What are oak gall wasps? Oaks, especially the native species Quercus robur and Q. petraea are the host plants for more than 70 species of cynipid gall wasp. It is the larval stage of these insects ...

The prestigious RHS Medals and Awards are handed out as the Show opens. Take a tour of the gardens and see if you agree with ...

Malvern Autumn Show celebrates the best of the harvest with fruit & veg competitions, awards for vintage dress, cake bakes ...

The classic summer-flowering buddleja or butterfly bush (B. davidii) is easy to grow in a sunny spot and just needs some annual pruning to look good. There are a few buddlejas that need sheltered ...

Fennel is a large attractive plant with soft feathery leaves and tall stems topped with flat clusters of tiny yellow flowers in summer. The leaves, flowers and seeds have an aniseed flavour and aroma ...

Iconic and romantic, our native foxgloves are instantly recognisable – their spires of purple bells adorning woodland clearings and cottage gardens. And now, with new hybrids and different species ...

Most vegetable gardens can accommodate winter crops. Some vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, take up a lot of space for a long time but are still well-worth the investment. Choose an open site with ...

Thyme (Thymus) is a compact evergreen shrub with small aromatic leaves. It’s easy to grow in a warm, sunny spot, in free-draining soil or containers. It’s also drought tolerant and needs little ...

Lettuces are quick and easy to grow, and come in many colours, flavours and textures – your salads need never be boring! Choose from large hearting lettuces to loose-leaf types and salad-leaf mixes ...

Agastache are herbaceous perennials with simple, aromatic leaves and small 2-lipped tubular flowers in whorls forming dense spikes, in summer and autumn; some are rather tender but can be grown as ...

A rhizomatous perennial to 90cm tall, with clumps of dark green spoon-shaped basal leaves to 10cm long and shorter stem leaves. Solitary white, daisy-like flowerheads with yellow disk florets, are ...

A productive greenhouse can be in use for most of the year. Heated greenhouses allow for maximum, year-round use but are rarely cost effective. When growing in greenhouse borders, reduce the build-up ...