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Fuchsia jam, rowan brandy liqueur and the curiosities you can make from an English country garden
Charles Quest-Ritson looks at some of the berries in the typical English garden which you might never even have thought of as edible.
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Arthur Parkinson: 'Chicken company and chat is underrated. Chickens will accompany you around the garden, happily running to greet you'
Arthur Parkinson shares his tips on keeping both garden and hens happy.
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Iford Manor: How to introduce modern touches into a historic garden
Nowhere are Harold Peto’s talents as a gardener and architect more apparent than the gardens and grounds of Iford Manor, so new additions need to respect the spirit of the place.
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Alan Titchmarsh: 'I share my patch with all manner of animals, birds, bees and butterflies, and creepy-crawlies — they have every right to be there, but so do I'
We should stop beating ourselves up and cultivate responsibly for wildlife and the environment, but also enjoy the pleasure of a well-mown lawn.
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Everything you need to know about Foxgloves: Beautiful, useful, poisonous — and a dream for bumblebees and plant-breeders alike
Charles Quest-Ritson celebrates one of the most striking flowers of this time of year, and offers his tips on how to make the most of them.
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How the 'greatest gardener ever' helped make British roses as we know them today
Charles Quest-Ritson, author of The RHS Encyclopedia of Roses, on Graham Stuart Thomas, how he nurtured British roses, and why now is the time for a proper national collection.
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How to grow blackberries that are 'consistently plump, reliably sweet and almost laughably juicy'
Blackberries are a gardener's dream, says expert fruit grower Mark Diacono. And while they grow plentifully in the wild, there are vigorous and unfussy domestic varieties than can be even better...
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What to deadhead and what to leave alone
We delve into the Country Life archive to revisit Mark Griffiths's tips on deadheading — and in particular being careful about what you take and what you leave.
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Best poppies to sow in your garden
Spread a little happiness with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. John Hoyland selects the best poppies to grow at home.
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How to make a compost cake
The Land Gardeners — aka Bridget Elworthy and Henrietta Courtauld — share their tips on how to make compost without a compost heap.
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Best strawberries to grow at home, and how to make sure they keep producing fruit all summer
Expert fruit farmer Mark Diacono chooses the best strawberries, picking out varieties which will keep you in fresh strawberries all summer.
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Alan Titchmarsh: The garden blunder that caught me out — and how it's going to cost me than I can admit to my wife
Alan Titchmarsh thought his 'old friends' growing peacefully in their pots would be safe. He was wrong.
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Arthur Parkinson: 'It’s a crime that we have forsaken our wildflower meadows for petrol lawnmowers and Flymos'
The gardener Arthur Parkinson speaks to Country Life about his garden inspirations, keeping chickens and why
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What to plant to create a bold, romantic scheme in a classic British garden
Andrew Cannell, Head Gardener at American Museum and Gardens in Bath, shares his recommendations for Bold Romantic plant combinations for a British garden.
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Japanese Quince: The spectacular red flowers that should be on every gardener's to-grow list
Steven Desmond pours praise on the flowers of genus chaenomeles — also known as japonica, or Japanese quince — and explains how to make sure they thrive in your garden.
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Charles-Quest Ritson: 'Gardens are like people — most of them don’t age well'
Charles Quest-Ritson reminisces on his younger days and laments the passing years — not least our shared tendency with gardens to become 'rather seedy in old age, which is when they need constant attention to stay looking good'.
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Umbellifers: The plants with 'bold structure' with soft, frothy flowers that have an ethereal quality
Their frothing flower heads and bold structure give a relaxed country feel to any garden, but John Hoyland — gardens advisor at Glyndebourne — says you must choose umbellifers carefully. Here’s his guide to the best.
