Alan's 'How to' for June

Planting and training a tropical climber

A strategically positioned arch or pergola can transform the appearance of a garden, whether you are creating an entrance, framing a view or simply adding height to one-dimensional plot. Arches and pergolas also offer great opportunities for showing off a range of climbers to best effect.

Alan shows How to build a scented seating area

A patio is the perfect spot to grow scented plants because it’s the one place in the garden you are sure to pause for long enough to really appreciate the perfume. The fragrance will be all the more potent if the patio is positioned in a sunny and sheltered spot. The extra warmth will help release the scent molecules and the gentle air movements will allow even subtle fragrances time to build up. Here you can sit and be consumed by every aroma as it drifts past.
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Alan's shows How to cloud pruning from scratch

Pruning out problems It is worth spending time to look at all your shrubs to check for problems. Winter damage will be very evident now and should be pruned out. If you are removing a large stem, you may have to trim the rest of the shrub to rebalance its shape.
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How to Hide those garden eyesores

Small eyesores Small immovable eyesores, such as manhole covers and old tree stumps, can be very distracting - particularly in a small garden. ‘Gardener’s law’ states that unsightly manhole covers are always positioned in the most inconvenient places.
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How to Plant a green roof on a shed

Green roof kits Another way of blending an ugly shed into a garden setting is to plant-up the roof with a spreading mat of succulent plants, such as low-growing sedums or sempervivums.
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