Garden Answers April 2025

“Sowing night-scented stock for summer fragrance.” Louise Curley’s picks for spikes and spires are spectacular, p14 “Planting sweet peas in tubs and weaving wigwam supports from hazel and willow.” Sue Fisher rejoices in violets, p34 “Tending hundreds of new plants I’m growing from seed.” Adrian Thomas looks at gardening for mental health, p50 “Planting out my sweet peas and sowing more annuals.” Olga Grieves welcomes you to her allotment, p78 “Sowing seeds to fill the veg garden with bountiful crops.” Geoff Hodge reviews the best lighting, p98 “I’ll be pruning all my hydrangeas ready for the glorious new summer blooms.” Features editor Elise Sargent…

Who among us has not felt a slight twinge of envy when visiting a fabulous garden? After all, it’s only human nature to have a touch of the green eye when we spend a lot of blood, sweat and tears on our own plots only to find another that seems effortlessly better. It’s important to remember, however, that no garden is effortless–the really beautiful ones take a LOT of work! And we almost always play down how good our own gardens look, for the simple reason that we are always working on ways to improve them. It’s a rare garden indeed that would ever be described as ‘finished’. With this issue of GA you’ll find a bonus magazine stapled into the middle, with some fantastic ideas to give you better…

Patio project PINK AND PURPLE PARADISE While there are seemingly limitless colours to choose from in spring, restricting your choice can create some special displays on the patio. This blend of hot pinks and purples is easy on the eye and shows how stylish small plants can be. Using different levels by raising up pots, with lower ones beneath, is an easy of way of adding tiers of colour in a small space. Low-growing phlox are perfect for spilling over pot edges and the erysimum will delight with flowers almost all year, year after year. The stipa is perhaps the ultimate filler plant and cheerful violas will flower until the end of spring. Give these pots a position in light shade.…

BEGINNERS IN THE RHS SPOTLIGHT New and beginner gardeners are the focus for the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) National Gardening Week 2025, which this year takes place from April 28 to May 4. The RHS’ annual celebration of all things gardening, which highlights the many benefits of a gardening lifestyle for people of all ages, is focused on curious first-time and new gardeners to create and maintain their unique green spaces with individuality, confidence and success. There are around 30 million gardeners in the UK, including both regular gardeners and those who garden from time-to-time, with new gardeners getting their hands in the soil every day. Visit rhs.org.uk/get-involved/national-gardening-week. MP BACKS GREEN SPACE POLICY PROTECTION The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has welcomed the introduction of Caroline Voaden MP’s Private Members’ Bill,…

Keep your garden lush and thriving this summer with Flopro, the go-to brand for leak-and-fuss-free watering solutions. One lucky winner will receive a Flopro watering bundle worth more than £100–including the brand-new Cobra expanding hose. Flopro’s strongest-ever expanding hose stretches to 3x its size, never kinks, and even neatly retracts so can be easily stored away when not in use. It is also designed to be 20x tougher than standard fabric hoses, so it stands up to rose thorns and rough terrain, meaning you can water with confidence. Also included is a Flopro Spray Gun Multi 7 Start Set, Flopro Quick Fill&Flo watering can, and the Flopro Soaker Hose (15m). • To enter, visit gardenanswersmagazine.co.uk/freeforyou by midnight on April 22.…

JOY OF SPRING BULBS April 1, 10.30am-12.30pm, St Timothee, Darlings Lane, Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 6PA Enjoy a talk and slideshow by Sarah Pajwani and a walk around the gardens. Admission £20 including drink and cake. • ngs.org.uk MEDICINAL HERBS April 4-5, 9am-4pm, Jekka’s Herb Farm, Rose Cottage, Shellards Lane, Avon, Bristol BS35 3SY Herb specialist Jekka is encouraging visitors to grow their own first-aid kit with talks, tours, stalls and food. Admission £25. • jekkas.com CYCLAMEN SHOW Apr 5, 9am-4pm, RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 1QB A wealth of cyclamen plants to admire and buy. • cyclamen.org BLOSSOM TOURS Apr 5-6 & 26-27, 11.30am & 2pm, Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent ME13 8XZ Book a free tour of the 400 cherry varieties in the…