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To practice the centuries-old art of espalier, start with the right plant and train it to lie flat against a wall or fence,with its branches forming a selected pattern. Pears and apples are easy to train in a variety of patterns, but other woody plants…

If you want to hold back a bank or keep a slope from slipping, a retaining wall is what you need. Big timbers and elbow grease can do the job cheaper and easier than working with poured or block concrete. The colour and texture of…

Rock Garden Basics Since the original habitats of many species are mountainous and rocky regions, they are for the most part hardy and can tolerate thin, stony soils, and some can survive drying winds. Provided their natural habitat’s good drainage is imitated, many rock plants…

Gardeners have used arches, arbours, and pergolas to add interest and height to gardens since the time of the Romans, whose artwork depicts arches adorned with vines and roses. Now available in either modern materials or traditional wood, these practical ornaments may enhance gardens of…

Interesting as the attributes of any single plant may be, it is the way plants blend together to create a pleasing whole that is the key to a successful planting project. In order to maximise year-round interest, you need to distribute plants with diverse attractions…

Plants come in unlimited shapes and sizes, which you can use to great advantage.Think of your garden as an architect would a building-as a three-dimensional structure with line, scale, and texture-and then use plants as the building blocks. For the framework, you can choose from…

The garden of her Surrey home is dotted with pots at every turn: some decorative, some functional, some planted and others empty, but all carefully placed for effect. One year, to welcome winter visitors, Penny planted a pair of clipped standard conifers with a cushion…

If you have a child in your life who’s interested in growing plants, make a space in the garden for him or her to explore the wonder of helping things grow. Instill a sense of ownership by providing a child-size watering can and tools, and…

Summertime is the season when a terrace comes into its own. Your patio may be part of a bigger landscape, or a paved courtyard may be all you have. Whatever its surroundings, an area of brick or stone paving, gravel or decking can become a…

Beds and borders fall loosely into four categories: single, herbaceous, shrub and mixed. The style of border you choose for your landscape may well depend on the amount of time you have available for planting and maintenance. Single Theme Borders Single plant or theme borders…