Latest From Gardens Illustrated
Sissinghurst head gardener Troy Scott Smith on his vision for the garden
In 1930, the writer Vita Sackville-West and her diplomat husband Harold Nicolson bought an old farm in Kent and set about creating a garden that has become one of the best loved and most visited in the world. In the lead-up to the garden's centenary in 2030, head gardener Troy Scott Smith muses on the garden's enduring appeal - and outlines his vision for the garden. Images by John Campbell
12 of the top female gardeners leading the way
Discover the inspiring women making waves in the horticultural industry and tending to remarkable gardens
Kew scientists use AI to predict extinction risk for all the world's plants
Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have used AI to predict the extinction risk for every known flowering plant on earth.
Why we should all be buying organic bulbs
Some aspects of the mass-produced bulb industry are environmentally damaging. We find out how, and why we should all be considering going organic with our bulbs. Photos Dave Watts Photography
Alan Titchmarsh: We should be buying local and gardening organically
We asked Alan Titchmarsh about his favourite month, how he feels about the future and the new King.
The scene-stealing plants that will stop you in your tracks
Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter's head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact
Gardens Illustrated 's Editor's choice
The French botanist championing naturalistic gardening on the importance of preserving ecosystems
Meet French botanist Véronique Mure who is championing naturalistic gardening, on the importance of preserving ecosystems and ensuring plants have a living soil. Words Louisa Jones
Chelsea 2024 | Tickets, information, dates and what's on
Everything you need to know about RHS Chelsea Flower Show tickets and more for 2024
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Gardens Illustrated events
Gardening events and shows for 2024
All the big names in one place. Here's our guide to the gardening calendar's biggest and best gardening events for the year ahead
This blank rectangular plot was transformed into a field of dreams by Piet Oudolf at a Somerset art gallery
Piet Oudolf has transformed a blank, rectangular plot
into a colourful, perennial meadow full of character
at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in Somerset
International garden festivals to visit
Horticulture events from around the world including flower shows and festivals.
Gardens to visit in March
Gardener and plantsman Keith Wiley shares his favourite gardens to visit in March.
Latest garden features and design ideas
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Wreaths are not just for Christmas: here's how to make an Easter wreath with beautiful spring flowers
Try your hand at an Easter wreath with flowers
and foliage to celebrate the arrival of spring. Words and styling Jacky Mills, photographs Éva Németh
When is the official first day of spring?
When spring starts is different depending on which calendar you're looking at. Here we answer the question what is the first day of spring in 2024?
The ancient fertile soil discovered in the Amazon that’s flummoxed scientists and gardeners alike
When areas of unusually fertile soil were discovered in the Amazon, researchers were surprised. Plant ecologist Ken Thompson explores why terra preta soils have been confusing people
Houseplants | How to look after the blue star fern
Ferns sparked the first houseplant craze and are still a great houseplant choice, especially the unfussy Phlebodium aureum. Illustration Agata Wierzbicka
Behind the scenes at Sissinghurst: springtime in the most-loved garden in the world
Sissinghurst’s head gardener Troy Scott Smith guides us through the jobs that he and his team do in spring. Images by John Campbell
How to clean rusty tools
Keeping the garden tools sharp and free from rust can mean tools have a longer life and are a pleasure to use. Here's tips from Kristy Ramage and Daniel Back on how to on how to sharpen and clean rusty tools. Photographs Britt Willoughby Dyer
Alice Vincent | I’m a closet pteridomaniac and I’m ready to talk about it
Self-confessed pteridomaniac Alice Vincent has long been fascinated by ferns and has grown to love the serene, green beauty they bring to the garden.
Best garden plants for now
Crocuses or croci: what is the plural of crocus?
Is the correct term for the plural of crocus crocuses or croci? Here's what we found out
Can we really cope with allowing our gardens to go wilder?
Garden writer Andrew Timothy O’Brien asks just how far we might be prepared to go in relinquishing control over our gardens
How to grow hyacinths: a guide to this easy-to-grow bulb
Bring a splash of bright colour to your home or garden by trying easy-to-grow hyacinths. Grow them indoors and you'll have cheering flowers in the winter. In the garden they are a sure sign of spring.
Planting and caring for narcissi or daffodils for a spring garden
Expert grower Hannah Gardner gives advice on planting narcissi in borders, pots and lawns and recommends the 10 best narcissi to grow
How to grow hellebores
Plant expert John Hoyland gives advice on planting, sowing and growing hellebores. Plus, the best varieties to grow, recommended by some of our favourite plant experts. Images by Rachel Warne.
