Gardens
-
Alan Titchmarsh: 'A stately pile in my part of Hampshire has been on the market for years — but one buyer didn't even make it to the door before getting back in his helicopter'
Silence is golden — and more readily accessible at this time of year than any other, says Alan Titchmarsh.
By Alan Titchmarsh Published
-
Country Life's top 10 gardens articles of 2024
From the gardens of A-listers and crazed plant hunters to tips on compost, we covered it all in 2024.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Charles Quest-Ritson: Walnuts are one of the gardener's greatest pleasures — but you'll have to be ready for the squirrels
Once you are hooked by walnuts and want to grow more varieties, you find an extraordinary amount of choice. Charles Quest-Ritson explains more.
By Charles Quest-Ritson Published
-
The special magic of a frozen garden in winter
Waking up to discover the garden transformed by a short, sharp hoar frost is a magical experience. Tiffany Daneff looks at how to make the most of it, and shares five of the best to visit over the holiday period.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
-
Mark Diacono: How to grow savory both summer and winter
The grow-your-own gardening expert on summer savory and winter savory, and making sure that whenever you can't enjoy one, you'll be able to call on the other.
By Mark Diacono Published
-
The trees with fruits so sweet and delectable that badgers have been known to batter their way through iron gates to get to them
Garden designer and writer Isabel Bannerman doesn't normally advocate taking plants from one house to another — but her mulberry tree has been with her for years.
By Isabel Bannerman Published
-
Rip it up and start again: RHS Wisley's daring reinvention of one of its most famous plantings
Piet Oudolf, father of the New Perennial Movement, has dug up his famous double borders at the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley in Surrey and transformed them. John Hoyland takes a look, with photographs by Clive Nichols.
By John Hoyland Published
-
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.
By Alan Titchmarsh Published
-
Rose hips: the perfect accompaniment to the gentle descent into winter
Stay the hand that itches to deadhead your spent roses and you can enjoy their glittering fruits instead.
By John Hoyland Published
-
'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.
By Mark Diacono Published
-
The Anderson shelter: Good for gardening, good for storing wine, and great for hiding from bombs
Damp, dimly lit and cramped they may have been, yet Anderson shelters were lifesavers during the Second World War. Russell Higham explores their legacy.
By Country Life Published
-
Growing together: Why the community garden is more than just plants and green space
The NGS has begun investing in community garden schemes. The results are more than anyone could have expected and showcase the best of Britain.
By George Plumptre Published
-
Alan Titchmarsh's garden: No insecticides, no herbicides, just beautiful flowers, lawns, a statue of Repton and a swing seat that's impossible to resist
It’s always fascinating to see what a high-profile gardening personality does with their own home. Tiffany Daneff visits Alan Titchmarsh’s Hampshire garden, to find a place of endless delights and charm. Photographs by Jonathan Buckley.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
-
Ghost hunters: the search for Britain's rarest flowers
Climbing, swimming and crawling, rare-plant hunters know no bounds when it comes to tracking down the botanical equivalent of the Holy Grail, says Peter Marren
By Country Life Published
-
The incredible legacy of the 'the only man ever to get away with smoking in the RHS Library'
The impact of the trailblazing Walter Ingwersen is still felt today, says Kathryn Bradley-Hole.
By Kathryn Bradley-Hole Published
-
'Prepare to be amazed' by a cathedral of autumn in the heart of Herefordshire
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire — home of Edward Banks — is an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
By Charles Quest-Ritson Published
-
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.
By John Hoyland Published