As we peer cautiously into spring, the weather is still fickle but the light is stretching daily and green shoots are beginning to burst from hedges, frozen ground and sodden soil. It will be just a few short weeks before our gardens demand us to become active gardeners again, nurturing them after a long and … Read more
We can all be eco-warriors: Do your bit to combat climate change with these easy steps Nigel Colborn reveals Britain will host this year’s UN Climate Summit He says it’s timely for all of us to run a carbon health check in our gardens Expert shares the importance of having fertile soil and self-sustaining lawns By Nigel … Read more
1. THE DRY GARDEN The Dry Garden was made in early 2004 from a yard in front of old stables we had used to store building material over the previous decade. It had a Tarmac covering, which I unpeeled with a shovel to reveal a solid bed of stone. This is the old red sandstone … Read more
Delightful Daphnes: Plant these pretty shrubs and blossom will fill the air Daphnes are a small but valuable genus of flowering shrubs you can grow in UK They come from Europe, North Africa and Asia with 2 species native to Britain The better known, Daphne mezereum, has fragrant, purple-pink spring flowers By Nigel Colborn for … Read more
Back in January 2002 I found myself, for the first time in 12 years, with no television project lined up for the year ahead. So I set out to write what I thought would be my definitive work on organic gardening. The book, which until a month before publication had the working title of Completely … Read more
The way that I have designed my garden is, as a friend of mine only half-jokingly described it, ‘like a series of allotments’. It means there are a number of different areas, all quite separate and usually hidden from the rest. I make no apologies for this and enjoy the surprises and sense of enclosure … Read more
Bright and beautiful: Now is the time to plant vibrant blooms for a show that lasts all year Nigel Colborn shares advice for a beautiful garden bursting with colour all year British gardening expert says white or soft blues go well with silvery-grey leaves He warns all-white gardens are a popular idea but difficult to … Read more
Commercial cut roses are loaded with romantic good intentions, but they lack the charm of almost any rose growing in the ground. However, much as I adore my roses in their full summer display in the garden, I also love going out early on a June morning, when the dew is still fresh, and cutting … Read more
Genius in a bottle: Grow succulents in terrariums for charming tabletop glass houses Modern terrariums come in all shapes and sizes and contain plants and animals Within them a miniature habitat provides ideal conditions for specialist plants Terrariums can be almost any size and you can make a micro-garden in pickle jar By Nigel Colborn … Read more
Not all trees are green! Reduce carbon footprint and support wildlife by planting wisely Professor Antonelli says old forests soak up more carbon than new ones Nigel Colborn explores what gardeners can do for trees, climate and wildlife British gardening expert says trees and long-term shrubs support nature By Nigel Colborn for the Daily Mail … Read more