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45 Articles

More from Gardener’s World magazine

Discover… the beautiful gardens of Dorset and Somerset, in the company of David Hurrion, on our exclusive BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine 4-night tour. For details and how to book, see p72 Give… your mental and physical health a boost with our Wellness podcast series, with new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday in January. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode, or go to GardenersWorld.com/podcasts Enjoy… your best gardening year yet with our GW Guide: Year Planner 2025. Buy now in stores or online at bit.ly/guides-gw Save… with Early Bird tickets to BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair (Beaulieu, 2-4 May) and BBC Gardeners’ World Live (NEC, 12-15 June). Quote GWR3 to save on standard tickets (T&Cs apply) at bbcgardenersworldfair.com and bbcgardenersworldlive.com Sign up for our newsletter at GardenersWorld.com/newsletters Keep up…

More from Gardener’s World magazine

Whatever you think of new year’s resolutions, there’s no denying that January can often make us sharpen our focus on what we want out of life. For me, this reflection always begins in the gap between Christmas and new year and, often, I start by thinking about what I want to achieve in the garden in the year to come. If I’m lucky, I ponder on all this while doing a bit of gardening and blowing away the Christmas fug. After I’ve had a think, a list gets written, and then I feel ready for the year ahead, while knowing I’ll achieve some things and not others – but that’s okay. Of course, the reflection and list-making goes beyond practical gardening and, like many, I think about my health (mental…

We love January

“Every man should be born again on the first day of January. Start with a fresh page”Henry Ward Beecher STAR OF THE MONTH Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’ Winter flowers are so valuable to us. I know I sound like a misery guts complaining about this month, but it does drag a bit and we definitely need something to keep our gardening enthusiasm buoyant. This particular clematis is a great evergreen eye-catcher for a pergola or an archway – just make sure it is visible from the house or a path, as you don’t want it hidden away. As might be quite obvious from the name, it was originally discovered at the RHS garden at Wisley, an excellent place to visit if you want to see a world-class winter garden. Regular…

We love January

Expert’s choice Pines

As one of only three British native conifers, the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is found growing in every county in the British Isles. In Scotland it’s truly native and is an important feature of the landscape. At the opposite end of Britain, Scots pines have invaded the sandy heathlands in the south of England, where they’re not native, and have become a threat to the native vegetation. For many years, the RSPB in Dorset even organised annual ‘Pull a Pine’ days to help remove the threat to the natural heath habitat. But have no fear, I’ve chosen five varieties of pines that are very well behaved and will refrain from hopping the fence to set up home in next door’s garden. At the same time they provide attractive shapes and/or…

Expert’s choice Pines

*Just pay £5.95 postage 24 gladioli corms FREE* for every reader

WORTH £29.97 The flamboyant, tall stems of gladioli are superb for adding height and drama to your garden. They also make great cut flowers in floral arrangements. Just plant the corms in a sunny, sheltered spot from early May and forget about them until midsummer, when you will enjoy an abundance of gorgeous flowers. Your collection includes: ◼ Gladiolus Kim One of the Glamini Series, Kim is a large-flowered purple variety and makes a beautiful cut flower. Height x Spread 60cm x 15cm Flowers Jul-Aug ◼ Gladiolus Emmy Delicate pale-pink to white flowers, with a brush of yellow on the lower petal, edged in a brighter shade of pink. H x S 60cm x 15cm F Jul-Aug ◼ Gladiolus Amber Pure-white floral flowers that fit seamlessly into any vase or…

*Just pay £5.95 postage 24 gladioli corms FREE* for every reader

This month my new television series Monty Don’s British Gardens takes to the screen. I am extremely happy with it but it has taken an awful lot of work and not a little difficulty getting there. Some of this is simply because it has been a big project with over 60 gardens visited and filmed to make five hours of television. The last time I did anything approaching this scale was when we made Around the World in 80 Gardens 17 years ago. Some of the difficulty was because we filmed over two summers of dreadful weather – but then perhaps that just makes the new series especially true to British gardening conditions. But most of the problems – such as they were – can be put down to the fact…

