Back to basics

TV and radio broadcaster Martin is an RHS judge and former head gardener

After a challenging, dry summer, grass can bounce back with the right autumn maintenance

There is no doubt that 2026 will be different. As the year ends in the garden that I’ve created and tended over the past 23 years, a new challenge is waiting in the wings. We are moving from the chalk

Make more thin-rooted perennials such as Japanese anemones, phlox and hardy geraniums with this method of root cuttings. Lift a clump of your chosen plant with a garden fork, select the best roots and

Plant skimmias in pots so you can position them in spots where you can best see their attractive berries now, their pretty flower buds at the end of winter and blossom in spring. Skimmias do best in p

Parsnips roots will have reached full size by now, so you can begin harvesting them whenever needed. To get them out in one piece, loosen the soil around the roots with a garden fork beforehand, and i