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October issue – out now!

Red,And,Orange,Fall,Leaves,Of,The,Acer,Japonicum,'aconitifoliumõ,

Amazing Acers

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Keeping your garden right as rain

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Be Inspired By… A Dynamic Display of Fire and Ice

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Garden design ideas: 8 simple principles to transform your outdoor space

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Grow your own herbs: a sustainable way to add flavour to your garden

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Planting a magnolia centrepiece for pots and patios

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Stems to Grow, Pick and Love

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Spring’s First Gold at Blickling Hall

Greenhouse Christmas Decoration, £5.95, Graham and Green 01225 418 200; www.grahamandgreen.co.uk

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Add a little sparkle to your garden this christmas

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The Late-Blooming Glory of Michaelmas Daisies

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How to make an entrance

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Inside the April edition of Garden Answers

All this inside the Spring 2023 issue of Garden Answers

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Inside the Spring issue of Garden Answers

Inside the March edition of Garden Answers

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Packing A Colourful Punch

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New year, new perspective!

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Glow Up Your Autumn: Make Magical Leaf Lanterns in Minutes

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A Balanced Approach

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Excellent Echinacea

Blushing pink flowers create a harmonious look

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Q. How can I create harmony and interest using a single colour?

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Q. How can I make the most of April showers in the garden?

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Q. How can I make the most of my empty newbuild back garden?

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How can I make my garden more exciting?

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“We have more than 300 varieties of snowdrop now”

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Celebrate November’s golden glow

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Packing a punch

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A garden of enchantment

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“It’s such a sanctuary from the outside world”

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Create a winter wonderland

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Where artistry meets horticulture

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How to Make a Better Compost Heap (and Help Wildlife Too)

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Blooming crafty

Deep Shades for the End of Winter

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Must-Have Plants to Brighten the Dark Days

Tudor Roost garden in Essex - hostas create a leafy frame for the fish pond, with trachycarpus and tree ferns beyond

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How to get a greener pond

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THREE TOP TIPS FOR JAPANESE ACER CARE

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Plant a winter hanging basket

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Growing salad in a basket

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Make tasty rosemary salt

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Life on the veg patch

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Sharing the love of wildlife

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Protect your winter plants

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Introduce some autumn sparkle

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Grow elephant garlic

TREAT YOURSELF TO TASTY RHUBARB

Grow juicy tomatoes

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Win a Cobra GTRM370 rear-roller lawnmower,  worth £134.99!

Our Bumper Birthday Giveaway will feature in the March issue of Garden Answers

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Bumper Birthday Giveaway

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Win a £50 voucher to spend on Thorndown Paints

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Garden Answers Fun Plant Quiz

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Room with a View Competition

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Create the perfect striped lawn with Cobra’s new GTRM370 electric rear-roller lawnmower. Designed for small to medium-sized gardens, this easy-to-use mower with a 37cm width combines a clean, precise cut with a full-width rear roller to produce those classic light and dark stripes that are associated with beautifully maintained British lawns.

One lucky  reader will win this impressive mower and enjoy professional-looking results all season long! To browse Cobra’s full range of lawncare equipment, visit cobragarden.co.uk

**To enter fill out the form bellow by midnight on November 10, 2026.**

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As the garden hits its turning point, it’s time to lean into the new season and make the most of the weeks ahead. This issue of _Garden Answers_ is all about finishing strong, keeping colour going, getting your soil in great shape, and making smart choices now that will pay you back next year. If you’re ready to refresh your approach and garden with a bit more confidence, here’s what you’ll find inside:

Plus, you’ll get **free evening primrose seeds** (worth £3.99) to get you growing straight away.

Pick up the **October issue** from your local newsagent or supermarket and take your garden into the next season with colour, structure and plenty to look forward to.

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Trees and shrubs with handsome foliage are invaluable as part of the garden’s framework, and acers – also known as maples – are up there with the best.

Their attractive lobed leaves can be coloured or variegated, looking handsome from spring to autumn, or develop wonderfully vibrant autumn colours to round off the season with a fiery finale. A handful of maples have coloured or patterned bark, too, and these just keep on giving right through the year.

Originating from many Northern Hemisphere countries, acers are hardy and deciduous, and comprise a huge and diverse group of around 100 species that range in size from forest giants right down to amenable shrub-sized bushes.