Species hellebores: the best for your garden
More understated than their hybridised cousins, species hellebores bring delicacy and grace to the spring garden. Plant expert Graham Rice recommends 10 of the best. Photographs by Jason Ingram.
Houseplants
Your common house plant problems - solved
House plant expert Sarah Gerrard-Jones identifies the 10 most common house plant problems and explains how to solve them.
Houseplants | How to look after the blue star fern
Ferns sparked the first houseplant craze and are still a great houseplant choice, especially the unfussy Phlebodium aureum. Illustration Agata Wierzbicka
Asparagus fern: Everything you need to know about this ideal house plant
Attractive foliage and a near-indestructible nature make the asparagus fern great indoor companions. Illustration Patrick Morgan
Gardens Illustrated 's Podcasts
Talking Gardens podcast with Arit Anderson
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Arit Anderson on why she would love a bluebell meadow and the reason she would never allow leaf blowers in her fantasy space.
Talking Gardens podcast with Tasmin Westhorpe
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Tamsin Westhorpe on her dream garden and why she thinks gardening is vital for mental health.
Talking Gardens podcast with Isabel Bannerman
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Isabel Bannerman on her dream garden and where she would go in a time machine.
Talking Gardens podcast with Arthur Parkinson
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Arthur Parkinson on his dream of a walled garden with orangery, and all manner of plants and birds.
Talking Gardens podcast with Piet Oudolf
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Piet Oudolf on the projects that have shaped his career and why he has never had time to dream.
Talking Gardens podcast with Errol Reuben Fernandes
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Errol Reuben Fernandes on his fantasy garden and why some garden visitors would be banned from his dream space
Talking Gardens podcast with Marian Boswall
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Marian Boswall on her fantasy garden and why the first important ingredient would be love.
Talking Gardens podcast with Nigel Slater
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring Nigel Slater on his fantasy garden and why fairies and soft serve ice-cream would have to be part of it
Listen | From the archives: Beth Chatto talks to Alan Titchmarsh
In her centenary year, we share a past podcast featuring Alan Titchmarsh talking to Beth Chatto in a public conversation, first aired on her 50th anniversary of being at her iconic Beth Chatto's Gardens
Talking Gardens: Chelsea edition with Harry Holding
Listen to this episode of Talking Gardens, the Gardens Illustrated podcast, featuring designer Harry Holding on his garden for RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the All About Plants category
Recipes
HOME COOKED RECIPES WITH NATURAL INGREDIENTS
Recipe | Hearty sausage stew from Julius Roberts
Chef and smallholder Julius Roberts shares his recipe for a hearty and warming stew with sausage and chard.
Golden beetroot soup recipe
Nutritious and full of flavour; nothing beats a bowl of golden beetroot soup on a cold winter's day. Here's the perfect recipe for how to make it. Recipe from Stephanie Hafferty
Parsnip soup recipe with medlar jam
A tasty recipe for parsnip soup that you can cook over an open fire in your garden. Recipe by Cleve West
A delicious apple and tamarind chutney recipe
Preserving and fermenting home-grown fruit and vegetables is a savvy way of extending the season. If you find yourself with a glut of apples, think ahead and pickle yourself the perfect chutney.
Container Gardening
pots of style for your garden
Spring beauty in a pot: a stunning plant pot design you can plant up at home from designer Jo Thompson
Award-winning designer Jo Thompson's container-planting series continues with this early spring flower combination using Narcissus and Scilla. Words Jo Thompson, photographs Jason Ingram
How to grow auriculas and the best to plant
A favourite of the 19th-century Florists’ Societies, auriculas continue to attract enthusiastic collectors and are one of specialities of the Suffolk nursery Woottens. Discover how to care for, propagate and 16 of the best auriculas. Words Mary Keen, photos Richard Bloom
How to grow succulents
Succulents are attractive and versatile, low maintenance plants. Plant expert Andy McIndoe advises on how to grow them, plus the best types to try. Photos by Dianna Jazwinski
A colourful container display using chillies
Jenny Barnes walks us through this container display that prolongs the life of fresh chillies and brings colour and shape indoors
Inspiring Gardens
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
The English country town where everyone goes completely snowdrop mad each February
The annual Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival in Somerset is the place to be for galanthophiles in February.
