Plant Guides

Choose a privacy hedge by winter screening, available width, soil and maintenance. Practical options and buying checks before ordering plants.

Winter can be a good time to plant a hedge. Choose suitable plants, prepare the space and know when cold or wet ground means waiting.

Decide when outdoor pots need feet rather than saucers. Check drainage holes, support position and why overall foot height is not the actual lift.

Use fleece over vulnerable foliage and bubble wrap around exposed pot walls. Calculate the wrap you need while keeping drainage and ventilation clear.

Hedging planted near the coast needs to cope with more than just cold winters. Wind exposure, lighter soils and drying conditions quickly show which plants are structurally reliable — and which require constant attention. Working in a coastal town in the North West, I’ve seen which hedges establish strongly and maintain density long term, and

Lavender is one of the most reliable plants for sandy and coastal gardens in the UK. It prefers free-draining soil, full sun and low fertility, making it particularly well suited to areas such as Formby and other coastal parts of the North West. This page focuses on selecting and maintaining lavender in sandy soil rather

Turn One Hebe into Many – Without Spending a Penny on New Plants Looking to fill your garden with hebe without breaking the bank? You’re in the right place. In this hands-on guide, I’ll show you exactly how to propagate hebe the easy way — even if you’re completely new to gardening. With just a

Starting with the Soil In sandy, windswept gardens like those in Formby, good soil is the quiet hero behind every thriving plant. Yet many gardeners overlook how powerful a bit of compost or bark can be. If you’ve ever poured water onto your garden only to watch it vanish in seconds, this article is for

Why Sandy Soil Needs a Smarter Watering Approach Water runs right through sandy soil—so shallow, frequent watering just won’t cut it. To thrive in these conditions, your garden needs a few key watering strategies that prioritise depth, timing, and plant choice. Quick Answer: Water deeply but infrequently, mulch well, and choose drought-tolerant plants to help

Don’t Fight It—Fine-Tune It Sandy soil isn’t a curse. It just has a different personality. Instead of trying to turn it into rich loam, focus on small, smart improvements that preserve its best traits—like drainage—while boosting fertility and moisture retention. Quick Answer: Improve sandy soil by adding compost, aged manure, leaf mould or bark fines.