Familiar acer trees that are native to, or naturalised in, the UK, are the sycamore (_Acer pseudoplatanus_, and the green-leaved species is often cursed by gardeners as its winged seeds pirouette across the skies to seed sneakily in gardens) – and the field maple (_A. campestre_), widely planted in hedges where small leaves turn a beautiful butter-yellow in autumn. Other, large acers that are popular for parks and large-scale landscaping include the silver maple (_A. saccharinum_) with silvery leaf undersides that show off when ruffled in the breeze, and the Norway maple (_A. platanoides_), which has large leaves in greens, purples and variegations.

For small to medium-sized gardens, there’s a wealth of lovely acers to choose from that have ultra-desirable attributes including beautiful foliage, decorative bark, coloured stems or handsome winter silhouettes. The large group familiarly known as Japanese maples, which are varieties of _Acer japonicum_ and _A. palmatum_, score high on the desirability scale, with _Acer palmatum_ in particular having incredible diversity in its foliage shapes, colours in many shades of greens, reds and purples, and a range of different leaf sizes.

  
They do, however, come with the large caveat of site suitability, because their delicate leaves must be sheltered from winds and strong sun that would ‘burn’ or scorch the foliage. However, as the smaller Japanese maples live happily in containers, that does give much flexibility in finding their happy place. Making the most compact trees are the mound-forming types that slowly grow to a couple of metres in height and spread.

Others are upright or wide spreading, gradually attaining anything from 2–8m in ultimate height, depending on the variety. For the best colours and most reliable performance, buy named cultivars, which are mostly produced by grafting, though note that the production process and naturally slow growth rate mean that Japanese maples don’t come cheap. If the budget permits, it’s worth pushing the boat out and buying a larger ready-grown specimen for that immediate ‘wow’ factor!

While acers with coloured or variegated leaves make a striking display from spring to autumn, those with attractive bark – either colourful, patterned, or peeling – look handsome all year, perfect for smaller spaces where big plants really do need to earn their keep. These include the ‘snakebark’ maples _Acer pensylvanicum_ and _A. davidii_, with bark beautifully striated in green and white, or the stunning coral bark maple. The paperbark maple (_Acer griseum_) is another beauty, if you don’t mind waiting for its slow growth to mature. With so much variety, there truly is an acer for every garden

## _How to save, store and make the most of rainwater_

Longer, hotter summers and increasingly unpredictable rainfall mean water has never been more precious in the garden. Installing a water butt is one of the simplest — and most effective — ways to conserve resources and keep plants thriving during dry spells.

Rainwater is free, naturally soft and better for plants than treated tap water. By harvesting it from your roof via a downpipe, you can build up a reserve to draw on during hosepipe bans or periods of drought. It’s a small change that can make a significant difference — both environmentally and financially.

Water butts come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and styles, from traditional terracotta amphora designs to contemporary slimline models that fit neatly against a wall.

**Capacity**  
Most domestic water butts hold between 100 and 250 litres. If you have the space, a larger model means fewer refills — particularly useful in prolonged dry weather.

**Shape and size**  
Consider where it will sit. Tall, narrow designs are ideal for compact gardens, while barrel-style butts make a decorative feature in larger spaces.

**Stand and height**  
A raised stand allows you to fit a watering can beneath the tap easily and improves water flow.

**Lid and fittings**  
Choose a model with a tight-fitting lid to keep debris out and reduce evaporation. A secure tap and compatible downpipe diverter kit are essential for easy installation.

Position your water butt on level, solid ground — ideally paving slabs — close to a downpipe. Most kits include a diverter that channels rainwater directly from the guttering into the butt, filtering out leaves and preventing overflow.

For maximum efficiency, consider linking two butts together to increase storage capacity.

Collecting rainwater is a practical step towards a more resilient garden. Whether you opt for a classic terracotta urn or a sleek, modern design, a water butt quickly proves its worth — helping you nurture borders, containers and vegetable beds while making smarter use of a free natural resource.

In a changing climate, it pays to plan ahead. Capture the rain when it falls, and your garden will stay right as rain — whatever the weather brings.

Check out April's issue of Garden Answers for our lowdown on the best options available.

**Love what you’re reading?**  
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### This striking spring container display proves that bold colour and clever contrast can transform any patio.

At its heart, rich red tulipa ‘Couleur Cardinal’ and warm apricot tulipa ‘Dordogne’ create a glowing “fire” effect, joined by the vibrant spires of Erysimum ‘Orange King’. Cooling the palette, _Trillium chloropetalum_, bellis daisies, and lush ferns add softness and balance.

