FRUIT
Apples,
Blackberries
Blackcurrants
Cherry,
Gooseberry
Medlar Trees,
Mulberry Charlotte Russe
Pears,
Plums,
Quince
Raspberries
Red Currants
Strawberries
VEGETABLES
Asparagus
Beetroot,
Broad Bean
Broccoli Purple Sprouting
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage (spring and summer)
Cauliflower
Carrots,
Courgettes
Cucumber - Ridge
French Beans
Kale, Kohlrabi
Leek,
Lettuce
Mustard
Planting onion sets
Onions from seed
Parsnips,
Peas,
Potatoes,
Pumpkins
Radish,
Rhubarb
Runner Beans,
Shallots,
Spinach
Squash, Swede,
Sweetcorn
Sweet Peppers,
Sweet Potatoes,
Swiss Chard,
Tomatoes
HERBS
Basil, Bay Trees
Garlic,
Marjoram
Mint, Parsley
Rosemary, Sage
RAISED BEDS
Raised Bed Veg
Build Raised Bed
Picture Gallery
Compare Raised Beds
Raised Bed Calendar
TECHNIQUES
Planting in Containers
Crop Rotation
Fruit Cages
Insect Mesh Netting
Jargon Buster
Polytunnels
Sheds
Tillers / Rotovators
Water Butts
Horticultural Shows UK
TREES AND SHRUBS
All Shrub Reviews (30+)
Shrub Finder - select shrubs for
different conditions
PLANTS
All Plant Reviews (10+)
Contact GardenFocused and Who We Are
If you have a question about a specific plant, shrub, vegetable, herb or fruit please use the contact form at the end of the relevant page.
You can write to us at:
GardenFocused
23 Falkland Place,
Temple Herdewyke,
Southam,
Warwickshire CV47 2UD
The author of this website is David Marks.
Why is GardenFocused.co.uk special? Here are a few reasons:
- All the dates given in this website can be personalised to your home
town. After all, the best date for planting tomatoes outside is quite
different in Brighton (best date is
the first week of May) compared to the best date in Chester (best date is
the last week of May). The reason for the different dates
is the last frost date which differs considerably throughout the UK.
Tomatoes plants are killed stone-dead by frost so planting before the
last frost date in your area is doomed to failure! The same applies to
many other vegetables, herbs and fruit.
- To set the dates to be relevant for your home town click on the link
in red at the top right of every page in the website. Having set your
dates to be accurate for your home town they will not only apply to
every date in GardenFocused but they will also stay set for six months.
- The vast majority of our articles are backed up by illustrative
pictures and not only do pictures "tell a thousand words" but they also
prove that we have personal experience of the subject written about.
Take our article on growing a
bay tree
as an example, the section on pruning to a lollipop shape shows a
picture of our very own lollipop shaped bay tree which took five years
to grow. When we write about a subject we have real first hand
experience of doing it and that translates into practical advice for you
as one of our readers.
- Without doubt the premier discussion forum for growing fruit and veg
in the UK is Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg Magazine, here are a couple of
quotes about GardenFocused which can be found there:
- I found a very nifty site (ignore if this is common knowledge!) with
planting dates for common plants. You enter your UK location, and it
calculates the planting dates from the average "last frost" date for
your region
- see here.
This quote can be found here.
- Guide to UK first and last frost dates - GardenFocused
I like this site, not only does it give a frost indication, it also gives an idiot's guide to exactly what to do when. Suits me to a T. I've bookmarked it. Thanks.
This quote can be found here.
- I'm trying this one this year because I get totally confused
even about approximate dates.
Create your own vegetable growing calendar - GardenFocused
It doesn't have all the veg but the main ones are there. It also shows a crop rotation plan based on the veg you select.
This quote can be found here.
- I found a very nifty site (ignore if this is common knowledge!) with
planting dates for common plants. You enter your UK location, and it
calculates the planting dates from the average "last frost" date for
your region
- see here.
But don't take our word for it, explore our site to find out how it is truly unique, written in plain English and relevant to your gardening needs.