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How to grow broad beans: How to plant them, how to look after them, and the best varieties for your garden
Mark Diacono names the best broad beans for flavour, reliability, tenderness and the beauty of the plant itself.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The plants that I simply can't ever grow
Unless you're lucky enough to have a garden with medium loam soil, chances are that there are plants which you'll always struggle — but you're not alone, says Alan Titchmarsh.
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Plastic pots revolutionised gardening in the 1960s — but field-grown plants are the future
John Hoyland always opts for bare-root plants if he can — and here's why you should too.
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The spectacular flowers that will thrive on chalky soils
Sometimes, gardening on chalk feels like an unfair challenge, says Charles Quest-Ritson — but there are some beauties which will make it all worthwhile.
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There are 7,000 varieties of apple out there — and you've probably tasted less than a dozen. Here's how to put that right.
Our grow-your-own expert columnist Mark Diacono shares his advice on how to branch out in to the wonderful world of apple varieties.
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The gardening jobs to enjoy with secateurs in one hand — and a glass of wine in the other
Gardening does need hard work, says John Hoyland — but not all the time.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: The 'devastating consequences' when two of Britain's greatest-ever gardeners met for afternoon tea
A single meeting between Graham Stuart Thomas and Gertrude Jekyll shaped the career and thinking of the 'greatest gardener ever', says Charles Quest-Ritson. But at what cost?
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Irises: 'The next batch isn't even planted yet, but I am already excited about seeing them flowering next year'
John Hoyland, the gardens advisor at Glyndebourne, on how irises with 'elegance and delicacy' are a constant joy.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The priceless flowers I planted before my grandchildren were born — and they're still going strong
Memories are made of... Agapanthus ‘Catharina’—still blooming in the writer’s garden and now older than his grandchildren
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How to grow your own figs that'll be 'like a feather on the tongue'
The fig is one of the most exotic fruits you will be able to grow in Britain. Mark Diacono explains how to go about it.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: 'I'm always amazed by the codswallop that garden experts write'
Charles Quest-Ritson takes aim at some of the gardening advice that constantly does the rounds despite being complete nonsense.
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I'm planting a shrubbery and my gardening friends are horrified — but I'll have the last laugh
Some gardeners may scoff at the idea of planting a shrubbery, but not John Hoyland.
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Best plants for people who hate weeding? Five beautiful (and low-maintenance) flowers to grow in gravel or sand
Sarah Price shares with Tilly Ware five plants which will grow in sand or gravel.
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Sarah Price, one of Britain's great garden designers, takes Country Life round her own garden
Close artistic observation combined with a deep horticultural intelligence has made Sarah Price one of the finest garden designers today. Tilly Ware visits her at home in Monmouthshire, where she is experimenting to magical effect to create 'a level of harmony that pins you to the spot'. Photographs by Sarah Price.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The secrets of my wildflower meadow
It's been 10 years in the making, but Alan Titchmarsh's wildflower meadow is now full of life, colour and needs next to no maintenance.
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Charles Quest-Riston: Why everyone needs to plant an arboretum
Trees don’t need to be weeded, pruned, sprayed and fussed about. The only catch is that they take a while to grow — so don't wait any longer.
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Growing your own cherries: A simple guide to what you need to know
Mark Diacono shares his advice on how to grow your own cherries — including the varieties that you'll never see in the supermarket.
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The coming together of music and gardening
'Let's hope it is the first of many' says Mark Griffith of The Garden Museum's latest coup.
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The rose variety that's ridiculously easy to grow: 'Stuff some cuttings into the soil and two years later, they'll be flourishing'
Rose expert Charles Quest-Ritson on the delights of the rambling rose.
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Sweet cicely: A delightful plant with a scent that's 'a gorgeous coming together of fennel, liquorice and star anise'
Mark Diacono on how — and why — to grow sweet cicely.
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Plants really do 'talk' to each other and work together — and gardeners can use it to their advantage
Huge strides are being made in understanding the lives of plants, and Mark Diacono is listening closely.
