Question Can you recommend some plants for a container in a shady area to the front of my house? Answer As a guide you need to look for plants with fleshy leaves as these plants stand a better chance in a shady spot. I recommend the following plants – – Skimmia Japonica, Mahonia, Camelia, Prunus [...]

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Traffic noise close to your home can become quite a bother. It also tends to take away the sense of tranquility to those who own gardens. Hedging can be a sensible solution, whereas gardeners can plant hedges to provide a screen from the traffic and the noise that comes with it. Here at Gardenadvice we [...]

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Question Can you advise me on the best type of compost for shrubs in containers? Answer Using a mixture of 50 percent multi-purpose compost and 50 percent John Innes soil based compost is the one we normally recommend. This is because it will be easier to maintain the correct soil moisture levels because of the [...]

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With regard to using Horse manure in the garden, it is best used when it is well rotted after it is about 12 months old. This is because fresh manure can burn the plant’s roots. It is dug into the soil or used as a mulch, both methods add organic matter to the soil. In [...]

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Question Can I use wood ash from my fire to feed my garden soil? Answer Yes, it is one of the oldest forms of feed for a soil. Wood ash contains high levels of potash and so it good for flower and fruit formation especially with vegetables. However, you need to be careful you do [...]

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Question I have a large amount of Fairy rings on my lawn, how can I remove them? Answer Fairy rings show themselves as circles or arcs of lush green grass in spring or early summer. Depending on the fungus responsible, the circle may be zoned with a middle zone of dead grass or ‘thatch’, particularly [...]

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QuestionI have a soil ph of 7 and I have rhododendrons which I would like to plant, do you think the soil would be OK? If not, do you think flowers of sulphur added as a dressing would be sufficient? Answer With regard to your question on growing rhododendrons on your alkaline soil adding flowers [...]

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Question How do I care for my indoor coconut palm? . Answer Coconut palms are quite easy to grow. They need a position with good light and an even temperature, so make sure they are not next to a window but further in the room. They should be grown on a well-drained sandy soil rich [...]

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Decking MyGardenTeam mini project As part of our MyGardenTeam service you can now sign up for for a one off decking project. It is a simple idea designed to save you time and money, and to make creating your own decking a more enjoyable experience. On a mini project you have access to all the [...]

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Get some expert advice with your new decking As part of our MyGardenTeam service you can now sign up for for a one off decking project. It is a simple idea designed to save you time and money, and to make creating your own decking a more enjoyable experience. On a mini project you have [...]

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Question Please could you suggest some hardy plants for an exposed garden in Scotland? Answer With regards to your question on on plants and shrubs for container in an exposed position see the list below: Skimmia Japonica, Festuca Glauca, Festuca Glauca Golden Toupee, Ophiopogon Planiscapus Nigrescens, Berginia, Pernettya, Hypericum Hidcote, Hebe Mid Summer Beauty, For [...]

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Question How can I control couch grass in my perennial border? Answer With regard to your question on couch grass in a perennial border, we deal with this by mixing some round up weed killer in with some wall paper paste and painting it with a small paint brush onto the grass. You do not [...]

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Question I am looking for suggestions for an evergreen hedge for a exposed position. Answer Griselina Littoralis or Griselinia Littoralis Variegata provide a good screen when planted as a hedging plant. They are happy in a wide range of soils including chalk soils and are able to withstand a wide range of weather conditions such [...]

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Question I have ivy growing on my house walls. Will it cause any damage and if so how do I remove it?. Answer Common green ivy will cause damage to house walls with its arial root breaking the mortor in the joints and preventing moisture getting to the wall causing it to crumble. To remove [...]

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