In this new series, I’ll explore just how clever plants are, the complex ways in which they respond to the environment around them, the adaptations they make and the survival strategies they employ. I

When I was brought up in a tiny village in Hampshire in the 1950s and 60s, even the smallest cottages had gardens big enough for large vegetable plots. I remember one January day walking into a neighb

If you’re new to sowing seeds or haven’t had much success in the past, then let me take you through the basics. It’s such a rewarding, cheap and easy way to fill your pots, borders and veg patch. Some

WITH SPRING AROUND THE CORNER, START GROWING SOME SEEDS FROM SCRATCH NOW TO ENSURE A PLANT-PACKED SUMMER GARDEN

As days grow longer, the urge to sow seeds is almost impossible to resist. But if you dream of overflowing beds, the most important thing to do now is plan the growing year to help you meet its sowing

This month, Lalage impatiently awaits the start of the growing season, busying herself sowing seeds indoors, nourishing the soil in the potager beds, and spreading gravel for pathways, as her plans begin to take shape