HOT TOPIC Burning issue I read Flo Headlam’s article Is burning garden waste outdated in the age of composting? (GardenersWorld.com/premium) with interest. We have taken on a large garden which needs a lot of sorting out, and it does create a lot of material to be either composted or burned. I think it’s perfectly reasonable to use a sensible mix of both options. Perhaps if we lived in a town composting and a green bin might suffice, but we are in the countryside and have to manage wisteria and yew cuttings, which we can’t let our friends’ sheep get access to. I also want to burn diseased material. I am very considerate of our neighbours and never light fires until evenings, and only with the wind in a favourable direction.…

ACROSS 1 High-energy food for birds during the winter months (3,5) 6 Check hellebore foliage for signs of leaf __ disease (4) 7 Clean and sharpen metal tools and spray with __ (3) 8 Common name for Ulex (5) 9 Rudbeckia hirta is also known as black __ Susan (4) 10 Prickly native wildflowers whose seeds are loved by birds (7) 13 Stokesia laevis is the botanical name for Stokes’ __ (5) 14 Perennial leafy herb with a subtle liquorice flavour (8) 16 __ fir is the common name for Abies procera (5) 19 A group of plants that share a uniform character (6) 20 __ bonnet is a traditional name for Aquilegia vulgaris (7) 21 __ dioica is the formal name for red campion (6) 22 Use this to sift soil,…

Veganic gardening (derived from the words ‘vegan’ and ‘organic’) is similar to organic gardening but uses plant-based inputs instead of animal-based fertilisers such as blood, fish and bone meal, stable manure or compost containing animal renderings. It aspires to be a closed system with no external inputs, which is more sustainable than conventional growing. Animal agriculture is not only inefficient, it also has a detrimental effect on the environment, not least from methane and C02 emissions. Veganic techniques involve the use of plant-based compost, no-dig systems, wood chip, green manures, cover crops, mineral amendments and even weeds to enrich the soil. This boosts nutrient availability, water retention and drainage to create a nourishing place for beneficial lifeforms to thrive within. Veganic growing also uses less by way of resources and…

Gardeners together can protect biodiversity Recent reports such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report make it clear that over the past 50 years, human activity has led to an average decline of 73 per cent in global wildlife populations, with some regions reporting losses of as much as 95 per cent. Meanwhile the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species indicates that almost a third of species are at risk of extinction. In terms of biodiversity, the UK isn’t faring well either, named as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world in the State of Nature Report 2023. Ecosystems are being pushed to such an extent that the world is close to irreversible global tipping points, such as the melting of…

Classic ‘Old English’ shrub rose collection

Enjoy months of colour as each variety of these roses produces wave after wave of fully double blooms, each loaded with delicate petals and an exquisite scent. Grow in borders and containers, or in a cut-flower garden. Supplied as five premium-quality bare roots, in delightful shades of pink, apricot, blush-white, yellow and red. Height x Spread 1m x 1m Flowers May-Oct ■ 5 bare roots (1 of each colour) £19.95 SAVE £30 (530022) ■ PLUS FREE Ultimate Rose ‘Bloom-Booster’ Complete Fertiliser 100g WORTH £4.99 (100198) BONUS OFFER Red handle secateurs Perfect for pruning roses, shrubs and trees. ■ 2 pairs of secateurs £14.98 SAVE £5 (120033) 3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER 0844 502 0050* quote code RGW284 Scan QR code to view the full range Please add £6.99 P&P to your order Terms &…

Classic ‘Old English’ shrub rose collection

2 for 1 Gardens Enjoy new adventures

Sculptural qualities The Sculpture Park in Surrey is a great destination for a new year stroll. Follow the 2 mile trail through 10 acres of naturalistic woodland and water gardens, to discover more than 600 large outdoor sculptures, beautifully set among the plants. In addition to the many animal-themed artworks, there is plenty of wildlife to spot too. The sculptures are changed regularly, so it’s worth coming back to discover new artworks and enjoy the natural seasonal changes, as winter’s stark beauty transforms into lush spring. ENTRY OFFER Garden: 2 for 1 £15. Use online code BBC241. Open all year – for full details, go to thesculpturepark.com Artistic treasure At Compton Verney in Warwickshire, world-class art combines with glorious Grade II listed parkland for an inspirational day out. The landscaped…

