It might be an embarrassing thing for a plant scientist to admit, but I am a total sucker for a garden gimmick. I like to think it’s because I am open-minded or maybe just irrationally optimistic, particularly as many things in the plant world are often extremely counterintuitive. But I am not ashamed to say I have fallen for dozens of them over a lifetime in horticulture. While I firmly believe in the value of trying things out for yourself, if you don’t fancy learning the hard way, here are some of the most common garden gimmicks I have come across.