Gardening is one of those rewarding, fulfilling and practical activities. Growing one's own flowers, fruit or vegetables, tending to a colourful splattering of bushes and pruning hedges for a verdant, neat outdoor oasis – there's ample to do in the garden. Indeed, getting one's hands dirty is fantastic for brain health, longevity and overall well-being – a few studies have even determined that those who get out in the garden have better sex lives (who needs the birds and the bees when you've seeds and soil?). Of course, those who don't know a hoe from a spade might feel a bit intimidated at first; however, for those wishing to plant the first seeds of getting into gardening, we've collated the best tips, tricks and how-tos across the House & Garden site to help you get started.
The easiest place to start for new gardeners
For those in need of a concrete set of rules or with no idea on where one might begin with gardening, we have a helpful step-by-step guide to designing your first garden by garden designer Angel Collins, as well as a few helpful apps to keep you and your garden on track.
Where to buy seeds, spades and other tools
Before you can begin your gardening journey, it is vital to consider your tools, as well as the seeds and plants you'd like to grow and tend to in your garden.
Whilst there are plenty of bells and whistles a seasoned gardener might have their eye on, there a few essential tools necessary for those just getting into the gardening game.
- Gloves: Though we at House & Garden don't mind getting our hands dirty from time to time, those who will be spending some time out in the garden ripping up weeds or diving deep into the dirt will want a good pair of gardening gloves.
- Secateurs: When it comes to pootling and pruning, a good pair of secateurs (essentially a gardener's answer to scissors) are key.
- Hand trowel: These little shovels are a gardener's best friend. Useful for weeding, planting, potting and seed sowing, good hand trowel will get quite a bit of action in the garden – we'd recommend investing in a stainless steel or other sturdy, long-lasting option.
- Hand fork: For those getting started in the early spring (the best time to start a garden!), a hand fork is essential. Not only will it help you to break up hardened soil or clay, a good hand fork will also bust through stony ground and help to turnover fresh soil ready for new seeds.
- Watering can: Even if you live in a rainy clime (hello, the UK), a watering can is an indispensable gardening tool. Use you watering can to keep thirsty seedlings and young plants well looked-after; when out of commission, they can also transform into fashionable, though rustic, vases.
- Hose: For those with a hook-up, a hose is a fast way to water your garden, not to mention easier on one's back.
- Spade: Digging and planting could not be possible without a spade. Like with a hand trowel, it is wise to invest in a sturdy, long-lasting option.
- Garden digger: For those looking to plant vegetables or zhuzzh up their garden's borders, a garden digger is ideal. Not only will it break up hardened soil or clay, the garden fork can also serve as a rake, making seed planting easy.
- Dutch hoe: Even if you tend to your garden expertly and with a watchful eye, weeds are an inevitable and unwanted visitor. Dutch hoes are perfect for clearing these pesky invaders.
- Rake: Practical for a number of reasons, the humble rake is perhaps one of the most important tools for a gardener. Its wide head and sharp prongs can open up soil; its flattened, dull head will be able to firm it back down. Additionally, for those with fallen foliage, rakes will help you to collect and organise it.
- Potting shed: Maven of housekeeping Martha Stewart is a firm believer in having a good potting or garden shed, which needn't be bigger than a wooden cupboard (but have enough storage for your supplies). “When placed in a location convenient to both the house and the garden, a potting shed will serve as a useful way station,” says Martha, “Fill it with pots, bulbs, seeds, fertiliser and potting soil, a hose and other gardening essentials.”
- Optional Gardening shoes (though wellies or a pair of old trainers will do), a garden kneeler, for those seeking extra comfort whilst planting and weeding and a garden trug, for collecting the bounty of your garden (a wicker basket or bucket, however, can be used in a pinch).
Unsure of which tools to buy? Let our garden editor, Clare Foster, guide you through your selection.
Whilst there are plenty of wonderful garden centres in which you can speak with specialists who will point you in the right direction, there are plenty of online options, too. Indeed, “many UK nurseries sell mail order plants, so you can take your pick from the specialists,” says Clare Foster, House & Garden's garden editor, who has put together a great list of sources for every plant or seed under the sun.
- Crocus.co.uk, especially for perennials, shrubs and ready-made borders.
- RHS, for brilliant finds from bulbs and shrubs to indoor plants.
- Bethchatto.co.uk, for perennials.
- Knollgardens.co.uk, for ornamental grasses.
- Binnyplants.co.uk, for peonies.
- Avonbulbs.co.uk, for bulbs.
- Ashwoodnurseries.com, for shrubs.
- Crug-farm.co.uk, for exotic foliage plants.
Now that you've gotten all of your gardening supplies and seeds to boot, here are the best ways to get started, no matter which kind of garden you're going for.
How to plant in containers
Whether you have a large garden or are making the most of a humble patch, planning a patio is a tricky endeavour. However, Clare has devised a fool-proof plan for designing your loveliest patio yet (no matter one's gardening skillset)…
How to do-up your front garden
Whilst many might immediately begin thinking what lies behind their houses, front gardens, too, should be considered. Indeed, for first-time gardeners, beginning with the usually smaller front garden is actually more useful and a great way to learn. These smaller, front gardens allow for plenty of experimentation, allowing you to innovate whilst you make the most use of your smaller out-front green space. We've a font of ideas, as well as a few schemes dreamed up by garden designer Lottie Delamain to help you add life to your front garden.
What to do with a garden border
Garden borders are essential to any great garden. Not only do they add depth and variety to one's outdoor space, they also allow for gardeners to tend to a host of plants and flowers year round. Whilst it may seem a daunting task for beginners to plan, then plant their garden's borders, we've plenty of inspiration and advice from the world's top garden designers and landscape architects.
How to add whimsy to your garden
For those looking for a softer edge to their garden, take inspiration from ‘wilding’ gardeners as well as those found in quaint cottages across the UK. We've a few guidelines and pulled some inspiration for creating the most perfect, fanciful garden of your dreams.
As well as being sustainable, a kitchen garden is a deeply satisfying thing to develop and nurture. With the cost of living crisis, tomato shortage and proliferation of vegetarians the world over, having one's own patch of fresh vegetables is too good to pass up. Early spring is the perfect time to start growing vegetables from seed, allowing you to reap the tasty rewards come summer (hello fresh tomato salads and barbecued courgettes).
How to grow an indoor garden
For those with no garden to speak of but who still wish to turn their black thumbs green, there is still a chance to practise your gardening. Whether it's growing your own kitchen herbs or tending to a few houseplants, we've gathered the best advice from our favourite horticulture experts to help you practise and grow your gardening skills.
With an indoor herb garden, made up of smaller potted herbs (or one great big container), one can have fresh thyme, rosemary and basil year-round, perfect for fresh salads and zesty omelettes and garnishes. Purchase already-planted pots from the grocer and, if you're feeling brave, decant them into better-looking pots; however, for those too nervous to uproot their new herbs, simply place the plastic pots into containers with a water-catching saucer and reap their herby bounty ASAP.
For the rather forgetful types who can never quite seem to remember when to water or fertilise, there are a font of indoor herb gardens, too, to relieve that first-time gardener pressure. With one of these LED-illuminated planters (such as the ‘Smart Garden’ from Click & Grow), herbs will grow from seed to leaves quickly, all automated with the assistance of smart machinery hidden by a slick white container.
