So exciting that we are now full-pelt into the big growing season! I hear from Caroline that the Highlands are still dragging their feet somewhat about the arrival of spring, but even there, gardeners must be starting off seeds, sorting out lawns and mulching flower-beds. Let’s get on with it! Growing seedy Almost all of us in […]
When you start out on your first attempts at gardening, you really need to be rewarded with success. Here we’ve picked 10 perennials (they’ll come back up every year) that aren’t demanding and that should encourage a beginner by the joy they give for the little input required. We’ve included ones that flower earlier and […]
So much about horticulture is handed down the generations, but did the gardeners of yesteryear have it all correct? We’re going to have a look at some of the old chestnuts this week with a view to rebutting a few…….. But what you are creating effectively is a small ‘pot’ to contain the plant. The roots […]
or snowy mespilus, juneberry Its moment in the spotlight won’t last for long, but it really packs a punch when in full flower and happily there are other seasons of interest to follow. Amelanchier lamarckii is generally grown as a multi-stemmed small tree (or large shrub), it has an open, relaxed habit and at this time […]
You can grow a marvellous range of salad plants with very little difficulty. They’re the perfect thing to grow as a ‘cut-and-come-again’ crop – the idea is that you sow a few seeds every few days or so, you snip off leaves as you want them when they’re young, small and fresh, and you keep […]
Easter Saturday, and for most of us, the garden is leaping into life in every corner! Spring may be dragging its feet more than a tad in the Highlands 🙄 (sorry, Caroline). Even so, there are lots of jobs to help fill the time between Easter-egg chomping and wine-o’clock, such as harvesting rhubarb, starting a herb pot or pruning […]
Evergreen shrubs will keep your garden looking structured and attractive through the winter months. Get them established in advance and here here we share 10 of our recommendations for the best ones to buy… You may also be interested in: 10 best climbing plants for a sunny spot 10 best plants that flower for ages […]
Euphorbia is a wonderful genus and there is one to fit almost any situation from imposing, architectural types to low gentle woodlanders; there are even succulent species that make good house plants. They all have toxic white sap, but that also means they are…..wait for the magic words …slug, rabbit and deer resistant! As ever […]
With over 2000 different types to choose, there is bound to be one of these fantastic, architectural plants that’s just right for your climate, soil and taste (please don’t eat them, we meant taste as in style!). Here we pick 10 euphorbias we can recommend, although we’ve included some pros and cons for you to […]
or false spirea The genus Sorbaria belongs to the Rose family (Rosaceae), and also in that clan are the Sorbus or mountain ash whose leaves are similar to Sorbaria. Ballyroberts website tells us that ‘The genus Sorbaria was first recognised as one of the species of the genus Spiraea by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, but was moved into a genus of […]
Our resident plantswoman Louise Sims has written several fascinating articles about the genus Euphorbia over the years. We have collected these together, so do have a browse through and find out much more about these wonderful plants and why she chose them as Great Plants of the Month: Euphorbia x pasteurii ‘John Phillips AGM Euphorbia […]
We 3Growbags have had such a lovely time this week giving talks to two marvellous groups of folk on the South coast! Actually, we could talk about gardening till the cows come home. But there is so much to DO now spring has properly sprung! So let’s get out there making plant supports, re-potting specimen plants, […]
Is there anything more uplifting that the delicate colours of plants that revel in the damp, humus-rich areas in which trees give way to open space? Here we’ve chosen five that do really well and offer so much to a wildlife garden You may also be interested in: 10 best climbing plants for a sunny […]
There can’t be a gardener in the land who doesn’t feel the urge to get something new growing, come March. Even non-gardeners must feel the lure just a little! The easiest way to scratch this itch is to buy some packets of seeds. But which ones? We 3Growbags know which seeds are on our list for 2026 […]
or wild tulip Almost all tulips bring me pleasure, and they make such a valuable contribution to the spring garden, but I am coming to love the species tulips more and more: once planted, they come back year after year and they ask for very little in return. They also have a natural grace and […]
Geminating seeds can be a bit of a ‘fingers crossed’ exercise, but you can significantly improve your chances of success by having the right tools for the job We’ve picked five that we really rate… You might also be interested in: 10 best climbing plants for a sunny spot 10 best plants that flower for […]
In a host of ways, March is one the most exciting months of the year for gardeners! Yes, there’s a MASS of things to do, but hope is in the air for the best season ever in your patch. Let’s begin with some timely pruning, plant division and starting off tomatoes and dahlias……. Dogwoods, willows and […]
