"I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs."
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
"Gardening is not a rational act."
"The seed waits for its garden or ground where it will be sown."
"Weather means more when you have a garden. There's nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans."
"The trouble with gardening is that it does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession."
"Gardening gives one back a sense of proportion about everything - except itself."
"How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence."
"I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden."
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
the song of the birds for mirth,
one is nearer to God's heart in a garden
than anywhere else on earth.
If you want to be able to look after your garden but don't consider yourself to be a gardener, then you are in the right place.
Even if you know a thing or two about gardening but need to brush up on a few weak areas, then we have something for you too.
Although creating and maintaining a beautiful garden may seem to be a mysterious art, it is really just a little bit of know-how along with a willingness to get your hands dirty while putting in some hard work.
On this site, we aim to present the essential tasks for maintaining a modest garden in simple language that removes the mystique and gives you the confidence to have a go.
If you work in a methodical manner and use your common sense, you are unlikely to do much harm that cannot be put right relatively easily, so browse the site and then tackle that job you have been intending to do for years.
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Design Some ready made garden designs to get you started, along with additional ideas for garden features you can create yourself |
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Soil and Climate Information about how to work with different types of soil and the prevailing climate of your garden, along with some ideas how to overcome their limitations. |
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Plants Suggested planting plans, how to choose your plants and information about buying them |
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Techniques Instruction on how to master many of the essential gardening skills, from propagating to pruning, from gardening on a budget to organic gardening. |
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Tools Clear advice on selecting and buying the right tools for gardening and then how to care and maintain them in top condition. |
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Wildlife Essential information about the various species of wildlife you may find in your garden and how to make it a more wildlife friendly environment. |
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Pests Information about some of the less welcome creatures and plants in your garden and effective measures you can take to control them. |