Gardens
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The Legacy: David Austin's English roses
Tiffany Daneff pays tribute to David Austin, the man whose name remains synonymous with roses even five years after his death.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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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.
By John Hoyland Published
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'There is no end to the beauty of what they have created': The sensational gardens of Selehurst
This garden, which contains the largest Eucalyptus tree in Sussex, has been sensitively restored, replanted and improved since the Great Storm of 1987.
By Charles Quest-Ritson Published
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Half a century ago, one of Britain's greatest ever gardeners planted roses at Mottisfont Abbey — and right now is the perfect time to go and see them
Planted by the legendary horticulturist Graham Stuart Thomas, the 1,000 individual roses at this priory-turned-country house are considered his 'masterpiece' and bloom only once a year.
By Annunciata Elwes Published
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Jason Goodwin: I always give the snails a flying chance at new life — but with slugs, I am merciless
It's all very well being At One with Nature, but when they start feasting on your pelargoniums, they've crossed a line says Jason Goodwin.
By Jason Goodwin Published
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Romancing the stone: How one man has taken the craft of dry-stone walling and turned it into an art
Tom Trouton's works at The Newt and elsewhere set him apart as a master of one of our oldest heritage crafts.
By Annie Gatti Published
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Chilcombe House: the garden that's become a 'pilgrimage' and a 'living legacy' to its former owners
When John and Caryl Hubbard first moved to Chilcombe House, they created a garden that impressed and inspired. Now, after their passing, their legacy lives on through a garden that basks in comfortable maturity.
By George Plumptre Published
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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.
By Mark Diacono Published
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RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024: See all the gold medallists
We take a look at all the gold medallists from the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show. All photographs by Andrew Sydenham for Country Life.
By Toby Keel Published
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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.'
By Alan Titchmarsh Published
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Isabella Tree on how rewilding took the Knepp Estate from a ruin in the red to a miracle of Nature
Isabella Tree tells the incredible tale of Britain's first rewilding project.
By James Fisher Published
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'I could buy ready-to-go evergreens and hurry up the process, but I’m not in a hurry' — why gardeners, like plants, should move slowly
Shrubs, grasses, mess and dead leaves are nothing to be feared. We should take a leaf from Piet Oudolf and enjoy watching things grow and decay.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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'A haunt of ancient peace' — The gardens at Iford Manor and their remarkable history
In a home that can trace its history to the Norman Conquest, owners William and Marianne Cartwright-Hignett have continued the great work begun by Harold Peto in 1899.
By Tiffany Daneff Published
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The poisonous plant that can 'run riot' in your garden, was a favourite of Elizabeth II and is more beautiful than a rose
Lily of the valley has a long history of royal connections, as well as being the ideal flower for expressions of love.
By Alan Titchmarsh Published
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The gardens of High Moss, a Cumbrian paradise just moments from Derwentwater
Non Morris visits the much-loved gardens of High Moss, in Portinscale, Cumbria — home of Peter and Christine Hughes — and finds a historically fascinating Arts-and-Crafts garden which has been imaginatively brought back to life. Photographs by Val Corbett for Country Life.
By Non Morris Published
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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.
By Charles Quest-Ritson Published
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The garden of Midsummer House: An Oxfordshire gem that's small but perfectly formed
With a stream running through it and views of the Uffington White Horse, the garden of Midsummer House in Oxfordshire — the home of Mrs Penny Spink — is a garden of great natural beauty cleverly designed and planted to make it seem much larger than it actually is. George Plumptre paid a visit; photographs by Mimi Connolly.
By George Plumptre Published