The secret?  
Choose a strong colour theme, layer plants by height, repeat key varieties, and plant generously. The result is a vibrant, theatrical arrangement that brings instant spring impact.

### Looking to refresh your outdoor space? Whether you have a compact courtyard or a generous back garden, a few clever **garden design ideas** can completely transform the look and feel of your plot. The key isn’t always spending more – it’s designing smarter.

Here are eight expert garden design principles to help you create a cohesive, stylish and calming garden that works beautifully all year round.  
  
**1\. Create a Strong Focal Point  
**Every well-designed garden needs a focal point, something that immediately draws the eye and anchors the space. This could be:  
A water feature  
A striking sculpture  
A specimen tree  
A decorative screen or architectural structure  
A focal point gives the garden purpose and direction. When positioned correctly, it naturally pulls you through the space and creates visual impact from multiple viewpoints, including from inside the house.  
**Tip:** Tall elements work especially well, as height helps create drama and structure.  
  
**2\. Embrace Curves for a Softer Feel  
**Curved garden beds, pathways and lawns instantly make a space feel larger and more relaxed.  
Unlike rigid straight lines, curves:  
Create movement  
Add a sense of calm  
Feel more natural and organic  
Soften compact gardens  
Gently sweeping shapes in borders or low hedging can transform a boxy garden into a more fluid, inviting retreat.  
  
**3\. Hide Part of the Garden from View  
**One of the oldest tricks in garden design is creating intrigue. If you can’t see the whole garden at once, it feels bigger and more interesting.  
You can achieve this by:  
Positioning trees or tall shrubs to partially screen areas  
Using decorative panels or trellis  
Adding a curved path that disappears behind planting  
When you conceal a seating area or feature, you encourage exploration — making the garden feel layered and dynamic.  
  
**4\. Treat Texture as Important as Colour  
**Colour gets the attention, but texture creates depth.  
Mix contrasting textures to add richness and complexity:  
Fine grasses against bold architectural foliage  
Matte leaves paired with glossy ones  
Feathery plants beside structured shrubs  
Layering texture prevents borders from looking flat and gives the garden visual interest even when flowers are not in bloom.  
  
**5\. Refine Your Colour Palette  
**A harmonious colour scheme makes a garden look professionally designed.  
Instead of planting every colour available, choose:  
One dominant colour  
Several complementary shades  
Repeated tones throughout the space  
For example, a blue and purple scheme ranging from pale lilac to deep violet creates a sophisticated, calming atmosphere. Repeating similar tones in different plants builds cohesion without monotony.  
  
**6\. Soften Hard Landscaping with Planting  
**Decking, paving and gravel are essential elements in modern garden design — but too much hard landscaping can feel stark.  
To soften the look:  
Surround patios with generous planting  
Allow grasses and perennials to spill slightly over edges  
Lay stepping stones through planted areas rather than alongside them  
Blending hard and soft elements ties the garden together and makes the space feel more natural and inviting.  
  
**7\. Repeat Key Plants Throughout the Garden  
**One of the most effective garden design principles is repetition.  
Instead of using many different plant varieties, simplify your planting palette and repeat key plants in drifts or clusters around the garden.  
Benefits include:  
A stronger sense of unity  
A calmer overall feel  
Easier maintenance  
Greater visual impact  
Repeating the same plant across borders links different areas of the garden and creates rhythm.  
  
**8\. Keep It Simple and Cohesive  
**When it comes to garden landscaping ideas, less is often more.  
Too many materials, colours or plant varieties can make a garden feel busy and disjointed. By simplifying your choices and repeating elements — whether that’s hedging, materials, or plant types — you create a more cohesive and elegant result.  
  
**Bringing It All Together  
**Great garden design isn’t about copying trends — it’s about applying simple, timeless principles:  
Anchor the space with a focal point  
Use curves to soften the layout  
Create intrigue by partially concealing areas  
Layer texture for depth  
Limit and repeat your colour palette  
Soften hard landscaping with planting  
Repeat plants to build cohesion  
Whether you're redesigning your entire plot or simply refreshing a border, these garden design tips will help you create a space that feels intentional, calming and beautifully balanced.  
If you’d like help applying these ideas to your own garden project, get in touch — we’d love to help you create something truly special.