2 for 1 Gardens Enjoy new adventures

Container of the month

WE USED ➊ 1 x rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) ❷ 2 x pots of Iris ‘Harmony’ (3 bulbs per pot) ❸ 2 x pots of Crocus large-flowered blue (3 per pot) ➍ 1 x round terracotta pot (30cm) New year celebration Rosemary is an excellent choice for a container all year round, and here I’ve combined it with small, colourful treasures – winter-flowering bulbs in rich, bright hues – to welcome in the new year. After the crocuses and reticulata irises fade, you can replant the bulbs straight into the garden and the rosemary will continue happily in the pot. A terracotta pot hints at the sun-baked, summer climes that these plants all favour and its porosity means that they don’t sit wet in winter. Its scalloped edge and warm colour…

Container of the month

Subscribe today and get your first 6 issues for only £14.99†

FREE SEEDS‡ until June! Offer ends 30 January 2025 2 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Visit buysubscriptions.com/GWNP125 Call 03330 162123* and quote code GWNP125 Free UK delivery Money back guarantee Worldwide delivery Secure online payments FREE SEEDS‡ for subscribers Subscribers will receive an expertly selected mix of seeds with each issue until the June 2025 issue. Subscribe before 6 January to receive your February issue, which includes a pack of Nigella Persian Jewels and Coriander Cilantro seeds. † This offer is only open to new UK customers subscribing to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine by recurring payment. The closing date for this offer is 30 January 2025. You will pay £14.99 for the first 6 issues, your subscription will then continue at £27.60 every 6 issues thereafter, saving 32% on the usual shop…

Subscribe today and get your first 6 issues for only £14.99†

“The presence of scent can be as carefully chosen for your winter garden as for the rest of the year” Try describing any scent and you may cast around for words but always end up comparing it with another odour in the hope that your listener will recognise it. It is like a conversation in a foreign language of which you have only the scantest knowledge. But the presence of scent, agreeable or otherwise, can be as carefully chosen for your winter garden as for the rest of the year. Spring in the air The choice of plants is more limited, but their quality is not. Some of the best fragrant shrubs are winter flowering and powerfully scented to entice the few pollinating insects around at that time of year.…

Arit’s 7 deadly sins

When we think about gardening, it usually brings about positive feelings of doing good and being at one with nature. This may elevate to even feeling virtuous when reflecting on a day of hard work in the garden. I doubt anyone comes in from their outdoor pursuits and discusses the deadly sins they’ve committed! We have soil under our nails and sweat on our brow, what could we possibly have done wrong? In the spirit of new year’s resolutions, I’m going to look through the lens of the seven deadly sins and confess my own gardening offenses. But as you read mine, I ask that you reflect on yours with a notepad and a cup of tea. Hopefully, this process will provide fresh inspiration on how we can help wildlife,…

Arit’s 7 deadly sins

Jo and Andi Butler

sponsored by Jo and Andi Butler “Our garden inspiration is eclectic – a combination of travel, particularly around Asia, and our love of traditional English gardens” When Jo and Andi moved to their relatively large, rural garden in Telford, Shropshire, over 15 years ago, it was dominated by trees, brambles and weeds. They enjoyed it as it was for a while, before starting to create their travel-inspired garden just over five years ago. It has evolved into a series of gardens, designed and planted according to each area’s growing conditions, but above all the garden is imbued with creativity and fun. Jo and Andi love to relax in it, both together and with friends. They also open the garden via the National Garden Scheme to raise money for nursing charities,…

Jo and Andi Butler

Boost your wellness the natural way

Gardening offers more than just beautiful blooms and fresh produce – it can also be a powerful tool for improving our wellbeing. Whether it’s tending to house plants, digging in the dirt or growing your own food, the act of nurturing plants or simply getting outdoors in nature can help us heal, recharge and find solace. This can be especially important in winter, when darker days and colder weather can take their toll on physical and mental wellbeing. There are also times in life when you might need a little extra help from nature, from accessing the power of healing herbs or nutritious plants to help combat stress or illness, to finding therapy and togetherness in forest bathing or the collective spirit of community gardening. In this special feature, we…

