It looks like we are all in for some rougher weather in the next couple of weeks. To be fair, we don’t need wall-to-wall sunshine for the sort of jobs we need to do in September – tidying up shrubs, perhaps, planting clematis or repairing bare patches in the lawn……. Shrubs in autumn Are you getting […]
Cactus, pompon, waterlily, ball, collarette, there are so many different types of dahlias. Here we each pick our favourite one of all… Caroline: My favourite dahlia is of course, one that appears to require little expertise. I bought D. ‘Karma Irene’ from Chelsea Flower Show three years ago. One of the ‘waterlily’ type dahlias it’s […]
Early September is THE time to plan changes in your garden. The triumphs and the mistakes are mostly still staring you in the face, for one thing! But what alterations will you make? We 3Growbags each have our own wildly-divergent ideas… I need less garden. There, I’ve said it. I know my sisters have been telling me this for […]
or potato bean Many years ago I went to a talk given by Bob Brown (founder of Cotswold Garden Flowers) at one of our local Hardy Plant Society meetings. I remembered to grab my garden notebook as I left home, because what Bob recommends will always be worth growing and he introduced me to my […]
The end of the summer hols – back to school, back to work…….and it’s just the same for gardeners too! September brings plenty of early autumn tasks such as moving or digging out plants in the borders, choosing new roses or prepping alpines for winter… Making changes This can be a fabulous time for looking critically at […]
There aren’t many parts of Britain that haven’t had to contend with extremely dry soil this summer. Parched lawns, hosepipe bans, farmers desperately worried about their crops…it’s been a worrisome few months for many. Lots of garden plants can shrug off such conditions and we’d like to recommend a few to you, in case you’re […]
or Green bristle grass, or Green foxtail I first noticed this pretty little grass growing in our garden several years ago. It arrived as a hitch-hiker in a pot of some perennial or other that I had been given and which is long forgotten, but I’ve enjoyed the presence of the Setaria ever since because […]
Most of August’s gardening jobs are all about KEEPING THINGS GOING! Cutting back, watering, harvesting to encourage more produce…. Just trying to keep the show on the road. Especially for Caroline who’s got a big Open Gardens event this weekend in the Highlands (link at the end). There are a few tasks that are specific to […]
In the harsh sun of August, flower-colours can look washed-out and flat. What is needed are some plants that will shine brightly in high summer, popping and fizzing in answer to glaring light. Don your shades, here we go with some of our favourite zingers……… 1. What wonderful summer-flowerers perennial phloxes are! They like sun and good […]
The problem with homemade tomato soup is that you are eternally comparing your efforts to the gold standard of Heinz, the most popular of any canned soup on the market, and deservingly so – it’s delicious. But it’s also chock full of salt, sugar and goodness knows how many stabilisers and e-numbers. So it’s worth […]
By no stretch of the imagination do I regard myself as a clematis expert, but I have found ‘Sugar Candy’ to be trouble free and robust despite the rather less than gentle handling it sometimes receives. I made the number one mistake of planting it through a climbing rose* because I thought they’d look so […]
And so the year tips over into August. The tree foliage looks dustier and the blackspot is getting a grip on the old roses. But it’s also harvest-time – wonderful! Not only is there fruit and veg to pick, but what about seed-harvesting too? This is just the time to get started, as well as […]
It’s almost August and we are smack in the middle of prime garden-visiting time. But why do we do it? And which gardens do you really rate? We share some of our favourites, but of course we sisters each have our own agenda……… I have always loved Sissinghurst Garden in Kent. It was the first place that taught […]
or shrubby hare’s ear Let’s start with the family to which Bupleurum fruticosum belongs: formerly known as Umbelliferae (indicating slightly domed flower shape with spokes like an umbrella), it is now called Apiaceae. Apis is the Latin name for ‘bee’ and these are among the myriad of insects that are attracted to the many members of this group. It […]
There are certain gardens that just have a magical, dream-like quality about them. They transport you to a place, a moment in time, that lingers in your memory more as a feeling than an image. This is one such garden. Your first temptation to visit The Manor at Hemingford Grey (near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire), might […]
We have had some really scorching weather here recently – I hardheartedly watched my garden plants going dry and floppy and then BOOM! A storm of torrential rain and they are all smiling again! Challenging weather aside, there are still tasks to attend to now, such as looking after lilies, preparing pots for your absence and feeding […]
This draw ended today (6 August 2025, 12pm) and we will be notifying the winner shortly. Please do subscribe to our blog though, because we’ll have another free giveaway for our subscribers coming up soon!
