What is the best choice of hedging for my garden?
Soil type and general weather conditions matter when it comes to choosing a garden hedge
Caught in a landslide, gored to death, expelled from Japan: the fates of plant-hunters who pursued rare specimens
Historian Thomas Pakenham details the remarkable individuals who risked life and limb in pursuit of new species
Which house plants are best for students?
It’s a good idea to start with a selection of stalwarts that will tolerate less-than-ideal growing conditions
How to pack up your plants when moving on
Planning to move house and garden? Create a list of what to take with you and prepare well in advance
Why bare-root planting is always a good idea for your garden
Whether you’re searching for budget-friendly options or simply trying to plant without excavating big chunks of your garden, this approach makes sense
Should we hire a garden designer?
Fionnuala Fallon: Great garden designers and landscape architects are like artists, marrying together practical, environmental and aesthetic elements
Frost can feel cruel but it’s not all bad news in the garden
The cold acts as a natural curb on the spread of plant pests and diseases. Slugs are less active and fungal spores will be less likely to spread
Can I leave spuds in the ground and dig them up when I need them?
Fionnuala Fallon: Only maincrop potato varieties, such as Golden Wonder, are suitable for storing over winter
Autumn leaf displays have not been as vibrant this year. There’s a good reason for that
Deciduous trees and shrubs are paragons of good planning and preparedness
‘Can I collect seeds from sweet peas to grow again?’
Fionnuala Fallon: Homegrown sweet pea is one of the great joys of the summer garden
Tulips, erythroniums and trilliums: aristocratic bulbs for planting season
As planting season begins in earnest, consider looking beyond the obvious for spring-flowering bulbs
We have a problem with squirrels in our garden. What can we do to keep them at bay?
Fionnuala Fallon: As charming as their arboreal acrobatics might be to watch, grey squirrels can be a real problem in Irish gardens
Organic market gardener Charles Dowding: ‘So many people are intimidated or confused by the advice available’
With 45 years as an organic market gardener under his belt, Charles Dowding has a feast of knowledge to share in his new book Compost
How can I create my own pocket forest?
Fionnuala Fallon: Autumn is an excellent time to collect the ripe seed of most trees
The best ornamental grasses for gardens: the ones to pick and how to grow them
The long-lasting feathers of ornamental grasses are one of their greatest charms