How to Be a Gardener episode 10: A garden that is completely empty of plants and features is good as you can put your own stamp on it right from the start. But it can also be tremendously daunting. Where do you start? What goes in and what should be left out? Don’t panic. Take your time and go one step at a time and the…
How to Be a Gardener episode 9: You wouldn't dream of randomly decorating a room in your house, without planning it out beforehand. The same should also be true when creating a garden from scratch. A well-designed garden looks like a picture, one that can be achieved by following a few simple steps. Together we’ll discover some tricks of the trade, and once you’ve got to…
How to Be a Gardener episode 8: The garden never stops moving, and no garden is ever finished. It follows, then, that the gardener is always gardening – even though to some the winter seems to be the closed season. But year-round gardening has its rewards. You can ensure that there is always something to cheer you up in the way of flowers, and always more…
How to Be a Gardener episode 7: Growing flowers is wonderfully fulfilling. Growing fruit and vegetables is wonderfully filling. To pick and eat your own crops is a great thrill. You know they have been well grown; you know they are fresh and you know that, just like your own baby, they are the best in the world! Here you can discover just…
How to Be a Gardener episode 6: However good a gardener you are, there are always outside agencies that do their best to prevent you succeeding. That’s life. Weeds will invade your beds and borders, pests will fly in to nibble leaves and suck sap, and diseases will spread death and destruction in their wake. But grow your plants well, and know what steps to take…
How to Be a Gardener episode 5: Once your plants are growing you will need to keep them happy. How do you do this, and what sort of tools will you need? Plants need water and food, but when and in what sort of quantities? This module explains the cultivation techniques necessary to keep your plants in fine fettle. Don’t worry; you won’t have to be…
How to Be a Gardener episode 4: When you know what plants you want, and which of them will be happy growing together, it’s tempting to rush off to the garden centre, go mad with the plastic, then come back and chuck them all in. Not a good idea, is it? You’ve done it before and half of them have died. So before you take the…
How to Be a Gardener episode 3: Once you’ve understood the different types of plant and what they can do, you can tackle the job of putting them all together in a garden - working out which ones will look best where, and how they will complement each other. There are lots of different planting styles, from cottage gardens to prairie gardens, tropical borders to bog…