The cheat’s garden

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

THIS MONTH Simple steps to keep your plot looking good

Growing the Good Life is especially rewarding as we start to prepare for winter celebrations. Not only can we harvest food for the feast, but also berries, seedheads and foliage for festive decoration

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

One of the top experts on pests and diseases, Pippa gardens using organic methods. Matt trained at Kew and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Kirsty is Head of Gardens at Balmor