The Top 20 UK Gardening Blogs You MUST Check Out

Post Last Updated: 26th November 2014

Do you love gardening? We do! That is why we have picked our top 20 UK gardening blogs to share with you. Each of the blogs below contain wonderfully detailed posts on a range of gardening subjects so you will never again be short of inspiration! Also if you ever have a question you can't answer, chances are one of the blogs below already has your topic covered! We have also included social media and RSS links so that you can keep up to date with the gardening experts on our list.

We would also like to say a big thank you to the handful of bloggers who agreed to share an Autumn/Winter gardening tip exclusively with our website visitors! We would love to know your thoughts!

So here are (in no particular order) our top 20 UK gardening blogs that you MUST check out....

The Galloping Gardener

Created by Charlotte “The Galloping Gardener” Weychan, this blog is an excellent source of inspiration for people who want to try their hands at gardening. An author, photographer, and an intrepid traveller, Charlotte searches the world for new gardens to explore – all of which are brought to life on her blog with captivating photos and interesting stories.

Recent Post We Love: It’s hard to pick just one post from “The Galloping Gardener” but we really loved the post about La Bambouseraie, which is the oldest cultivated bamboo garden in Europe. The magnificent garden took 40 years to create and is now a haven for over 200 bamboo species and 800 different plants and trees.

 

Alternative Eden

The real Garden of Eden during the Biblical times may have been lost forever, but that didn’t stop Mark and Gaz (authors of the Alternative Eden) from creating their own version of the famous garden – one that’s made mostly with hardy plants combined with tender accent plants.

If you’re just getting your hands into gardening, this is a great blog to read over the weekend. With sections on plant profiles (for individual plants and groups), gardens that Mark and Gaz have visited, and more, a true nature-and-garden lover can easily spend hours reading through Alternative Eden’s wonderfully detailed and colourful posts.

Recent Post We Love: Let the most recent entry to their “Plant Of The Week” column introduce you to Paulownia tomentosa, which boasts large leaves as well as a fast growth rate during summer and foxglove-like blooms during late winter till early spring.

 

Autumn/Winter Tip

For us the key thing at this time of year is to move tender and frost sensitive plants such as aloes, agaves or palms into the greenhouse. Rather than leaving this to the last minute we prefer to stagger moving the plants so we can inspect and deal with any bugs or damage so they are placed away for winter in the best possible shape.

Once in the greenhouse we ensure that they are not shut away with stale damp air, so keep the greenhouses ventilated on warmer days.

 

Fennel & Fern

Fennel & Fern is a blogging collective where gardeners from all over the world go to for inspiration. Run by Louisa Armstrong along with fellow gardening lovers and bloggers, Fennel & Fern feels like it’s been built from the ground and up to educate up-and-coming gardeners.

Whether you are looking for beautiful gardens to explore, mouth-watering recipes to spice up your next event, or a guide on how to grow sweet corn and potatoes, Fennel & Fern has the aforementioned and more in abundance!

Recent Post We Love: Instead of picking just a post, here’s Fennel & Fern’s Tutorial Section where you can learn how to be a better gardener by picking the perfect soil for your plants and cutting down on carbon footprint.

 

Joanne’s Cottage Garden

Created by Joanne Drayson, “Joanne’s Cottage Garden” takes you on a tour around her garden during different times of the year. Newcomers to gardening may pick up a lesson or two from the posts like not pruning a Francine Austin rose and letting it grow to a tripod. This blog – which shows you don’t have to leave your own backyard to be treated to the view of different beautiful gardens – is an excellent source of inspiration and ideas.

Recent Post We Love: Joanne’s post – Roses In My Vegetable Garden – is so full of life and beauty. From Blush Ramblers, Cornelia roses, Cecil Bruners, to David Austin roses, you’ll see it all here!

 

Welly Woman

 

Created by the Welly Woman – Louise Curley, this blog was one of Garden Media Guild’s 2012 finalists for “Blog Of The Year,” and for good reason if we may add. From garden reviews, interviews with fellow gardeners and plant lovers, to lessons about sustainable gardening you’ll find it all here!

Recent Post We Love: The Welly Woman’s most recent post takes you to The Laskett, which is located in Herefordshire. Behind the tall hedges of brambles and ivy surrounding the place, The Laskett is home to orchards, pastures, knot gardens, and more.

 

Not Supermum

With sections on single parenting, recipes, and drinks, Not Supermum isn’t strictly a gardening blog. Jean – the author of the blog – is a single mother to two teenage girls. While the blog is originally created to document Jean’s experiences as a single parent, Not Supermum has a lot of great posts about her garden, which is one of her favourite places.

Recent Post We Love: Winter doesn’t have to be dry and colourless. With Jean’s blog post about Winter Flowering Plants, you’ll learn which flowers to plant to keep your garden lovely even if it’s winter.