Boost your wellness the natural way

Garden globetrotting

Matt Collins is a garden, landscape and travel writer, and Head Gardener at the Garden Museum in London @museum_gardener Despite years of transatlantic travel, immersion in the beautiful and botanically diverse landscapes of the American Southwest had long eluded me. Evermore curious to experience the arid homeland of some of the gardening world’s toughest and most dynamic flora, I finally made a trip in spring and fell head over heels for the ‘Grand Canyon state’. Arizona paints a very particular image in the mind: of wide-open Route 66 and the magnificent Canyonlands, and of the Sonoran Desert stretching off into the Mexican sunset. But as the fifth largest of the contiguous United States, preparing an itinerary can feel daunting. Arriving at Phoenix’s international airport, you face the question of whether…

Garden globetrotting

MINI ORCHARD FRUIT TREES

With this special offer from You Garden, you can pick crops of delicious plums, apples and pears from your very own mini orchard. The plants are self-fertile and grow on dwarfing rootstocks, meaning they will pollinate themselves and retain their compact habit, while still yielding abundant crops. The crop will increase year on year, giving you delicious produce each season. Beautiful, fragrant blossom in spring will precede the fruits. COLLECTION INCLUDES: ■ Pear ‘Conference’ Height x Spread 2.5m x 2.4m Harvest Sep 1 bare root £14.99 SAVE £5 (300003) ■ Apple ‘Braeburn’ H x S 2.5m x 2.4m H Oct 1 bare root £14.99 SAVE £5 (300001) ■ Plum ‘Victoria’ H x S 2.5m x 2.4m H Jul 1 bare root £14.99 SAVE £5 (300002) ■ FRUIT SAVER COLLECTION 3 bare roots (1…

MINI ORCHARD FRUIT TREES

Potting on a winter show PART 2

After the frantic festivities, many of us will be feeling a bit down in the doldrums at this time of year, so reignite seasonal joy by creating an elegant container display. Reflecting the spirit of January, this pot recipe is icy cold in terms of colour, but positively bursting with new life. Based around a pale-blue pot, this scheme sticks to a limited palette of blues, greys, greens and white, all finished off with a cushion-like topping of moss. This container will bloom through January and February, making it perfect for perking up a winter patio. Inspired by the ice chill of January, this container makes use of cool-coloured blue and grey foliage plants to show off the pure-white blooms at the front of the display. Ideal for cheering up…

Potting on a winter show PART 2

Create your beautiful garden, at great prices

What are you waiting for… start saving today! PLUS so much more! Visit GardenersWorld.com/offersor scan the QR code and find everything you need at your fingertips PLUS Sign up to our offers email, bringing discounts direct to your inbox – never miss an offer again! Terms & conditions: Restrictions and postage costs apply. Please see individual offers for full details.…

Create your beautiful garden, at great prices

DIY garden projects

Henry Agg is a professional landscape designer based in the South East. With training from the RHS and The English Gardening School, he advocates for gardening’s restorative benefits on mental wellbeing. @henryagg How to build a railway-sleeper bench No garden is truly complete without a comfortable place to sit and admire all of your hard work. Garden seating comes in all shapes and sizes, but a railway-sleeper bench is a classic option that suits most garden styles. It is rustic, solid, and surprisingly simple to build. And by making one yourself, it will be the perfect size for your garden and save you money, too. Read on as I show you how to create your very own garden bench, made from heavy-duty oak railway sleepers, that’s sure to last for…

