911±¬ÁÏ

911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice

911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice supports members online, by phone, in person and by post. A dedicated team of horticulturists provides tailored guidance on everything from houseplants to pruning, all based on scientific research

How to get gardening advice

There are four main ways to get year-round advice. Choose which is right for you and get in touch:

Online | Telephone | Visit an advice desk | Postal

Ask gardening questions online

Ask the 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advisors your question by filling in a quick online form and uploading your photos. You’ll receive an email notification when your answer is ready, within 10 working days. Most are answered in 2–3 days.

If you already have a My 911±¬ÁÏ account, just log into the MyAdvice area and click ask a question to submit your enquiry. If you’re new to My 911±¬ÁÏ, register with your membership number to activate your benefits.

Asking question online
For a quick answer, try the online service

Advisor on the phone
Advisors are on hand to take calls during opening hours

Call the telephone advice service

Don’t have access to submit a question online? Try calling the 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice telephone line on 01483 954018.

  • From March to October, the line is open Monday to Friday, 10am–4pm
  • From November to February, it operates Monday to Friday, 10am–1pm (closed from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026)

Calls are limited to one per day per 911±¬ÁÏ member.

Visit an advice desk at an 911±¬ÁÏ Garden

Get help from friendly experts at advice desks (see times and locations below) across all five 911±¬ÁÏ Gardens. To make the most of your visit, bring:

  • Questions along with background information, such as how a plant has been grown
  • Photos on a phone or tablet to illustrate the issue
Please note: Plant samples should not be brought, this helps protect the gardens from pests and diseases.

Advisor helping visitor
Speak to an advisor in person at one of the advice desks

Advice desk opening dates, times and locations
911±¬ÁÏ Garden Bridgewater, Greater Manchester

Location: Members’ Advice Desk in the Welcome Building

Opening times:

  • March to October: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm 
  • November to February: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 1pm 
  • Closed: 20 December 2025–4 January 2026, plus during 911±¬ÁÏ Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse

911±¬ÁÏ Garden Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire

Location: Members’ Advice Desk in the garden entrance

Opening times:

  • March to October: Thursdays, 10am to 4pm 
  • November to February: Thursdays, 10am to 1pm
  • Closed: 20 December 2025–4 January 2026, plus during 911±¬ÁÏ Flower Show Wentworth Woodhouse

911±¬ÁÏ Garden Hyde Hall, Essex

Location: Members’ Advice Desk in the Visitor Centre

Opening times:

  • March to October: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm 
  • November to February: Wednesdays, 10am to 1pm
  • Closed: 20 December 2025–4 January 2026

911±¬ÁÏ Garden Rosemoor, Devon

Location: Members’ Advice Desk in the courtyard or welcome area

Opening times:

  • March to October: Thursdays, 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm 
  • Closed: November to February

911±¬ÁÏ Garden Wisley, Surrey

Location: Members’ Advice Desk in the Welcome building
 
Opening times:

  • March to October: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am to 4pm 
  • November to February: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10am to 1pm 
  • Closed: All Bank Holidays, plus during 911±¬ÁÏ Chelsea Flower Show week, 911±¬ÁÏ Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival week, and from 20 December 2025 to January 4 2026. Desk moves to the Advice tent during the 911±¬ÁÏ Wisley Flower Show week
Sending a letter
Send your gardening question by post and an advisor will be in touch

Postal enquiries

Got a gardening question? Send your enquiries to the 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice team at:

911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice,
911±¬ÁÏ Garden Wisley, Woking,
Surrey GU23 6QB


Postal enquiries are typically answered within 10 working days. If you’d like a quicker answer or want to send samples, make an online enquiry or call the advice service. 

Behind the scenes tour

See how 911±¬ÁÏ experts answer enquiries and collaborate with plant experts to solve gardening challenges:

Additional help and guidance

Explore more expert gardening advice and services, including soil analysis, fruit identification, and AI assistance:

Visiting an 911±¬ÁÏ Flower Show or event?

911±¬ÁÏ advisors are ready to help at shows and events – visit the 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice stand for assistance:

Frequently asked questions about the service

Get answers to the common questions about the 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice service:

What gardening questions can you help with?

The 911±¬ÁÏ Garden Advice team can help with general gardening questions, plant identification, garden wildlife, and solving plant problems. 

What can and can’t be identified?

The team can help with all ornamental plants, but there are limits to this service:

  • Identification is limited to five plants samples at a time 
  • Cultivar-level identification isn’t available 
  • Wildflowers from the countryside (i.e. outside gardens) or those photographed in overseas locations can’t be identified 
  • Seeds collected abroad that contravene quarantine restrictions or CITES can’t be identified
If your plant is dying, use the online service to send photographs and information about the plant. Many issues can be successfully identified from just photos. If you are unable to use My911±¬ÁÏ, please call and the advisors will work out how best to help.

For questions about other areas of the 911±¬ÁÏ, see the contact us page to find the best team to assist.

How long it will take to answer questions?

The aim is to answer all online and postal enquiries within 10 working days. The team often reply to online questions within 2–3 days. Keep an eye out for an email notification to confirm when the question has been answered, or logging into MyAdvice to check.

Use of service

911±¬ÁÏ members can use the online service as often as needed, however, phone calls are limited to one per day to ensure fair usage for all members.
How can I send in sample?
Start by sending an online enquiry with the information and some photos. Images are often sufficient to identify plants and diagnose problems. If unsure what to do, please give a call first.

Please don’t just send samples. These are often the wrong ones, making it difficult to provide the answers needed.

If samples are required for examination by botanists or in the laboratory, these will be requested in the reply. Botanical identification and laboratory testing can take 2–3 weeks to produce results, which is why it is suggested to send photos, as it is usually as accurate and quicker.
How do I create a My911±¬ÁÏ account?
Where and how to create a My911±¬ÁÏ account?

Visit My911±¬ÁÏ to start creating your My 911±¬ÁÏ account. Select ‘Create your free account’ and then fill in the details. Make sure to select the ‘Link your 911±¬ÁÏ membership’ button near the bottom of the form to connect your 911±¬ÁÏ Membership details to your account.

See this helpful video guide for more information:

How do I link my 911±¬ÁÏ Membership to my My 911±¬ÁÏ account?

Click the My 911±¬ÁÏ link in top right of the 911±¬ÁÏ website and follow the instructions to log in. Input your email address and password and click the button log in. Click the Account drop-down in the navigation, then select My details. On this page, click link membership. Add your 911±¬ÁÏ membership number, surname, postcode and country and click the link button. Click the My911±¬ÁÏ button to exit. When you next sign out and back in, your welcome screen will show you logged in as an 911±¬ÁÏ member.

See this helpful video guide for more information:
Poisonous plants – can we help?
Help with poisoning from plants

Please first contact a hospital, doctor or vet. The 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice team may be able to help identify plants involved – call the advice line on 01483 954018 so that your enquiry can be prioritised.

For more information on poisonous plants, see potentially harmful garden plants.
 
Mushrooms in the garden and are they poisonous

Mushrooms and toadstools can be indentified, but the team don’t advise on edibility or toxicity.
Disputes – can we help?
The 911±¬ÁÏ Gardening Advice team can’t help with neighbour disputes or legal issues, but it may be possible to refer you to people or organisations who can.

Looking for general gardening advice?

Get advice and top tips on popular gardening topics from pruning to composts:

911±¬ÁÏ

911±¬ÁÏ is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.