 

Oxonian Gardener

Petra Hoyer Millar is an amateur gardener based in Oxfordshire. Personally however, I don’t buy the “amateur” part. For starters, her blog has the words “Gardening PRO” pasted all over it (figuratively of course). From virtual tours of wonderful gardens (like the private garden of Jacques Wirtz), interviews with famous personalities in the gardening space, to Petra’s personal experiences, this blog has it all!

Recent Post We Love: Petra’s most recent post – Moving House: Garden Relocation – shows you what legal issues you may have to put up with when moving house and relocating your garden. Towards the end of the article, the author teaches you how to plan your garden relocation and carry it out with minimal hassle for you and your potted friends.

Autumn/Winter Tip

I love the autumn. It is the best time to work on your herbaceous borders. I wait patiently all year to gauge which plants need lifting, dividing, removing or are to assess where there are plants missing. Come autumn, all those plans are put into action. Also, provides a great excuse to visit your local nursery to purchase some new recruits!

 

The Blackberry Garden

Created by Alison Levey who’s based in Leicester, The Blackberry Garden takes you on a tour of her back garden, which is large enough to be divided into 7 areas! For the most part, the blog documents the garden’s progress during the end of every month. However, the blog also has sections on reviews of gardening products; plant trials held in different locations; and other interesting stuff.

Recent Post We Love: The Blackberry Garden’s most recent post takes you on a tour of the Haddonstone Show Gardens, which boasts magnificent stonework and statues; a vegetable garden; an orchard; and other lovely sights.

Autumn/Winter Tip

In terms of my top tip for this time of year I think it is to say that you should not be too quick to tidy up your garden.  The dead flower heads often contain seeds for the birds and spaces to hibernate for a variety of insects.  Dead leaves on the borders can be pulled into the soil by worms where they will rot down and provide nutrients.  There has to be a little caution with this as slugs can also hide under the leaves and be protected for the next year, but generally it benefits more wildlife we usually consider 'good' than otherwise.

 

Two Thirsty Gardeners

Created by two thirsty gardeners Rich and Nick, this blog has everything you need to take you from a gardening newbie to a pro. “The Veg Plot” section has a lot of good gardening tips and tricks as well as insightful interviews with seasoned gardening vets. “The Brewing Shed” section, on the other hand, will teach you the fine art of cider making.

Recent Post We Love: With Halloween just around the corner, you’ll love one of the blog’s recent entries in “The Veg Plot” section - Pumpkinalia! Learn everything about growing, carving, and cooking pumpkins.

Autumun/Winter Tip

Don't waste those apples

If you've been inundated with apples from your tree then don't let them go to waste – they're crying out to be made into cider. You can make booze from any variety (although a blend of cookers and eaters is best) and can even use those less attractive windfallers. All you need to do is convert them to juice (a kitchen juicer will do the trick), fill a demijohn, fit an airlock and let nature do the rest (wild yeasts should get the process started). Your cider will be ready at the end of spring.

 

Horticultural

Created by gardener and journalist Jane Perrone, Horticultural takes you through the author’s garden and how its transformed through the years. What we really like about the blog though are the useful tips Jane gives for different plants and how you can use them around your home and garden. The blog also has numerous product reviews that seasoned gardeners looking for a tool or two will find useful.

Recent Post We Love: Succulents like Aloe vera, Lace aloe, and Plover’s eggs have seen resurgence inside the garden. Just check out the images of walls, roofs, and containers full of them posted on Pinterest. If you’re looking for the top 5 succulents you can plant indoors, Jane’s detailed post will help you get started.

 

Real Men Sow

Created by Jono Stevens, the blog – Real Men Sow – has received numerous awards and recognition. It was named as one of The Guardian’s “Gardening Sites We Like” and was recommended by the Daily Mail. This blog will teach you everything you need to know about growing your own veggies and fruits...whilst enjoying the savings and fruits of your labor.

Recent Post We Love: Winter may be the most popular tell-tale sign of the holiday season ahead, but for gardeners, it usually spells trouble. Learn how to plant onions that can survive the winter season with this quick guide.

 

The Middle-Sized Garden

Created by author, journalist, and gardener Alexandra Campbell, The Middle-Sized Garden has a chockfull of interesting finds for gardeners and plant lovers. Interestingly, Campbell has also held writing and blogging workshops in London and the South East…and if you have a gardening blog that could use more exposure, some of her blogging and writing tips will hopefully help you out.

Recent Post We Love: The words “beach” and “garden” don’t always appear together. However, in one of her recent posts, Campbell teaches you how you can add a relaxing, seaside feel to your garden.

Autumn/Winter Tip

Do as little as possible in the garden in autumn. Every year I do less - I now leave all the grasses and the hydrangea heads for their lovely brown sculptural shapes. I don't tidy any corners so, there'll be dried leaves and debris left for the beneficial insects and hedgehogs to shelter in. This year, I'm not even harvesting the crab apples, because I still have last year's jelly, and I know the birds will appreciate the extra bounty. The only absolute essential is to sweep leaves off the path, because they get slippery if there's ice. Otherwise, open those glorious gardening catalogues and plan next year from the sofa.