DIY garden projects

Explore the gardens of Dorset and Somerset

WHAT’S INCLUDED ◼ Four nights’ bed and breakfast at The Crown Hotel in Blandford Forum, based on shared occupancy of a twin/double room ◼ Welcome drink ◼ First night: three-course dinner with wine, tea/coffee ◼ Last night: three-course dinner, with tea/coffee (wine not included) ◼ All talks, guided tours, and admissions as per itinerary ◼ All coach travel as per itinerary ◼ Tour manager and garden expert throughout GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS ◼ Mapperton House and Gardens ◼ Mappercombe Manor ◼ Batcombe House Gardens ◼ The Newt ◼ Careys Secret Garden ◼ Sculpture by the Lakes ◼ Abbotsbury ◼ Forde Abbey This BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Exclusive Tour of Dorset and Somerset is designed to give you a full taste of the West Country’s garden life. These counties are rich in beautiful…

Explore the gardens of Dorset and Somerset

Our house plant picks

Lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus) What I love most about this plant is how there seems to be flowers on it almost all year round. The flashes of crimson between the dark-green, waxy leaves always cheers me up. It loves a bright, humid spot – a bathroom is ideal – that replicates it’s native environment of the jungles of south-east Asia. In the rainforest, it grows as an epiphyte, clinging to tree branches and soaking up air moisture. String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) I think string of hearts was the first house plant I ever bought. I was so proud when my first one grew long and lovely, and then less proud as it got increasingly straggly and sad! I’ve since had more luck by keeping it trimmed and planting propagated cuttings…

Our house plant picks

10 nature-led ways to feed birds

Kate Bradbury is a garden writer specialising in wildlife gardening. She is the author of six books on wildlife gardening and is the Wildlife Editor of BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. “Let’s improve our garden habitats to provide more food as nature intended” For years we’ve been encouraged to feed garden birds, both for their benefit and our enjoyment. I’ve written countless articles on the most calorific food to help birds through winter and get them into good shape for breeding. When research revealed the benefits of feeding all year round, I was there too, explaining that offering adult birds food in summer would help more chicks survive. And more chicks did survive. Garden birds do very well from us feeding them, including declining species like house sparrows, tree sparrows and starlings.…

10 nature-led ways to feed birds

ORDER BULBS NOW FOR SUMMER AND SAVE 15%

Look forward to another successful growing year and a gorgeous summer garden by planning ahead for spring planting now. There’s no more exciting winter task for a plant lover than to peruse an inspirational range of summer bulbs and plants, adding to existing planting schemes and getting creative with new combinations. Take your pick from Farmer Gracy’s new summer range and enjoy a fantastic 15% discount. ◼ Hemerocallis String Bikini Spider daylily in a unique pink and yellow colour combination. Height x Spread 70cm x 30cm Flowers Jun-Jul 1 bare root £5.90 £5.02 ◼ Dahlia ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ Fruity colours. Perfect for cutting. H x S 90cm x 40cm F Jul-Oct 1 tuber £6.90 £5.87 ◼ Dahlia Tyrell Dreamy pastel peach-pink hues. H x S 1m x 40cm F Jul-Oct…

ORDER BULBS NOW FOR SUMMER AND SAVE 15%

Growing THE GOOD LIFE

Sara Ward is a passionate advocate for community food growing and is director of social enterprise Cultivate London. She is author of Living the Good Life in the City: A Journey to Self-Sufficiency (Pimpernel Press, £20). @hencorner “Here, in our little corner of West London, we have transformed our home into an urban smallholding” I love January – it’s the season of fresh starts. We can forget the failures of last year and look ahead with faith that this growing year will find us gathering in bountiful harvests of all our favourite food. Here, in our little corner of West London, we have transformed our home into an urban smallholding with fruit and nut trees, a small kitchen garden, lots of hens and three hives of honeybees. We log all…

Growing THE GOOD LIFE

GARDENERS’ WORLD TRAVEL OFFERS

Wildflowers of Crete 8 days from £1,649pp, departing April 2025 Return flights from London, overseas transfers, other transport and porterage Wildflowers and nature walks are at the heart of this holiday, as well as incredible history. Journey to Heraklion and admire the Old Town’s Venetian walls and the ancient fortress. Discover more wildflowers during a botanical ramble around the Akrotiri Peninsula before a visit to Chania. And finally, head to the Minoan cemetery of Armeni, where masses of spring flowers bloom in the beautiful flower-strewn Cretan landscape. Guided tours SAVE £50pp Highlights include: ◼ Wildflower meadows and the White Mountains tour ◼ Explore the Akrotiri Peninsula ◼ Chania and its Venetian harbour ◼ Sample Cretan coffee at a traditional cafenion ◼ Visit the ancient city of Aptera For further information…

