Gardening tips

Get answers to your most common garden soil questions here! How many types of soil are there? There are four main types of soil – clay, sandy, silty, and loamy. Clay soil is heavy, sticky, and prone to waterlogging, while sandy soil is light, gritty, and drains rapidly. Silty soil holds nutrients well but can…

When is the best time to trim a cypress hedge? Unlike deciduous shrubs that go dormant, evergreens like cypress grow moderately throughout the winter. Trimming at the wrong time removes new buds and invites disease. For optimal health and shape, follow these guidelines: Spring: Trim lightly in early spring to remove winter damage before rapid…

In general, privet should be trimmed in late spring, after any frosts but before the main flowering period. Privet is arguably the most popular choice for garden hedging in the United Kingdom. This hardy, fast-growing shrub offers year-round privacy and security when trimmed into a dense, leafy barrier. The smooth, evergreen foliage of privet provides…

Laurels are fast-growing evergreen shrubs that can be pruned back quite hard if needed. The best times to trim a laurel hedge in the UK are spring and summer. When to trim: Spring (March-May) The spring months are a good time for the first main trim of the year, when new growth starts emerging. Trimming…

The best time for beech hedge trimming is in early summer, just after full leaf emergence. Some lighter trimming can be done in mid-autumn but avoid heavy pruning that stimulates significant new growth which could then be damaged by winter weather With a smooth gray bark and bright green summer leaves, beech hedges add a…

The best times of year for trimming are in early spring, right before new growth emerges, and in mid-summer, after the spring growth has hardened off. The box hedge is one of the most iconic features of a formal English garden design. This evergreen shrub has a neat, compact growth habit that allows it to…

Knowing when to prune your laurel bushes (also known as cherry laurel and Portuguese laurel) is key to keeping them healthy and encouraging new growth. The right pruning at the right time can determine the shape, size and flowering of these common garden shrubs. When to Trim and Prune Laurel The best times to prune…

A lush, green lawn can be the crowning jewel of your garden landscape. But when that pristine turf gets accidentally scalped by the mower blades, it can turn into an unsightly brown mess almost overnight. The good news is that lawn grass is resilient and with some TLC you can nurse your scalped lawn back…

Mowing is the most vital task for maintaining a flawless lawn. Grass is incredibly dynamic and acclimates to the height and frequency with which it’s cut. Drastically changing your mowing regime can distress your turf, resulting in yellowing, stunted growth, or even plant death.