If you want to get to the joy of harvesting the fruits of your labour in the shortest possible time, follow our tips in this article - from choosing the right site and preparing the ground, to planting and pruning.

Read our guide to getting more fruit, faster!

Riverside alders and willows, towering poplars and oaks, stately hornbeams and chestnuts, delicate cherries and crab apples. Ornamental trees add drama and focus to a garden or landscape. Great for conservation and wildlife too!

Make a statement with an ornamental tree

This month's photo competition theme is "First flowers". As before there's over £100 in vouchers up for grabs for the three best pics. February's winners will be posted next week on our Pinterest page!

Send us your 'First flowers' pics by 21 February!

Hedging is on the receiving end of some well-deserved attention at the moment - not least because of concerns about disappearing wildlife habitat. Lucky then, that hedgerows are so versatile and pretty to look at!

More than 160 hedging plants to choose from!

Hawthorn is the most widely used hedging plant in the UK - and it's native to these shores. Its thorny, dense structure makes for a secure barrier, and a great home for wildlife too. And we think its blossoms are often overlooked in the beauty stakes!

Browse our varieties of hawthorn

Blackberries add a certain British flavour to this warm duck salad, served on asparagus with quail's eggs and a red wine jus. Mouthwatering! Recipe courtesy of The Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy in Bristol.

Warm duck salad with blackberries

Laurel hedging is one of our most popular products, and there's no wondering why. It's a wonderfully versatile plant, with glossy green leaves and compact foliage that lends itself perfectly to architectural forms and structures.

Have a look at our lovely laurels

Whether you're planting a new fruit tree, or doing some second or third year cutting back, we've made a selection of instructional videos to help guide those secateurs!

Pruning a fruit tree maiden

Pruning a 2-year old tree

Pruning a 3-year old tree

Fill out the form on our website and we'll pop our new 2013 catalogue in the post to you, free of charge. It comes with a special code that you can give to a friend, saving them £20 on their first order! (minimum £35 spend excluding VAT and delivery)

Request your FREE 2013 catalogue

You can follow Ashridge Nurseries on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. There's always some great gardening discussion going on, with advice, special offers and more. Why not join us?

Facebook | Twitter | Google+

5% of every purchase of our bird-friendly hedging mix goes to the RSPB. And hedging doesn't just mean straight lines - you can get a wilder, more natural look by planting in clumps and drifts...

Just £58.00+VAT per pack (Bulk discounts available!)

Rootgrow is the only plant stimulant endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society. It's a natural, organic fungus used at planting time to help establishment, growth and fruiting throughout the plant's life.

Read more about Rootgrow | Buy Rootgrow