GARDENERS’ WORLD TRAVEL OFFERS

January Growing guide

Visit GardenersWorld.com/what-to-do-now for more advice on the best crops to sow and plant this month, and how to do it DELICIOUS WHITECURRANTS Whitecurrant ‘Blanka’ produces masses of large, sweet, almost translucent berries. Height x Spread 1.2m x 1.2m Harvest Jul-Aug ■ 1 bare root £11.99 £9.99 SAVE £2 (14295) ■ 3 bare roots £35.97 £16.99 SAVE £18.98 (KC2495) suttons.co.uk/SUSGW43 Call 0344 326 2200* quote code SUSGW43 (£6.99 P&P) Items despatched from January 2025 onwards. Offer closes 15 February 2025. Contract for supply of goods with Sutttons Seeds LTD Poplar Lane, Ipswich IP8 3BU. Subject to availability. UK delivery only not including N. Ireland, with restrictions to specific postcode areas. Full terms and conditions available at Suttonsco.uk *Calls cost 7p/minute plus your network access charge. Scan QR code to buy and for more…

January Growing guide

AROUND THE GARDEN

Improve lawn drainage with a garden fork If puddles stand on areas of your lawn for long periods after rain, this may be due to compacted soil, often caused by regular footfall. The grass can start to die off in these waterlogged areas, leaving bare patches. To avoid this and improve the drainage, use a garden fork to make holes in the lawn, pushing the prongs deeply into the soil at 10cm intervals across the affected area. If the compaction is severe, use a hollow-tined aerator instead, which removes plugs of soil. Then brush sand or grit into the holes to keep them open and improve the drainage in the longer term. 30 MINUTES TO SPARE January is a great time to plan design changes to your garden. Sketch out some…

AROUND THE GARDEN

Brighten your borders with a trio of peonies

SAVE OVER 50% Herbaceous peonies are a cottage-garden staple that grow bigger and better with age. Just pot up these bare roots and grow on until large enough to plant out. ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ Gorgeous rose-pink, double flowers appear in profusion in early summer. These large blooms have ruffled inner petals and are simply stunning. Height x Spread 90cm x 90cm Flowers Jun-Jul ■ 1 bare root £9.99 (15998) ‘Shirley Temple’ Red buds open to reveal pretty pale pink double blooms that slowly fade to white, giving the flower a subtle two-tone appearance. H x S 80cm x 80cm F Jun-Jul ■ 1 bare root £9.99 (13364) ‘Karl Rosenfield’ Blowsy, deeply ruffled, double magenta blooms that will add a touch of drama to your early summer border display. H x S 80cm x…

Brighten your borders with a trio of peonies

STEP BY STEP Sow perennials Several perennials will flower this summer if sown now – easy options include catmint, verbena and scabious. Germinate the seeds in gentle heat or in a sunny coldframe. Prick out the seedlings when large enough, planting several around the edge of a 13cm pot. Then plant the whole pot into a border in early summer. 1 FILL a small pot with peat-free gritty or loam-based seed compost. If it feels coarse, sieve a fine layer on the surface. 2 TAKE a pinch of seeds and sow sparsely across the surface. Use the tip of a pencil to spread out any clumps of seeds. 3 COVER with a thin layer of fine vermiculite. Place in a tray of water to soak up moisture without disturbing the…

Grow your FREE seeds

This month, subscribers received FREE cosmos ‘Candy Stripe’ and radish ‘French Breakfast 3’ seeds. With another growing season ahead, starting to sow this pretty annual flower and easy salad vegetable will help you get into the habit of regular sowing. Radishes can be sown every couple of weeks until autumn for a steady supply of crunchy roots, and cosmos sown before winter is over will give you sizeable plants that you can use to fill your borders, beds or pots after the last frost. Sowalong together Listen to our Sowalong podcasts, where Alan Titchmarsh, Adam Frost and the Gardeners’ World team share tips and tricks for growing all of your free seeds, and many more of your favourite flowers, veg and herbs. Find new bite-sized Sowalong episodes every Saturday from…