How do you feel about foliage? Is it just there to provide life-support for your flowers….or can it be the very star of your show? We’ve picked 10 plants that we reckon you could happily grow for their foliage alone, but which of our choices chime the most with you? It has grey-green pinnate leaves […]
broad-leaved everlasting pea Thirty five years ago when we moved to our present house, it was our wish and our ambition to make and to grow a garden from scratch. We were lucky enough to inherit a blank canvas with very few existing features and even fewer garden-worthy plants, but the one that was there, […]
Once July really kicks in, the goodies keep coming if you’ve done all your earlier spadework. Early crops to pick, fruit ripening and flowers everywhere! But no time to rest on your laurels – let’s have a go at pruning the plum trees, taking semi-ripe cuttings and harvesting courgettes, amongst other jobs ……. Pruning the […]
Have you noticed how sometimes a plant in a pot can set the tone for a whole area in your garden? Drama, charm, colour, fragrance? A perfectly-placed plant in a container can lend the perfect je-ne-sais-quoi that you’re after. But what to choose? We have some ideas for you, but OF COURSE we disagree about what’s hot in […]
Silene armeria Sweet William Catchfly bunch pink Annuals come and go don’t they, but this little gem has stuck with us and I am so glad because it makes a big contribution to the garden scene and especially to our containers where it seems particularly happy to grow. I bought my original plant several years […]
Summer’s in full swing now – excellent! Here we are at the longest day, with wonderfully light evenings to relax in after a hard day’s labour in the garden. And there is still plenty to be getting on with including sharpening tools, potting on tender plants and feeding them for fab flowers……. Sharp Practice I […]
Sorry folks, this draw is now closed (11 July 2025 12pm) and we’ll be announcing the winner soon. But keep checking in because we’ll have another free draw very soon!
Have you got gaps? Have you finally concluded your favourite perennial must have shuffled off during the winter? Are your sunny spots now shady spots beneath spreading trees, or perhaps you realise that between your small and tall plants – there is no mid storey. You have a small window of opportunity to save your summer garden – what are you going […]
red-leaved rose AKA Rosa rubrifolia Seldom do you grow a rose primarily for its foliage but today’s pick of the week is precisely one of those. Anyone who is familiar with this charming species will agree that its beauty lies in the overall picture: purple-tinged, glaucous (from the Latin glaucus meaning bluish-grey) leaves, reddish-blue new shoots and stems, […]
Now it’s June, the mad rush of spring gardening is abating – a little. We might even dare to take some time to sit in the garden and just enjoy it occasionally! There are still jobs to be done though, like dividing the irises, thinning fruit and protecting our newly-planted out flowers and veg……. Looking […]
For all of us, a perfect day in the garden will be the sum of many little tasks, revelations and modest triumphs that together make our collective hobby so satisfying. But with such contrasting tastes and locations (and, in Caroline’s case, skill levels …) what really constitutes a perfect day in the garden for us […]
plantain lily ‘Devon Green’ The very first hosta I bought, many years ago, was the blue leafed ‘Halcyon’, so I was interested to discover that ‘Devon Green’ was a sport (a naturally occurring mutation) of this favourite of mine. Like its parent, it is very resistant to slugs. It was introduced by Roger and Ann […]
We had a great time at the final day of RHS Chelsea yesterday! Loved the colour and the ‘real gardens for real people’ vibe. Gone was the weighty ‘message-heavy’ proliferation of stinging nettles; in were tinkling streams and heart-stopping colour and texture combinations. Obviously we three had our own opinions on the particular highlights and […]
Visiting RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week has given me ALL SORTS of ideas for this crop of garden tips! From how to present your garden plants in their best possible light, to looking after newly-planted trees, there’s plenty to keep us busy… All tied up The Show Gardens and the Great Pavilion were stuffed […]
Hi-Viz vests are reaching saturation point on Chelsea embankment as organisers cock the starting pistol on the Greatest Flower Show in the World aka Chelsea. The RHS’s overall theme of ‘Your space, your story’ leaves the field wide open for garden designers to go all ways – and they’re not missing the opportunity, so buckle […]
Japanese wisteria (syn. Wisteria floribunda ‘Macrobotrys’) May is an extraordinary month. Each time I set foot in the garden I notice something new that has just come out, so it’s hard to pick out a favourite at this time of the year; they are all special, but my choice today is hard to beat for drama and impact. It you don’t have a suitable house wall, or if you just fancy a small specimen tree, this method […]
Reviewed by Elaine Fraser-Gausden, the3Growbags.com In this fascinating book, Mark Lane explores how our gardens will look in the future, and the technologies being developed that are already being used in many areas of horticulture. His journey into horticulture is relevant in that the themes of accessibility, inclusivity and flexibility are strong messages throughout. From […]
I don’t think there is another month when a keen gardener is busier than in May! I can’t walk along the garden path without finding at least three more jobs to do. I’m loving all the busy-ness as well, of course, including making free plants, re-potting some shrubs and tending to the summer bedding beauties………. Easy […]