Kayleigh Dray
Kayleigh Dray joined the Ideal Home team in May 2023, and it feels like a role for which she’s been preparing her entire life. After all, her first ever job was working at a busy local garden centre, before she became a property writer for Fine & Country Estate Agents – a job which helped fund her degree in English Literature & Creative Writing at Royal Holloway, University of London.
She kicked off her career in magazines with an eye-opening internship at Cosmopolitan – and was able to impress her editor so much that she kept her on as a news writer. Kayleigh then went on to become part of the digital editorial team at Closer, before a successful seven-year stint at Stylist, where she took command as the site’s editor (and editor-at-large).
Nowadays, she can be found freelancing for a myriad titles about film and TV, but it’s her part time role at Ideal Home that allows her the chance to wax lyrical about her true love: gardening. She has just set to work on giving her own scrubby backyard a woodland-inspired makeover – and there’s been whispers of a vegetable plot, too!
IDEAL HOME TRUTHS
Where’s your happy place?
My happy place is my tiny kitchen, as it’s the first room we put our own stamp on when we moved in. I love the clean white walls and turquoise tiles, and I’m obviously a big fan of the windowsill filled with herb pots and flowering fruit plants, too. There’s still work to be done, but I can’t help but feel proud of how pretty and functional this dinky little room has become.
What’s your home addiction?
I'm obsessed with buying plants – it’s actually been said I have a serious plant problem by more than one person. Whether it’s the time I “accidentally” signed up to a monthly plant subscription service and filled my home with leafy beauties, or the time I woke up frighteningly early to make sure I got my mitts on a coveted climbing hydrangea at our local community plant sale (hey, it’s for charity!), there’s a reason my husband now insists on a One In, One Out policy.
What is your next home project?
This house was bought at auction as a definite fixer-upper, and has been a work in progress ever since. Downstairs is almost sorted (almost), so next it’s the turn of upstairs, and particularly the so-called nursery, as the baby is still camping out in our bedroom…
Latest articles by Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow begonias from tubers – the perfect shade-loving flower for colour all summer long
Begonias are the perfect addition to any garden
By Kayleigh Dray
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IKEA's new outdoor table includes a clever feature to help add more plants to a small garden – and it's a steal at £115
Fancy a cascading plant display in your garden? Then you need this genius outdoor table
By Kayleigh Dray
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When to grow tomatoes if you want a bumper crop of extra tasty toms this summer
It's going to be a deliciously Mediterranean summer, tomato fans...
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow lettuce so you never have limp and tasteless supermarket salads again
Why waste money on bags of wilted lettuce when you can grow your own at home?
By Kayleigh Dray
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How often should you water plants in February? How to avoid overwatering (or underwatering) your garden
There is a right way and a wrong way to water your garden, and our experts are here to help you avoid the latter...
By Kayleigh Dray
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The hanging basket GYO trend is the new 'it' way to grow veg in a small space
Think your hanging basket is just for flowers? Think again...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Monty Don’s top tip for growing dahlias is a must-try this February
Love dahlias? Monty Don's advice will help you get more flowers for free...
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow tomatoes like a pro – an expert guide for the best results
They're the ultimate garden staple, so here's our expert guide to growing tomatoes
By Kayleigh Dray
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The outdoor lamps that will transform your alfresco dining table this summer – 6 of the best to shop right now
Forget candles; these outdoor lamps are the new 'it' way to light up your garden
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow rhubarb in pots – the easy way to grow your own in a small garden or balcony
Does rhubarb grow well in pots? Anyone short on soil space will be pleased to know the answer is a resounding yes!
By Kayleigh Dray
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Holly Willoughby’s gardening hack is raising eyebrows on Instagram, but experts are all for it
It might seem New Age, but Holly Willoughby's gardening methods are actually centuries old...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Can you prune roses in February? Absolutely, if you follow these expert tips
Ever wondered what happens if you prune roses now? We have all the answers...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Coastal garden ideas are a major trend for 2024 – here's how to add some seaside magic to your outdoor space
Sick of storms ruining your garden? Take inspiration from these coastal garden ideas, stat!
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to sow seeds successfully – an expert guide to sowing seeds indoors and outdoors
Ever wondered how to start seeds for beginners? You've come to the right place...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Why you shouldn't dig your garden this year, no matter what
The no-dig movement is trending, so here's why experts say you shouldn't dig your garden
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to add colour to a winter garden – garden experts reveal how to brighten up your outdoor space
You don't have to wait for summer to transform your garden into a riot of colour...
By Kayleigh Dray
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JK Rowling's giant leylandii hedge is causing chaos in Edinburgh – this is how big they can actually grow
How big do leylandii grow? Really? JK Rowling learned the hard way...
By Kayleigh Dray
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What to plant in February - the best flowers, fruit and vegetables to sow this month
Wondering what to grow in February? Check out our expert planting guide...
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to grow azalea, the Pinterest star of 2024, like an absolute gardening pro
It's the most-searched flowering shrub – so how best to grow azalea?
By Kayleigh Dray
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Forget hot tubs – this is the luxury garden must-have celebrities are adding to their gardens
If it's good enough for the likes of Angela Scanlon, Joe Wicks, and Holly Willoughby, it's good enough for us!
By Kayleigh Dray
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Vegetable patches are going purple – garden experts reveal the hero grow your own trend for 2024
It's all about purple vegetables this year...
By Kayleigh Dray
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How to plant dahlia tubers for non-stop blooms all midsummer and autumn long
Because, yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to plant your dahlia tubers...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Ugly lawns are the shocking new gardening trend that experts are urging us all to try this year
Lawns are about to get a major makeover, thanks to this Scandi garden trend...
By Kayleigh Dray
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Monty Don's pixie irises have set Instagram on fire – here's how to grow your own
It's not too late to make like Monty Don and plant your own pixie irises...
By Kayleigh Dray