Plant Care & Gardening Guides

Plums are a popular type of fruit in the western world, that you will commonly find in the grocery store or the local farmers market. They are scientifically known as drupes, or stone fruits, and they hail from the trees of the Prunus genus. Within this genus there are over 400 different species, all producing different types of plums.

Cucumbers are annual plants. This means that they grow for a single season, and once the season has ended, they will die back to the ground. Unlike perennial plants, which will regrow from the underground roots when spring times rolls around again, annual plants will not re-emerge. They will live for around 80 days, the length of one season, and then cannot be regrown.

There are plenty of times when plants just don’t seem to grow as quickly as we want them to, and actually for gardeners it can be quite frustrating waiting for plants to increase in size. If you find that you are impatient when it comes to waiting for your garden to fill out, then fast growing shrubs are a great solution.

Here we take a look at a range of shrubs and bushes which produce purple foliage. Some of these are deciduous, while others are evergreen for even longer seasons of interest in the garden.

Here we look at a range of tall shrubs which are good for growing in shady conditions, as well as tall shrubs which are useful for creating shady spots in the garden.

Red is a popular choice of flower for the garden, but interestingly it is actually one of the most rare colors when it comes to flowering species of plants. Blue is widely known as the most rare flower color, but red comes a close second, which may take many people by surprise since red flowers are widely seen in bouquet arrangements and in wildflower meadows. Here we investigate the meaning of red blooms, and look at a range of  shrubs which produce red flowers.

Compact gardens don’t have to be limited to compact shrubs and trees. In fact, even if the square footage of your garden is quite small, there is typically no limit on height in gardens, so you can still benefit from a lush display of foliage, but it will be covering more vertical space rather than horizontal space. This is where narrow shrubs can really shine, because they add interest to a garden while also bringing an architectural structured feel to the space.

Clay soil is not known for being the best growing medium for plants, and many gardeners will battle to alter the composition of their native clay soil to help plants to thrive. An easier solution to altering the clay soil in your garden might actually be to accept the condition of your soil, and work with it by choosing plants that will thrive in clay.

If you want to create privacy screening around the perimeter of your home then your options are likely limited to erecting a fence or wall, or growing a screening or hedge made from plants. Fences and walls have the obvious benefit of being pretty much instant, but they can look harsh against the landscape, and make your garden feel like a prison.

Yellow is a color associated with joy, optimism, and warmth. It is synonymous with sunshine, which is a symbol of light, life, energy, and positivity. Yellow flowers can make a garden feel cheerful and energetic, so it’s no surprise that this is a popular color choice when it comes to which plants to grow in the garden. Here we look at a range of trees and shrubs which produce yellow flowers, covering a wide range of growing conditions, climates, sizes, and growth habits.

Some plants are renowned for having invasive roots, such as Willows, Maples, and Japanese Knotweed, while others may be a surprise to you. It’s important to have an understanding of which plants have invasive roots so that you can avoid planting these close to your home.

Fragrant flowers are a wonderful addition to a sensory garden, since they ignite our senses and add an extra layer of enjoyment to an outside space. Here we explore a range of shrubs which produce white flowers with appealing scents.