Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is a short-lived hardy perennial, loved for its showy display of colourful summer flowers. The foliage forms low rosettes of non-spreading, mid-green or bronze-green ...

Penstemons are valuable garden plants, grown for their long-flowering season and popularity with bees. There are many different types of penstemon, with some suited to the alpine garden while the ...

The many rhododendrons, magnolias and acid-loving trees and shrubs give this 20-acre garden and arboretum a Cornish feel. The colour continues throughout summer, with wildflowers, rambling roses, ...

With seeds to sow and plants to care for, why not garden in comfort and treat your feet to a pair of gardening shoes? Practical and easy to slip on and off, they're ideal for wearing through the ...

A close relative of the barn swallow and a distant relative of the swift, the house martin is a summer migrant from Africa, and uses mud to make its cup-shaped nest under the eaves of houses, to raise ...

In harmony with the 600-year-old cottage are nine acres of flower-filled gardens. Features include butterfly borders, a willow arbour, orchards, woodland walks and a sculpture trail. Always check the ...

Built in 1717, the walled garden features cottage-garden planting with mature fruit trees and a wisteria-clad pergola leading to richly planted herbaceous borders. There’s also a herb garden, heritage ...

This wildlife haven was created over 30 years ago in an old quarry, once full of rubbish and cars. Now the six acres of tranquil pools, streams, trees and flowering shrubs are alive with birds, ...

Leatherjackets are the grey, legless larvae of crane flies, or daddy-longlegs (Tipula spp.) There are several species that eat the roots of grasses and other plants but many feed on organic matter and ...

Towering bamboos, tree ferns, lush palms, bananas and waterlilies give the feel of an exotic paradise. Despite their tropical appearance, most of the plants are hardy, thriving outside all year round.

Follow the paths, laid out in 1823, to discover the walled garden’s diversity of seasonal flowers, its large collection of ancient apple trees, including many local heritage varieties, and a small ...