The expert plantswoman tells us all about dahlia trends and gives advice for the best colours to use in 2019. Tiffany Daneff reports.
Gardens
Alan Titchmarsh: How to make your garden a riot of colour in the depths of September and October
At this time of year, most of our gardens have long since said goodbye to their most vibrant colours – but it doesn't have to be that way, as Alan Titchmarsh…
Natural swimming pools: Everything you need to know about building one in your garden
Natural swimming ponds–refreshing, aesthetically pleasing, wildlife friendly and more harmonious in the landscape–are becoming fashionable. Why not take the plunge, suggests Tiffany Daneff.
Jason Goodwin: ‘I think about it when I’m on the stepladder, reaching out dangerously far to tweak a ripe fig’
Jason Goodwin tells our readers why he's now decided to give a fig about the ancient fruit that's been growing in his garden for years.
How to enjoy home-grown berries for seven months of the year
Mark Diacono offers us some berry good advice for enjoying our breakfast favourites, whatever the season.
Curious Questions: What is the biggest potato ever grown?
As harvests come in across Britain, we always enjoy pictures of giant vegetables appearing at various shows. But the tale of the biggest of the lot is absolutely fascinating. Martin…
The life-enhancing possibilities of an outdoor kitchen
Our great-grandparents would doubtless have sucked their teeth over the more indulgent aspects of the houses of the 21st century. The en-suite bathroom (or, indeed, any bathroom at all, depending…
Scotland’s first formal gardens, reinvigorated with geometric precision
The beautiful gardens at Kinross have come a long way since the days of Mary, Queen of Scots. Photographs by Val Corbett.
Eight marvellous sheds built from boats, trees and taxis for the Shed of the Year competition
This year's competition is as fierce as it is creative. Take a look at our top choices for Shed of the Year 2018.
The Loch Ness blackberry: A welcome monster
Charles Quest-Ritson offers his advice on taming this exquisitely flowered fruit.
Alan Titchmarsh: ‘Why on earth haven’t I done this before? There’s an extra spring in my garden’s step’
Alan Tichmarsh explains how the Sissinghurst gardens inspired him to update his own.
Curious Questions: Does throwing a snail stop it from returning to your garden?
The oldest gardeners' remedy for getting rid of snails is also the simplest: throw them as far away as you can. But is it just an old wives' tale? Martin…
Stanton Fence: A traditional English garden transformed by the touch of a Chelsea gold-medallist
Non Morris is blown away by Stanton Fence near Morpeth, a romantic garden set in a steeply wooded river valley where the owners brought in renowned garden designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd…
What to plant if you’re thinking of putting a willow in your garden
Charles Quest-Ritson offers advice on this incredibly vibrant plant.
A tour of Broughton Hall, home of the Tempests for 1,000 years and the inspiration for Tottering-by-Gently
Broughton Hall is the childhood home of Country Life's cartoonist Annie Tempest, whose family have lived here for 1,000 years. Steven Desmond took a look at this palatial house and…
Benvarden: A Country Antrim garden rich with of generations of care
For more than six decades, the present owners of Benvarden, near Ballymoney in Co Antrim, have been restoring and adding to the creations made by numerous earlier generations of their…
A peek behind the scenes at France’s annual rose extravanganza at the Parc de Bagatelle
Charles Quest-Ritson, quite literally the man who wrote the book on roses, reveals what goes on at France's annual Concours international de roses nouvelles – one of the highlights of…
Alan Titchmarsh: It’ll astonish you what you can grow – and grow well – in a garden by the sea
Alan Titchmarsh has always loved coastal gardens, but it wasn't until he ended up with his own a few years ago that he truly appreciated the possibilities.
Why it’s time to leave guests in the garden
Guest rooms that take their inhabitants closer to Nature? Giles Kime explores.
Ultimate guide to growing roses: What to plant, where to plant it, and why you really don’t need to prune
Charles Quest-Ritson, author of the RHS Encylcopedia of Roses, tells you everything you need to know about growing roses.