Prune shrubs that bloom in spring

Helping you get your best-ever fruit and veg

Laurel is a common garden plant, which can take over a space if left to its own devices. If you visit a stately home, local parks or woodlands, you’ll see how dominating they can become, blocking out

Cut back, feed, water and remove reverted stems

Throughout August I cut the box hedges that give shape to the vegetable garden. They’re just under waist height but that’s enough to protect most plants from the wind and they are a good dark backgrou

If your apple tree has become overgrown, or you’ve inherited a neglected tree, now is the perfect time to give it a summer prune. By pruning in summer rather than winter, you remove some of the tree’s

The latest from Carol's beautiful cottage garden... plus her diary for the week!