuck during the summer months – but wait until after flowering
Radicchio makes a tasty winter salad – but you need to sow it now
These leafy plants are a doddle to grow and are packed full of nutrients
Under the hedge: what to plant in that ‘leggy’ space beneath
I can’t be too drastic with my four-metre privet, but some canny planting can fill the gaps nicely
Meet mugwort, the prolific wild herb worth foraging for a treat
With notes of rosemary and sage, the aromatic flowering plant lends its subtle flavours to baking, roasting and even a bit of seasonal winemaking
The most versatile flower in your garden? Meet the California poppy
Californian poppies are is easy to grow, flower all summer and have plenty of multi-hued cultivars. You can even make yourself a nice cuppa with it
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