Many studies show that being surrounded by greenery is good for us. Seeing flowers, plants and particularly trees from our windows improves our mood, speeds up healing and some claim can even prolong our lives. Whether you subscribe to those views or not, a garden in bloom puts a smile on anyone’s face and provides some needed exercise when it needs tidying or watering.

We have therefore compiled some information on gardening and English gardens, growing vegetables in pots and greenhouses. When thinking about gardens, consider using plants that encourage wildlife into your garden. They do a great job as a natural defence against unwanted garden pests. So plant plenty of flowers that attract bees, butterflies and moths and feed the birds and create ponds wherever you can.

The English garden has a long and wonderful history worth preserving. You can gain inspiration by visiting one of Britain’s listed gardens and why not make it into a weekend trip with an overnight stay? But if that sounds like too much hassle, why not stay at home and learn about traditional English plants and how they face up to climate change? We have selected a few websites that help you prepare your garden for spring  and winter and provide a ‘how to’ carry out tree pruning.

When planning your garden think about the resources it will use and how your plants will cope with the more extreme weather we are likely to see in the future. Plan you garden to be drought resistent and look at ways to save water and other resources.