Garden Answers

...Although I don't subscribe to Garden Answers, it's a monthly magazine that I buy on a relatively regular basis. So regular that I probably buy about 10 or 12 issues so would no doubt save by subscribing but I don't actually plan to buy it that often. It's just so bloomin' difficult to walk past the magazine shelves without having a look at the gardening mags and, more often than not, buying something.

Garden Answers, being packed ...
...your garden, but every month, Garden Answers gives you tips on what you should be doing in the garden this month. Being aimed at the all-round gardener, a specialist in fern propagation or tree peonys wouldn't be likely to find much of interest here but the 34 pages of "what to do" tips in June's issue certainly offers enough information to help the ordinary gardener keep on top of the tasks normally carried out in an average garden with ... more

Those with a hobby tend to hunger for as much knowledge as they can possibly gather on their subject. I'm no different. As a keen gardener I don't just want to know what the different plants are called and when they're likely to bloom, but how to find out what kind of soil I have, which plants are likely to thrive in that soil, how to take cuttings so that I can propagate even more plants for myself, friend and neighbours and how to prune my shrubs to keep them looking in tip-top condition. I want to be able to plant up glorious containers and baskets and understand exactly what to feed my plants with, when and how.

There's no end to the knowledge a gardener can pick up and this is where books and magazines come in handy. Ask anybody who knows me well and they'll tell you that I always have a least one book or magazine related to gardening on the go at any given time. Even books and magazines that appear to contain quite elementary information often have a little nugget or two hidden within their pages.

Although I don't subscribe to Garden Answers, it's a monthly magazine that I buy on a relatively regular basis. So regular that I probably buy about 10 or 12 issues so would no doubt save by subscribing but I don't actually plan to buy it that often. It's just so bloomin' difficult to walk past the magazine shelves without having a look at the gardening mags and, more often than not, buying something.

Garden Answers, being packed with plenty of practical advice and inspirational ideas, is one of my favourites. As the blurb on the front cover says, it has "all the tasks, tips and ideas you need from the experts". Obviously, you can't expect one copy of a magazine to contain information on every task you'll ever need to do in your garden, but every month, Garden Answers gives you tips on what you should be doing in the garden this month. Being aimed at the all-round gardener, a specialist in fern propagation or tree peonys wouldn't be likely to find much of interest here but the 34 pages of "what to do" tips in June's issue certainly offers enough information to help the ordinary gardener keep on top of the tasks normally carried out in an average garden with a few shrubs, some perennials, bedding in pots and baskets, a fruit and veg garden and perhaps an ornamental pond. Did you know you should always pinch out the first buds to appear on your annual bedding to ensure bigger, bushier plants that'll ultimately bear far more flowers than those that were left to flower immediately? Do you know how to stop a highly invasive bamboos from spreading? Would you know where to start when it comes to late spring pruning? Which plants need pruning and which don't? Any idea how climbers should be trained or how blanket weed's removed from ponds? Knowing how to take cuttings is always useful and who wouldn't love to grow a few fresh strawberries on the patio? If you grow raspberries, you'll need to know how to rope them in but have you ever tried growing melons? And do look out for great crested newts in your pond, won't you? I expect you get the picture now - Garden Answers really does give you the answer to a lot of the jobs you ought to be doing as well as giving you a few new challenging ideas.

I like to keep up with what's happening on the gardening scene. I like to know which new plants are available, whether there are any tools that help make a gardener's work easier and what ornaments and accessories are on the market as I believe gardens are equally in need of 'theming' as any other room in the house. I don't mind whether the theme is fruit and veg, Japanese, country cottage or high-tech, just as long as it has one. A mish-mash of plants thrown together that are going nowhere and saying nothing is equally as unappealing as a living room that's full of unmatching furniture, clashing colours and tacky ornaments. Anyway, Garden Answers always carries features on the latest plants and products so I can keep up-to-date with what's happening and plan next year's changes based on what really will be available rather than what I think might be available. May's edition explains modern alternatives to peat and has information about 5 new plants (look out for Echinacea Purpurea "Doubledecker" - it's so pretty and cute looking). There's also a feature on patio watering systems where 7 types were tried and tested.

There are always some very good features about individual plant types with some gloriously sharp and colourful accompanying photographs. This month's features are on lupins and clematis 'Nelly Moser'. There's also a feature about plants that we take for granted in the UK but that originated from very different climates, a garden that was developed in just two weeks (he sure must've worked hard - we've been here for three summers now and haven't finished!), unusual plants for the patio, ideas for borders and a feature garden. I love looking at the feature gardens as they almost always include an idea that can be adapted for use in our own garden.

The reader's letters section mostly contains anecdotes which are an amusing break from the 'real' garden stuff. Lots of readers send in photos to accompany their letters giving the rest of us the chance to have a little nose into somebody else's garden and believe me, that's something every gardener loves to do. So next time somebody walks past and bogs into your garden, don't get upset with them for looking, be proud that they're even bothering (unless of course you think they're looking because they're disgusted at the state of it, in which case perhaps you really do need to start buying Garden Answers).

There's always a practical section with a step-by-step guide on how to make something. This month it's 3 water features, one made of old chains (I know, but it's actually quite appealing and would look great in the right setting), one made from driftwood and one that's a sort of metal stream. But these guides could just as easily offer information on how to make a wooden planter, a pergola, a pond or lay a patio. Very worthwhile and educational. If only I had electricity in my garden I might well consider the chain water feature myself.

Almost at the end is the questions and answers section which is one of my favourite areas of any gardening magazine. Garden Answers has got the right mix of questions from the very elementary to the more advanced problems and covers areas from house plants to exotic plants through bedding, shrubs and veg. The questions are always plant related which I think is a shame because it'd be nice to have some questions related to garden wildlife, composting and soil improvement. It isn't a huge section but as one has come to expect from this particular magazine, is illustrated with beautifully sharp, colourful pictures.

Like many other magazines, the issues are always a month ahead of themselves. It's strange and I don't understand why it's done but I'm sure there must be a reason why June's issue contains "jobs to do in May" and July's issue will be telling us what to do in June.

The very last page is dedicated to a crossword and a word search. Being hopeless when it comes to the cryptic clues, I've never finished the crossword yet but it's always fun trying. I haven't bothered with the word search but they'll give my dear mum something to do when she visits.

There are several pages of small ads at the back and a few whole page advertisements throughout but not so many that they in any way dominate. This magazine is about gardening advice and you don't have to search to find it. Had there been more adverts I'd have thought twice about buying it on a regular basis (or even buying it at all) but they've struck a very good balance of advertisements and information, offer plenty of down to earth advice and ideas that are achievable in YOUR garden (unlike some ideas which are just too far out for most of us to even contemplate).

In conclusion, I can only say that whether or not it's worth £2.90 depends entirely upon what you want from a gardening magazine. I can only say what's it's worth to me but you may well find it a very valuable magazine. I buy it because I like reading the more in-depth reviews of plants and for the "what to do in the garden now" section but if I could only buy one magazine, this wouldn't be the one as I'd like more information related to organic gardening and garden wildlife and like many other gardening magazines, they tend to forget that a lot of gardeners need to take children's play needs into consideration when planning and evolving their gardens. Still, every magazine has it's focus and when it comes to plants, this one certainly know it's onions.

~~++~~++~~
 

...less