Features and Advice

Burghley House in Stamford is a great place to visit with children. Kids will enjoy a day out, running around in the acres of parkland, or perhaps having a splash about in the Gardens of Surprise.

Served warm, with a few rashers of crisp pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, this chard and Dolcelatte tart makes a perfect alfresco summer lunch.

Leaf cutter bees may leave unsightly holes in leaves as the cut small semi-circles to seal in their eggs; but these excellent pollinators are a true gardener’s friend.

Charlie Dimmock has launched a garden warning of the dangers of plants poisonous to cats and dogs. The garden – Poisonous Pawtanical – is on display at the Horniman Museum in South London.

For a plant of true garden merit look no further than the humble lavender plant. It’s a triple action plant, offering healing powers, culinary applications and it looks great in the garden too.

It’s easy to get more plants in your garden for free. Jean Vernon picks out five of her favourite self-seeding plants; ones that will perform well every year, but also make more plants year after year.

Not everyone can or wants to go to RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Simply spend a little while watching the show coverage on television, online and social media.

Take some garden sculpture home from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, or just get inspired to recreate a few ideas in your own way at home.

This year there’s something for everyone in terms of new plants at Chelsea – climbers and plants for the patio are especially prominent. Graham Rice picks his top five.

It’s show time! RHS Chelsea Flower Show is on again. Jean Vernon picks her 5 favourite show gardens in 2015.

Perennials come in every size and for every garden situation, and most of them do well without too much special care, but some are particularly forgiving.

Add some light to your garden with these funky decoupage glass jar lanterns. They’re so easy to make, perfect for kids and adults.

If you love chrysanthemums, make sure you get your hands on these new patio garden ‘mums from German breeder, Brandkamp. The buds open up to produce a vibrant umbrella of blooms covering the foliage.

This simple craft idea using an egg carton, pipe cleaners and googly eyes will get kids growing in no time at all and is a great way to learn all about seeds.

Rose expert, Michael Marriott from David Austin Roses, offers his advice to getting the best from your your roses and picks five all-time favourites.

Be one of the first gardeners in the world to grow the giant-flowered ‘Cocktail’ garden pinks (Dainthus). Launching exclusively on Richard Jackson’s Garden Show on QVC on Bank Holiday Monday (4 May).

Jean’s been out and about testing lawnmowers, eating tulip bulbs (yes really) and making supper from garden weeds.

Combine freshly dug garden leeks and herbs to create a creamy, tasty risotto for a summer lunch. Recipe thanks to The Pig, near Bath.

Add perfume to your garden with plants. Choose scented flowers and plant them near the patio so that you get the best from every waft of fragrance.

Nasturtiums reward you in many ways, with edible leaves, flowers and seeds and best of all, they are easy to grow from seed.

The Great Chelsea Garden Challenge, a new BBC2 series is creating controversy. Critics claim the show is making garden design into a ‘MasterChef’-style competition.

Hedgehogs are the gardeners’ friend, they are now in serious decline and need all the help that we can give them. As the weather warms up our prickly garden friends emerge from hibernation.