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The ultimate joy of winter gardening? Heading for sunnier spots knowing that your garden won't suffer from your absenceCharles Quest-Ritson shares his Mediterranean winter dreams.
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Alan Titchmarsh: 'A stately pile in my part of Hampshire has been on the market for years — but one buyer didn't even make it to the door before getting back in his helicopter'Silence is golden — and more readily accessible at this time of year than any other, says Alan Titchmarsh.
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Country Life's top 10 gardens articles of 2024From the gardens of A-listers and crazed plant hunters to tips on compost, we covered it all in 2024.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: Walnuts are one of the gardener's greatest pleasures — but you'll have to be ready for the squirrelsOnce you are hooked by walnuts and want to grow more varieties, you find an extraordinary amount of choice. Charles Quest-Ritson explains more.
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Mark Diacono: How to grow savory both summer and winterThe grow-your-own gardening expert on summer savory and winter savory, and making sure that whenever you can't enjoy one, you'll be able to call on the other.
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The trees with fruits so sweet and delectable that badgers have been known to batter their way through iron gates to get to themGarden designer and writer Isabel Bannerman doesn't normally advocate taking plants from one house to another — but her mulberry tree has been with her for years.
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Alan Titchmarsh: Terracotta has been used for flowerpots for 2,500 years — and it's still by far the best thing to pot your plants inPlastic pots might have conquered the industry — but look after terracotta pots and they'll last for lifetimes. Literally.
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'That first taste, six months later, was a quiet revelation': Mark Diacono on how he was inspired to grow his own vegetablesOur grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono looks back on the early days of his growing, and how things he'd never heard of such as salsify and scorzonera found a place in his heart. And his garden, of course.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: Winter buddlejas, and the plant that might just cover the VAT on your children's school feesCharles Quest-Ritson on the buddlejas that help see him through the winter — and the plant breeding idea that could help you grow a small fortune.
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The best bulbs to plant in your gardens, pots and pathways to guarantee floods of colour next SpringThe anticipation of cheerful spring bulbs can keep the gardener going through the dull winter months. John Hoyland advises on what to plant for every situation, from gravel to orchards, sun, shade or in pots.
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Alan Titchmarsh's Compost conundrumsNo, it's not the name of a new quiz show featuring our columnist as host (although that *would* be a hit, surely) but instead it's Alan Titchmarsh on the increasingly tricky issue of getting the right kind of compost for the right kind of planting.
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'A garden should be the cosiest of places, but with some element of awe, menace, and glimpses of the wider landscape'Isabel Bannerman shares her thoughts on making a garden that makes people feel at home.
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The case of the disappearing dahliasJohn Hoyland of the gardens at Glyndebourne on how to plug the gaps of those flowers that didn't make it through the winter.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The best flower shows in Britain show exactly where RHS Chelsea gets it wrongThe Chelsea Flower Show might be the most famous in the world — but does it offer the best experience for visitors? Alan Titchmarsh suggests a few others where you might have an even better time.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: 'Gardens of supreme botanical importance are being degraded by new owners and changing priorities'What's in a label? More than you might think, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
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The beautiful perfumed fruit that's easy to grow, needs almost no attention, and makes a magnificent Christmas liqueurEasy to manage and extremely versatile to use, quinces should be a staple in any garden says our grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono.
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If you sow seeds in June, you might just be putting down bird seed... but it's worth the risk if you love fresh summer saladsOur grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono suggests a string of ideas for what you can plant as summer kicks in.
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Autumn olives: The summer fruit that enriches the soil, your lunch table and your lifeA hedge? A crop? A beautiful foliage plant? All this and more come to those who grow Autumn olive, says Mark Diacono.
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Alan Titchmarsh on Chelsea 2024: 'We need controversy to make us think... Just don’t expect me to regard slugs and snails as my friend'Alan Titchmarsh looks ahead to the 'matchless spectacle' of the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show, the 'Paris catwalk of the British gardening scene.'
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'Within a month, one was eaten by a tiger, one was burned alive, five disappeared and the sole survivor emerged with 7,000 specimens': The unique passion engendered by orchidsCharles Quest-Ritson admits that he never fell for orchids the way he has for roses — but the devotion they inspire is legendary.
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How to grow lovage — and the reasons why you'd want to botherOur grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono takes a look at the lovely uses for lovage.
