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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 in
Plastic 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 vegetables
Our 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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Asters: what they are, which ones to try and how to grow them
These late blooming plants 'promise future spring', making them essential for any garden.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: Winter buddlejas, and the plant that might just cover the VAT on your children's school fees
Charles 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 Spring
The 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 conundrums
No, 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 dahlias
John 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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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 liqueur
Easy 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 salads
Our grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono suggests a string of ideas for what you can plant as summer kicks in.
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Why I try to get rid of the pinks in my garden — and the reason I always change my mind and end up keeping them
To pink or not to pink? John Hoyland on the flowers whose brief cameo is worth the bother.
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Autumn olives: The summer fruit that enriches the soil, your lunch table and your life
A 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 orchids
Charles 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 bother
Our grow-your-own expert Mark Diacono takes a look at the lovely uses for lovage.
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The expert guide to growing violets, by the fifth-generation nursery owner who's devoted a lifetime to them
Groves Nursery in Bridport, Dorset, has been breeding violets since 1866 and, today, holds a National Collection, as well as offering more than 200 varieties for sale. Tilly Ware paid a visit and picked up expert advice from the latest member of the family to run the nursery, Clive Groves.
