John Walker is an award-winning gardening and environment writer, author and blogger. His latest book, How to Create an Eco Garden: the Practical Guide to Greener, Planet-friendly Gardening, published by Aquamarine, was shortlisted for the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year. John is making a ‘climate-friendly’ garden on the edge of woodland at his home in Snowdonia, where his large lean-to greenhouse is powered by free, non-polluting and renewable modern sunshine. His website is www.earthfriendlygardener.net

Stolen spring

In the mid-20th century the pioneering environmentalist Rachel Carson warned of a ‘silent spring’. Today it’s only our elder gardeners who can remember ‘spring’ at all. 

Toxins without borders

The insidious effects of neonic insecticides are leaving bees and other beneficial insects with no safe place to go. There’s still hope of rescue – but it will only happen with our help.  Any day now I’ll hear a low … [ Read More ]

Added values

The way we garden reveals a lot about our outlook on the world. It comes down to whether we feel gratitude to planet Earth – or think it owes us.

Gardening’s last stand

Allotments are a vital, living part of our gardening heritage – and when they are threatened, it’s time to draw a line.

Stay home and keep gardening

A sun-soaked holiday taking in some of the world’s most beautiful gardens is a lovely idea, given the growing year we’ve had – but only until you join up your thinking. I have waited long enough. I had hoped, given … [ Read More ]

Crowd cultivation

What do you get when you cross crowd funding with plant breeding? At the Sárvári Research Trust, it’s the chance for ordinary gardeners to have a stake in the future.

Choosing delusion

We’re told that whether or not to use garden chemicals is a personal choice. That may be so, but it needs to be an informed choice – and we’re not being told the whole story. 

Climate changes everything

At the end of an abysmal growing year, only one thing is certain: the familiar rhythms of gardening are gone for good.

Gardening’s own goal

Clopyralid weedkiller is a ticking time bomb – but we could defuse it right now if we learnt from past mistakes.

Keep calm and… put up a greenhouse

It’s time to take cover: after another grey, sodden summer, the future for serious food growers looks a lot brighter under glass or plastic.