Secateurs and loppers are handy pruning tools, but for thicker branches, a pruning saw is the tool for the job. The last resort before you need a chainsaw, a pruning saw has a toothed blade capable of ...

Ginger is a root vegetable with a fresh, spicy flavour. It's used in a number of dishes, including curries, stir-fries, salads and smoothies. It has powerful anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory ...

Tobacco plant (nicotiana) is a popular summer bedding plant, with long tubular flowers that attract butterflies and moths. Many nicotiana varieties are night-scented and open their flowers only in the ...

Purple sprouting broccoli has great flavour, a long harvesting season and is extremely good for you – a single portion provides half your daily requirement of carotenoids, plus high levels of folic ...

Cabbages are a versatile vegetable belonging to the brassica family, and come in a range of different colours and shapes, and with different leaf textures. They take up a lot of growing space and are ...

Duckweed is a common pond weed, visible as masses of tiny, rounded green leaves that float on the surface of ponds and other bodies of still, nutrient-rich water, including in water butts. The ...

When designing a garden it can be difficult to know where to begin. How do you assess the space, draw up a plan, start planting? And what about paths, boundaries, seating and screens? Whether you're ...

Star jasmine (also sometimes known as Chinese jasmine), Trachelospermum jasminoides, is a beautifully scented, evergreen climber. Perfect for growing up a warm wall, or a fence, it's slow growing ...

Take an elephant garlic bulb and divide it into cloves. Plant each clove into well-prepared, weed-free soil, with its pointed end up, 10-15cm deep. Space the cloves 20-30cm apart so they have plenty ...

Grass seed germinates at different rates, depending on various factors such as the grass species, weather, time of year and soil moisture. Typically, germination takes between five and 10 days. Once ...

Indoor plants bring a wealth of colour to the festive season, lending themselves to table displays and other natural decorations, as well as working as part of a standalone display. Outside, Christmas ...

The avocado, Persea americana, bears delicious fruits packed with healthy fats. In the right conditions, trees can reach heights of up to 20m, but they're unlikely to grow so well in the UK. Avocados ...