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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.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The boy who left school early with one O-level 60 years ago... and found the perfect career
Our columnist Alan Titchmarsh reflects on 60 years of gardening.
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The house plant I've kept alive for 50 years
Charles Quest-Ritson on the amazing longevity of his Purpurea.
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Alan Titchmarsh: Wordsworth was dead wrong about lonely clouds — but he was on to something with daffodils
Alan Titchmarsh loves daffodils — don't we all? — and shares some of his favourite varieties.
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Betting your hedges: How taking a risk with your garden hedge could be the most rewarding job you ever do
As old as husbandry hedges may be, but that doesn’t mean they cannot be beautiful, too. Charles Quest-Ritson considers the many options.
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The romance of the rose, and how it became the flower of love
Generations have sought that unattainable mystical creature, the perfect rose: shapely, dark red and sweetly scented. What is it about this flower that holds us so in thrall, and why are roses associated with love? Charles Quest-Ritson finds out.
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11 glorious dahlias to plant in your garden, as chosen by the experts at the National Dahlia Collection
The experts at the National Dahlia Collections told Kirsty Fergusson the best varieties they’d suggest for the typical country garden in Britain.
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Mark Diacono: Chips, mash, roasted or dauphinoise — all better with your own potatoes
The versatile varieties of the potato make it a great crop to experiment with and, no matter what, nothing beats the taste of home grown
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Where art meets biology: How Anne Wright has bred some of the world's most covetable snowdrops
At Dryad Nursery near York, botanical artist Anne Wright has been breeding some highly collectable snowdrops, writes Mary Keen. Photographs by Clive Nichols.
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'Giving a gardener a tree for Christmas is akin to offering a kitten or a puppy'
Wondering what to give a green-fingered friend or family member for Christmas? John Hoyland, gardens adviser at Glyndebourne, has some advice.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The most spectacular flowers of spring are easy, guaranteed to flower — and now is the time to plant them
Alan Titchmarsh doesn't like tulips. He loves them.
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Inside the National Trust's secret nursery
Charles Quest-Ritson was invited in to the National Trust's top-secret plant nursery. Here's what he discovered.
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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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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.
