Fact-Checking Policy

Every article published on HomeIdeaGarden is fact-checked before it goes live. This page describes the process so readers can see how the verification works.

The four-stage process

1. Source-of-record check. Every factual claim must be traceable to a recognised source: RHS, peer-reviewed horticultural literature, an institutional research body, or a documented project of one of our editors.
2. Plant verification. Every plant cultivar mentioned is checked for current naming (RHS Plant Finder), hardiness rating, and known invasiveness in the regions our readers live in.
3. Statistical verification. Any number or percentage is linked to its primary source and the publication date of the source is checked. We do not cite statistics older than five years without flagging the date inline.
4. Editorial review. A senior editor reviews the article against our editorial policy and either signs off, requests revisions, or kills the piece.

What we don't claim

We don't claim guaranteed garden outcomes. Plant performance depends on local conditions we can't verify remotely. We aim for design principles and plant recommendations that work in most cases, and we flag the boundaries of our advice.

Request a correction

If you spot a factual error or believe a claim is no longer supported by current evidence, email editors@homeideagarden.com with the URL of the article and a brief description of the issue. We respond within 48 hours and publish dated correction notes when we update the article.

Independent review

For complex pieces — climate-adaptation planting, structural garden design, anything with safety implications — we send the draft to an independent specialist for review before publication. Reviewers are credited at the end of the article.