Grow your FREE seeds

ADAM’S ESSENTIALS

Plant roses Start to plant bare-root roses now, as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged. Choose a spot that gets sun for at least half the day and prepare it by clearing weeds and groundcover plants that may compete too much. Most roses need a good square metre of space in all directions. Add plenty of rich compost or manure, too, because roses are hungry feeders. Soak the roots for an hour in a bucket of water before you plant, even in the winter, because they lose water quickly while in transit. Use some mycorrhizal fungi to help with establishment. This fungi is found naturally in the soil but takes time to reach new roots. Sprinkling some into the planting hole helps initial growth and future health. The…

ADAM’S ESSENTIALS

Rotate pots of salad leaves Make sure pots of salad leaves grow evenly by turning them round a little every few days. Plants grow towards light, so in a static pot they will soon become lopsided, with those at the back stretching out for more light. This is particularly noticeable with the soft growth of salad leaves. When harvesting leaves in winter, only cut the outer leaves from each plant, as growth is slow and retaining the centre will help to keep the plants in production. If your plants are overcrowded, thin them out and use the ones you remove as your harvest. 30 MINUTES TO SPARE To keep your amaryllis blooming year on year, move it into a slightly larger pot after flowering. Let the compost dry out between waterings.…

Stay at the historic Castle Hotel, Windsor

Just £135* per couple WHAT’S INCLUDED ◼ One night’s stay in a Classic double/twin room ◼ Complimentary drink in the hotel bar ◼ Full English breakfast The Castle Hotel in Windsor has been welcoming guests since the early 16th century. Perfectly located on the High Street, opposite the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle, it combines its unrivalled heritage with all the modern touches that today’s traveller needs. This landmark hotel is also only a short distance from Windsor Great Park’s Savill Garden, offering 35 acres of beautiful woodlands and gardens. BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine readers can enjoy a one-night stay in a Classic bedroom with a full English breakfast, starting your visit with a complimentary drink in the hotel bar to set the mood for relaxation. Plus, you can add a delicious…

Stay at the historic Castle Hotel, Windsor

Plant garlic Plant garlic in free-draining soil or, if your ground tends to stay wet in winter, plant in pots then transplant in spring. Position cloves 15-20cm apart, or one per pot, in a hole twice their depth, with the pointed end upwards. Firm in and water well. Wait for leaves to appear before watering again. Garlic needs regular rain or watering in spring to ensure the bulbs swell, but water less often from June onwards, to avoid rotting. 30 MINUTES TO SPARE Use a soil-testing kit to check acidity levels across your veg plot, as it can vary. This will help you choose which crops to grow where. Potatoes like slightly acidic soil, while cabbages, pak choi and sprouts prefer alkaline soil. Top up raised beds Now is a good…

YOUR PRUNING MONTH

January is often not the most inspiring month in the garden in terms of the visuals but there are some species that will be performing for you if you’ve planned for it. Coloured-stemmed dogwoods, Prunus serrula, Acer griseum and Rubus cockburnianus will be looking great. Also, some of the earlier hellebores might be starting to flower in warmer regions. In general, though, most of the greenery has died back, berries will be largely done, and sometimes the garden can look a little brown and a little tangled. A lot of wildlife will be either hiding or hibernating at this time of year, especially in the leaf litter, so wait until things have warmed up a fair bit before doing any major tidying up. One job that’s great to get stuck…

YOUR PRUNING MONTH

Celebrate spring in style at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