### If you regularly buy supermarket herb pots only to see them fade fast, there’s a more sustainable solution. Growing your own herbs at home provides months – even years – of flavour, supports pollinators and cuts down on packaging and air miles.

With the right choices, you don’t need a large garden to enjoy a generous harvest. Many herbs grow easily from seed or cuttings, need little feeding, and thrive with minimal watering. In summer, the flowers of sage, mint, oregano and savory will hum with bees, while in winter you can still enjoy fresh pickings or preserved harvests.  
**Give Mediterranean herbs the right conditions  
**Mediterranean herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme and sage are ideal for a sunny, sheltered spot with free-draining soil. They dislike heavy, poorly drained clay that stays wet through winter, but in gravelly soil they flourish with very little input.  
In dry summers especially, these sun-loving herbs prove their value — thriving without constant watering and providing structure, scent and pollinator-friendly flowers when other plants struggle.

  
**Keep Vigorous Herbs in Check  
**Mint is a kitchen favourite, available in a wide range of flavours from lemon to chocolate. While some varieties are well-behaved, common garden mint can quickly spread if planted in open ground, particularly in moisture-retentive soil.  
The simple solution is to grow mint — and lemon balm — in containers. A recycled plastic or terracotta pot filled with garden soil mixed with multipurpose compost works well. Position in semi-shade and you’ll have an abundant supply without the risk of it overwhelming neighbouring plants.

  
**Harvest All Year Round  
**Growing your own herbs reduces food miles and unnecessary packaging. Freeze surplus herbs in ice cube trays at the end of summer to enjoy fresh flavour through winter. Mint, lemon balm and chives freeze particularly well.  
You can also lift clumps of parsley, mint or chives in autumn and grow them on a cool, bright windowsill indoors, giving you easy access to fresh pickings during colder months.

**Propagate from Cuttings  
**There’s no need to buy multiple plants to expand your herb garden. In late spring or early summer, take softwood cuttings from rosemary, thyme, lavender, sage, oregano or mint. Insert into gritty compost, cover to retain moisture and keep warm and bright until rooted. By the end of summer, you’ll have strong young plants ready for planting out.

  
**Save Seeds and Feed Naturally  
**Allow herb flowers such as chives, coriander and oregano to set seed and collect them once dry for sowing the following spring. This is especially useful for fast-growing annual herbs like coriander, dill and basil. Herbs growing in the ground rarely need feeding, but those in pots benefit from an occasional boost. An organic seaweed feed or homemade nettle fertiliser will encourage fresh leafy growth without excess packaging.  
Herbs can form the cornerstone of a sustainable garden — productive, pollinator-friendly and low maintenance, yet packed with flavour.  
For the full feature and expert tips, see the April issue of **Garden Answers**, on sale now.

### A good compost heap turns everyday garden waste into rich, crumbly soil improver while cutting landfill and supporting garden wildlife

With a few simple techniques, you can speed up decomposition and keep your heap healthy all year round. Here’s how to compost smarter.

Successful composting depends on the right mix of materials.

**Greens** include grass clippings, vegetable peelings and soft plant growth.  
**Browns** include dry leaves, cardboard and woody stems.

Layer them evenly to keep air circulating and prevent soggy, slow-rotting piles.

During colder months, compost heaps often shelter hedgehogs, frogs and beneficial insects. Avoid turning your pile until spring and add new waste gently to protect wildlife and maintain natural breakdown.

Grass clippings are high in nitrogen but can quickly compact. Add them sparingly and mix with dry material like shredded cardboard to stop smells and encourage airflow.

**Build a wildlife-friendly compost bin**

Open-sided pallet composters improve ventilation and provide easy access for creatures. Position heaps in quiet garden corners near hedges or shrubs for best results.

Choose reclaimed or FSC-certified timber when building bins to reduce environmental impact and support responsible forestry. Rich compost improves soil health, retains moisture and reduces the need for chemical fertilisers — making it one of the most effective eco upgrades for any garden.

**Read the full feature in March’s issue for more expert composting tips and wildlife-friendly gardening ideas.**

### Soft pink blooms, scented bulbs and jewel-bright pots – early spring is full of planting inspiration. From magnolias to muscari, discover how to create a show-stopping patio or corner display right now

There are few sights more uplifting at the tail end of winter than a magnolia coming into flower. Bare branches suddenly erupt with goblet-shaped blooms in shades of blush, rose and cream — instantly transforming gardens, patios and courtyards into something magical.

