If you're new to gardening and don't know where to start, the thought of failure can be discouraging before you even put on a pair of gardening gloves.
Gardening isn't about following a rule book, but mistakes like overwatering and overpacking seem to be a waste of time and money.
Planning on getting out and about this bank holiday weekend? We spoke to Gardeners' World presenter and author Frances Tophill about the gardening mistakes to avoid for a healthier, happier garden.
The good news? BBC Gardeners' World Live is offering Country Living readers an exclusive 15% discount when you use code CL15*.
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Keep reading for her tips and tricks…
1. Overwatering
Although overwatering is often done with the best of intentions, plants growing in wet soil can suffer from a lack of oxygen.
“This is a really common mistake that applies to both garden plants and houseplants,” Francis told Country Living UK. “Plants need a bit more tough love than people think. You can definitely take a more hands-off approach than you might think.”
Dukay // Getty Images
2. Overcrowding
“I moved last year and now have my own little garden that I'm tending,” says Francis. “I was really intrigued to see what people do in small spaces. The most common mistake is to pack in too much.”
Having too many plants can leave you feeling overwhelmed because there isn't enough space for your plants to grow and form strong root systems.
Frances says she often feels this way: “Having a lot going on in the garden can be quite stressful. Everything requires different levels of care and it can get quite overwhelming. If you take on too much at the start and don't know how it all works, it can seem like a ton of work. Start with the easy things and build up.”
Rich H. Legge // Getty Images
3. Don't ask about the season
While a planting calendar can be a useful guide for your garden, Francis says not listening to the seasons would be a big mistake.
“Stop rushing around and pay more attention to the seasons. Adopt a slower rhythm to gardening,” she tells us. “And that's especially true for tasks like sowing. In this changeable climate, we can't just take it month by month anymore. We had a freezing April this year, which completely changed the planting calendar.”
“It's been said for generations: Plant flowers when the soil is warm. Or do something at night when it's cool. It's better to do that than to rush and act hastily. Really wait and observe what feels right. If you can tap into that, you'll get better results. It's about following a feel, not following rules.”
4. Not getting the most out of your herbs
“Herbs are easy to grow! They are my favourite plants to grow as they require very little maintenance. They don't need much watering and the prolific flowers are great for pollinators,” adds Francis.
“What I love about herbs is that they have so many uses beyond just cooking. You can put them in tea, make face bombs or body oils, pick them and put them in water, or dry them out. I like to put some herbs in my water bottle and let them steep in water at the start of the day. It's so refreshing! Versatile.”
When asked about the best herbs to grow, Francis suggests Mediterranean herbs if you live in a dry part of the UK, or fennel if you live in a rainy region. White horehound, which has spikes of white flowers, is also a great herb. “I've heard that bees use the flowers as medicine – they eat the nectar to self-medicate if they're unwell,” Francis says.
“Mugwort is another herb that's great to grow. It grows on the sides of roads and is very hardy and resistant. It's quite strong so a lot of people find it too strong and don't like it. Mugwort is known to cause intense dreams. It's a bit hallucinogenic and makes you feel lucid. Drinking a cup of mugwort tea before bed can help you have intense and vivid dreams.”
Gaby Wojciech // Getty Images
5. Plant the plant directly into the soil
Another gardening mistake we make is planting plants directly in soil. “Always grow your plants in containers because they're much easier to move around,” says Francis.
“If you're not sure what to plant in your flower bed or aren't confident about your color scheme, start by planting plants in containers. Plant one or two plants and then move them around to see how they work together. Instead of planting the entire flower bed, you can see how the plants work together.”
“The same thing can be said for cut flowers: pick a few stems and put them together in a vase to see if the textures go together. If they don't, you can try something different. It's a great way to avoid spending a lot of money on plants that may not go together well.”
BBC Studios
Francis Tophill, Newby Hall, North Yorkshire
6. Don’t simplify
Gardening doesn't have to be complicated: Everyone dreams of a low-maintenance space, but Francis says that oftentimes, creating a confusing planting plan can add unnecessary work.
“A great garden should be really simple,” she says. “If you try to cram in tropical areas, vegetable patches and wildflower patches, it ends up looking cluttered. What I've done in my own garden is to create flower beds and plant ferns and perennials in them, and you can plant vegetables in them too.”
“I planted purple broccoli in my flower bed yesterday. By next spring, the broccoli will be big and the other plants will have died back for winter. You can plant them in the same spot without having to plant too many.”
7. Get rid of slugs
Although Francis was not too pleased to find out that slugs had eaten his precious cucumbers, it was a reminder that we need to recognise that slugs are an important part of our ecosystem.
“It's a mixed effort. You're not going to get rid of all the slugs unless you use slugicide, and because we're trying to get a few more pumpkin plants, the slugicide is really damaging the whole environment,” she said. “It doesn't seem like a fair exchange.”
“I don't do much pest control, I just get rid of those that are causing a big problem or upsetting the balance. At the moment we have a problem with cucumbers – the last one was eaten last night. I remove the slugs by hand and put them in another place about 200 metres away. If they get any closer they will come back.”
“It's good to have a more holistic approach to the whole space. Encouraging wildlife makes it more balanced. For example, creating a pond is one of the best things you can do for slugs. It will attract frogs and hedgehogs, who will eat the slugs. Make sure you slope one end in case anything falls in. Create an ecosystem full of as many insects as possible.”
“This keeps the balance so you don't have an overabundance of anything. If you need to deal with anything, remove it by hand or wash the plant down. Don't use poison. Just deal with the overabundance.”
Tepic // Getty Images
8. Remove weeds
“I love weeds, especially plants like dandelions, whose deep roots are great for storing carbon in the soil. They bring nutrients up to the surface where other plants can use them,” Francis continues.
What if you have lots of weeds? “We recommend weeding your pots before planting. When you bring your new plants home, remove all traces of weeds (including roots) before planting them in the soil. This is an easy, but avoidable, way to introduce weeds into your garden.”
Frances Tophill will appear at Gardeners' World Live from 13th to 16th June
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Senior Digital Writer at House Beautiful and Country Living
Lisa Joyner is a Senior Digital Writer for House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK. She writes about homes and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration and the hottest properties on the market. She has previously contributed to Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazines. Lisa studied at the University For The Creative Arts where she graduated with a BA in Fashion Journalism.