YOUR DAY ■ 10am Guests arrive for tea/coffee and biscuits ■ 10.30am Guests split into two groups: garden tour or edible flower seed-sowing workshop ■ 11.30am Water refreshment ■ 11.45am Groups swap ■ 12.45pm Champagne and canapés ■ 1.15pm Call for lunch. You will be seated with other guests ■ 1.30pm Three-course tasting menu with wines, tea/coffee and petit fours ■ 3.30pm Depart with a complimentary goody bag To welcome the spring season, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine is delighted to offer an exclusive event at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Belmond Hotel. Join us on Thursday 24 April for a day of fun and learning that includes a garden tour, a seed-sowing masterclass on edible flowers, a champagne reception and a three-course Michelin-star lunch. “I can’t thank you enough for…

Celebrate spring in style at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Your questions answered Q&A

This month 114 Gardeners’ Question Time The BBC Radio 4 experts answer this month’s pick of readers’ queries, including: ◼ Plants for privacy from neighbours ◼ How to sort an overgrown hydrangea ◼ A lime tree that doesn’t bear fruit Carrot fly This is a common insect, which I’ve had encounters with on my own veg plot. Carrot flies (Psila rosae) lay their eggs on the soil next to carrots and related plants. After a week, maggots hatch and start to feed on the roots. The result of a severe infestation is dark tunnels in your veg, sometimes so extensive that the root isn’t worth eating at all. By knowing the biology of these flies, you can prevent them attacking your carrots. It’s essential to sow into ‘clean’ soil or compost.…

Your questions answered Q&A

GQT Gardeners’ Question Time

Bob Flowerdew Bob is the author of dozens of gardening books, as well as a radio presenter and organic gardener. Anne Swithinbank A keen fruit, vegetable and house-plant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Garden Wisley. Matt Biggs Matt trained at Kew and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Q Plants for privacy from overlooking neighbours? Heather Johnson, by email A MATT SAYS You could create a higher barrier just forward of the boundary, using pleached trees. Hornbeam is ideal, with fresh green leaves in spring, golden autumn colour and fine branches in winter. Look out for the variety Rockhampton Red, which takes on red and orange hues in the autumn. Alternatively, try Arbutus unedo, also known as the strawberry tree, which boasts cinnamon-coloured,…

GQT Gardeners’ Question Time

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FREE SEEDS until June! Treat someone to a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine subscription and pay just £14.99† for the first 6 issues, then £27.60 every 6 issues, saving 32% on the full price. FREE SEEDS‡ for subscribers Subscribers will receive an expertly selected mix of seeds with each issue until the June 2025 issue. Subscribe before 6 January to receive the February issue, which includes a pack of Nigella Persian Jewels and Coriander Cilantro seeds. Offer ends 30 January 2025 2 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Call 03330 162123* and quote code GWSP125 Visit buysubscriptions.com/GWSP125 † This offer is only open to new UK customers subscribing to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine by recurring payment. The closing date for this offer is 30 January 2025. You will pay £14.99 for the first…

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Wildlife Review 2024 ■ Which wildlife is thriving? And which is in decline? ■ Gardening to help boost bees, birds and butterflies ■ How to help reduce the impact of climate change FREE SEEDS* exclusively for subscribers ■ Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe before 6 January to receive your free nigella and coriander seeds, plus a further eight packs between now and June. For more details go to GardenersWorld.com/free-seeds 24 FREE† summer bedding plug plants for every reader Fill your pots and borders with our vibrant collection – six each of: ◼ Petunia ‘Frenzy’ ◼ Begonia Organdy (mixed) ◼ Busy Lizzie Beacon Mix ◼ Geranium ‘Best Red’ †Just pay £5.95 postage PLUS ◼ Cherry tomatoes on trial ◼ Make a pergola ◼ Alan on hardwood cuttings ◼ Grow the good life…

Tales from Titchmarsh

‘Same old, same old…’ is a phrase that sends a shiver down my spine. Friends who have hoed the same furrow (pardon the gardening analogy) year after year in a job that pays the rent but which they do not like have my deepest sympathy. Every New Year reminds me of my good luck in pursuing a career that has never been anything less than an all-consuming passion. Oh, I have days off and other interests, but deep at the heart of my very being is a burning desire to make a difference to the earth – to contribute to its health and wellbeing and to beautify my surroundings. Should this sound excessively saintly, I will admit to a degree of self-interest: I find my life enriched by gazing on…

Tales from Titchmarsh

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