Early spring is prime time for container displays and small-space planting, and magnolias make a spectacular centrepiece. Compact varieties thrive in large pots, especially when underplanted with seasonal bulbs. Tulips bring bold colour at ground level, muscari add cool blue tones, and narcissi scatter sunshine beneath the blossom-laden canopy.

Layering is key to making these displays feel generous and long-lasting. Ornamental grasses or evergreen shrubs provide structure, while spring bulbs weave through the gaps, extending the interest week after week. Choose containers with plenty of depth, good drainage and a generous helping of compost to give roots room to establish.

Patios and decks are perfect stages for this kind of planting theatre. Group pots together to create impact, mixing heights and textures for a relaxed, collected look. Watering cans, terracotta planters and weathered furniture add to the charm, turning even the smallest outdoor corner into a welcoming seasonal scene.

The beauty of early spring planting is its sense of anticipation. Today’s buds will soon unfurl, bulbs will follow one another into flower, and fresh green shoots will keep the display evolving.

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### From scented narcissi to ruffled tulips and dusky hellebores, spring is prime time for cutting gardens. Discover what to plant, how to harvest and how to style your blooms

There’s nothing quite like gathering fresh flowers from your own garden. As winter fades, spring delivers its first armfuls of colour and scent – making it the most exciting moment for anyone who loves to cut and arrange their own blooms.

Bulbs and early perennials lead the charge. Narcissi light up borders with fragrance, fritillaries bring drama with their nodding chequered bells, and primroses thrive in cool, shady spots. Tulips — from sculptural singles to blowsy doubles – add instant impact, while hellebores anchor arrangements with rich tones and impressive staying power.

The key to a productive cutting patch is variety. Combine bulbs, biennials and hardy perennials to create a steady succession of flowers, and you’ll have stems to pick for weeks on end. A few well-placed clumps can supply anything from a quick posy for the breakfast table to a generous jugful for guests.

Cutting at the right moment helps flowers last longer indoors. Snip stems early or late in the day, plunge them straight into clean water and recut before arranging. Keep things simple when it comes to containers – jugs, jars and buckets suit the relaxed, garden-gathered style perfectly.

Spring bouquets capture a fleeting moment in the gardening year: fresh, hopeful and full of possibility.

Explore the full guide to spring cut flowers, growing tips and styling ideas in our **latest issue, out now** — packed with seasonal inspiration for every garden

### From glowing daffodil drifts to newly unfurling leaves, early spring brings a quiet transformation to this Norfolk landmark. Step into the season – and find the full story in our latest issue, out now

Early spring doesn’t announce itself with fireworks. Instead, it arrives in light – softer skies, warming lawns and sudden flashes of colour where only grass lay weeks before. At Blickling Hall, that change is most dramatic along its sweeping avenues, where thousands of daffodils rise through the turf and turn formal lines into something joyful and loose.

This is a garden built for grandeur: clipped hedges stretching into the distance, water catching the sky, carefully shaped trees anchoring the view. Yet at this point in the year, nature gently steals the spotlight. Bulbs planted generations ago return in spreading colonies, threading gold beneath dark yew and along broad walks that once framed carriage processions.

The trees are waking too. Great spreading planes lift their branches over lakeside lawns, while beech begins to glow with newly opened leaves — pale, pleated and almost luminous when the sun catches them. Against winter-dark evergreens, those fresh greens feel electric.

What makes this season so special is its clarity. Borders have yet to fill, sightlines remain long, and every swelling bud can be spotted. It’s a time for noticing detail: bark patterns, reflections on still water, the first insects hovering over flowers. The garden feels poised — holding its breath before summer’s abundance.

Discover more about this remarkable landscape, what to look for as the seasons turn, and how to bring a little early-spring magic into your own plot in our **latest issue, out now** – packed with garden visits, expert insight and inspiration for the months ahead.

### **Use a few colourful winter stems and seasonal blooms from the garden to make a classy vase display. Spindly stems can be snipped from cornus without spoiling the shape of the plant and form a fiery backdrop for crisp, white hellebores**

**Use a few colourful winter stems and seasonal blooms from the garden to make a classy vase display. Spindly stems can be snipped from cornus without spoiling the shape of the plant and form a fiery backdrop for crisp, white hellebores.**

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