Climbers are a must in your garden if you want to utilise every opportunity to bring colour, scent and food for pollinators into the space. They can hide ugly utilities and create structure and mystery by obscuring the path ahead. Many are sun-lovers, so here Laura recommends 10 great options if the space you have […]
A spring-flowering shrub is one of the biggest assets of an early March garden. Daffodils and crocuses might be shyly peeping out in sheltered spots, but a good-going early-flowering shrub puts on a show with commitment and at a decent height. This week we’ve chosen some of our favourites: Let’s start gently with some of […]
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with violets – once they get a foothold in a flower bed they can produce impenetrable quantities of leaf and almost no flower, and are actually quite troublesome to remove, others fare better in less fertile conditions where they produce more flowers. Viola Alice, as I call […]
Early spring-flowering shrubs lift the heart with their confident show of colour and often scent, when other plants are still a little nervous of the cold. They can be a garden‘s greatest asset as we emerge from winter. Here are 12 of our favourites… You might also be interested in: 10 best climbing plants for […]
We are still buzzing from a great trip this week to the Garden Press Event in London – so many interesting new ideas, so many enthusiastic exponents of our beloved pastime of horticulture! Now it’s back down to earth (sorry about that awful pun) with timely garden tasks such as pruning clematis, sowing peas and dividing […]
Very few things entice Caroline out of her Highland hideaway these days, a family wedding, Chelsea Flower Show, a litter of puppies maybe, or … an invitation to The Garden Press Event! So it was that we 3 Growbags gathered from all corners of the UK like lemmings responding to the siren call of Islington […]
This draw has now closed (Monday 9 Mach 2026), and we will notify the winner, but keep following The3Growbags…there will be another free draw for subscribers soon
Garden centres and online sites are bulging with summer bulbs, but which are adorable and which give us the screaming ab-dabs? We’ve each chosen two we consider ‘hits’ and, very frankly … one that’s a ‘miss’. HIT – I can’t get enough of lilies. What a range of colour and form, from towering tree lilies to […]
or stinking hellebore; bear’s foot While snowdrops are getting all the attention at this time of the year, for me, hellebores are the hallmark of February, and I look forward to, and love, all species in the genus. The stinking hellebore: not an attractive name is it, and I can’t imagine why it came about, […]
Every fence, wall, obelisk or tree has potential to add so much to your garden with the addition of climbing plants. There are a host of really smashing ones to choose – here are our recommendations for a sunny spot: You might also be interested in our tips for: 10 best climbing plants for a […]
Oooh, my first seedlings of 2026 have appeared! Exciting – Here we go! Now January is finally over, the pace of gardening tasks definitely picks up round here – I shall be pruning many of my summer shrubs, sowing my sweet peas, and starting off some bulbs…. Early spring pruning Do you have some shrubs in […]
You’ll wonder how you managed without a mini chainsaw – they are a game-changing tool for managing your garden Mini chainsaws are great for pruning, removing small branches, shaping shrubs and keeping your garden under control. Here are two we can definitely vouch for!
It’s lovely to feel the soil on your hands, but most garden jobs require you to wear gloves, so you must pick the right ones…flexible but tough; ones that allow you to do delicate jobs but protect you from thorns and nettles. There’s a lot to think about, but we have some recommendations here to […]
Having the right garden tools for the numerous different garden tasks through the year – weeding, planting, dividing and tidying – makes all the difference to how much you enjoy gardening. Here we share our recommendations for the best tools to choose…
Cutting back and training your plants is as important as growing them. Here we share our recommendations for really good pruners and loppers
Plants cost so much these days, you want to choose ones that are really going to give value for money – month after month. These are our top 10 recommendations You may also be interested in our recommendations for: 12 best shrubs for early spring 10 best climbing plants for a sunny spot 10 best […]
In this quiet and rather dreary time of the year, we 3Growbags have decided to face our failings. We are coming clean about how we struggle to keep indoor plants growing. Well, two of us are, our middle sister is just plain smug…….. Can’t lie – houseplants have never really done it for me. Yes, yes […]
black jewel orchid I have grown this beautiful and distinctive orchid for many years, but being an outdoorsy sort of plant person, I have sometimes overlooked the needs of my houseplants. So it took me a while to realise my Ludisia lacked the sparkle of its namesake. This is a terrestrial orchid whose natural habitat is on […]