 

Veg Plotting

It’s hard to find a gardening blog that is as comprehensive as Veg Plotting. Whether you are looking for a guide on how to handle pests and diseases in your garden, a tutorial on garden photography, or how to mix compost and chit seeds, you’re almost guaranteed to find it here! If you want some hands-on gardening training, I highly recommend you check out the “52 Week Salad Challenge.”

Recent Post We Love: Picking a single, best post from the blog was impossible. So instead, here’s something better: Check out the Free Resources & Tutorials section of the blog. You’re sure to find something that teases the gardener in you.

 

The Patient Gardener’s Weblog

Started in 2008, The Patient Gardener’s Weblog was meant to be a recording platform of sorts – one that documents Helen’s (the author) progress on her new garden. Since then, Helen has written for Yell.com as their gardening expert and her blog became a go-to source for up-and-coming gardeners – yielding 512,085 visits as of this writing.

Recent Post We Love: If you love bulbs like Helen, this post will introduce you to Oxalis perdicaria ‘Citrino’, which can bloom lovely flowers in as little as 6 months. Even if you’re not into bulbs, check out the post anyway. The lovely photos will convince you to at least take a stab at it.

 

Grow Our Own

Created by Carrie, the blog “Grow Our Own” and her allotment have served her well in her battle against chronic depression and anxiety. The blog documents her progress in the garden. Personally, I find the page Allotmentherapy – The Wisdom Of Plants very inspiring. It tells Carrie’s story and how she pulled herself together with the help of gardening.

Recent Post We Love: Do you know what’s cuter than regular-sized roses? Miniature roses – these are perfectly scaled and smaller versions of the regular sized ones but with all the form, substance, and beauty. Carrie has written a quick guide on how to grow miniature roses.

 

Stopwatch Gardener

Terrible climate, pests, and diseases aren’t the only obstacles an up-and-coming gardener will face. As with anything worth pursuing, gardening requires a lot of time, which some of us don’t have. If you are one of the time-poor gardeners out there, this blog is for you. With podcasts, gardening videos, tips, and tricks posted on the site, you’ll walk away empowered with ideas to make better use of your time in the garden.

Recent Post We Love: Every podcast posted on the Stopwatch Gardener deserves at least a mention. So instead, check out this post about Sarah Raven, which will teach you about biodiversity (and why it matters a lot), which flowers to plant to help bees and butterflies, and other good stuff.

 

The Wind And The Wellies

Written by a botanical expert who took up horticulture at the Royal Botanic Garden in 2001, “The Wind And The Wellies” boasts photographs of lush fields and gardens, which will make every gardener green with envy.  The posts aren’t just informative they are also sprinkled with a nice amount of humour.

Recent Post We Love: Indoor Herb Garden – this post is very short text-wise. But the photos included in it will surely pump you up to start your own indoor herb garden while conserving space.

 

The Compost Bin

Written by the Herefordshire-based Compostwoman, this blog records her life as a gardener who produces organic fruits and veggies. The Compostwoman also served as an Environmental Educator who teached kids and grown-ups about organic gardening, and her expertise is very apparent on the blog. The Compost Bin is full of information with guides on composting, on growing different plants, things to do in the garden during different times of the year, and a whole lot more.

Recent Post We Love: There is a lot of good stuff in this blog, so it would be an injustice to simply pick one. We highly recommend that you check the “How-To” Guides about composting, pest control, chicken keeping, to name a few.

Autumn/Winter Tip

My tip for this time of year? Rake up all those fallen leaves and make leaf mould Easy to do and a really valuable material to add to any growing medium. I have a How to on the website.

 

Guerilla Gardening

Originally, Guerilla Gardening (GG) was set up as a project in 2004 – one that intended to make good use of empty plots across London to grow veggies, fruits, and all sorts of plants. Fast forward today, the project has expanded with activities in Rome, New York, and Warsaw. The blog mostly records the undying efforts of the Guerilla Gardening community, and you can be a part of it by joining the community as well.

Recent Post We Love: Instead of picking one of the posts, here’s the Guerilla Gardening Tips Page which will take you from a total newbie to a fully-fledged Guerilla Gardener with the help of 12 easily actionable steps.

 

Gardener’s World

Whether you’re a new gardener or a seasoned vet with years of experience, this is a blog you want to bookmark and visit often. After all, it’s written by the experts from the Gardener’s World magazine. The blog covers a wide array of topics that involve plants, allotments, and wildlife. I really like the “How-To” section which gives advice to amateur gardeners and helps them develop their skills.

Recent Post We Love: If you want your garden to bloom, you need to get the bees on your side. With this guide on Plants For Bees, you will learn which flowers to plant to turn your garden into a bee haven.

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