Words Lucy Bellamy, photographs Jason Ingram
A designer’s own wild family garden by the ocean in Australia, with eco credentials and colourful planting
In southeastern Australia, a family of four horticulturists has created a dreamy new garden by the ocean, with captivating combinations of native and exotic plants. Words Georgina Reid, images Claire Takacs
What to plant in an edible garden
We talk to vegetable and edible gardening expert Anna Greenland about gardening for flavour. Words Alys Hurn, photographs Jason Ingram
Legendary nurserywoman Elizabeth Strangman's garden showcases her signature hellebores and a wealth of beautiful spring plants
After closing her renowned nursery, Elizabeth Strangman has poured her energies into developing her private garden, which showcases a wealth of plants beginning with her signature hellebores. Photographs Nicky Flint
This season in the garden
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GARDENING NOW
March flowers that will look great right now
Plantswoman Fleur van Zonneveld chooses ten plants that help brighten the lengthening days of March. Photos by Maayke De Ridder
Gardens to visit in March
Gardener and plantsman Keith Wiley shares his favourite gardens to visit in March.
March gardening jobs
It's spring fever in the kitchen garden, as our columnist Aaron Bertelsen shares the gardening jobs for March. Illustration Alice Pattullo
What to plant in March for beautiful blooms over the summer and beyond
Head gardener Benjamin Pope offers his suggestions for the best things to plant in pots and beyond this month
Gardens to visit
which gardens to visit and where
The best campsites with beautiful gardens
From Victorian walled gardens to shaded clearings among wildflowers, we recommend the best campsites in the UK with beautiful gardens to get lost in
The best lavender farms to visit
Swathes of blue and purple as far as the eye can see – we recommend the best lavender farms to visit for a perfect summer day out
Beautiful royal gardens
From wildflower meadows to Islamic-inspired water gardens, the gardens of royal residences can provide places of calm, beauty and inspiration. We recommend the best royal gardens to visit in the UK
Garden design
THE BEST OF THE WORLD'S OUTDOOR SPACES
Trees for small gardens
Many people worry that a tree will overpower a small garden, but as garden designer Sarah Price shows, the key is finding the right place and the right tree
How to lay a hedge
Interested in the centuries-old skill of hedge laying? Follow our guide on how to lay a hedge and learn about the traditional ways to lay a hedge. Words Louise Allen, photography Andrew Montgomery, illustration Liam McAuley
Garden ideas on a budget
Charlotte Molesworth, best known for the topiary in her garden at Balmoral Cottage, offers her best ideas for garden ideas on a budget. Words Francine Raymond, photographs Rachel Warne
10 ways to improve your garden
Award-winning garden designer Jinny Blom gives us her 10-point plan for improving any garden.
How do garden landscapers and designers work together?
There’s confusion around what a landscape architect, garden designer and hard landscaper really is. Here Claire Vokins from Wilson | Vokins breaks down the connection
10 garden design mistakes and how to avoid them
We asked ten award-winning garden designers to name the most common design issues they see, and how these problems can be solved
Gardening Advice
WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT
How to create a safer garden for birds
Naturalist Martin Hughes-Games explains how you can keep your garden birds safe by maintaining good hygiene around bird feeders, bird tables and bird baths and window feeding trays
How to | Propagate ferns
Discover exactly how to propagate ferns with our step by step guide from head gardener Mat Reese. Photographs by Jason Ingram
How to prune wisteria
Wisteria needs to be pruned twice a year to keep it in good shape and to ensure abundant flowers. Here's how to do it. Photographs by Gavin Kingcome.
Gardening Kit
OUR PICK OF THE BEST GARDENING TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES
Letterbox olive oil? It’s here – and it’s sustainable, ethical and produced by female growers.
Citizens of Soil's Mother’s Day gift box makes a lovely treat this March.
100 best gifts for gardeners in 2023
Here's our selection of fantastic gardening gifts in 2024, tailor-made to suit the gardener in your life.
Best plant gift subscriptions
Give the gift that keeps on giving – a plant subscription! We bring you some of the best options online. Start one today and share the love.
Best bird feed for your garden birds
Support local wildlife and fill your garden with birdsong by stocking up on these packs of bird seed, mealworms and suet balls.
The best garden wheelbarrows
Save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the garden with our selection of the best wheelbarrows on the market.
Tree guards: the best tree guards for protecting your newly planted trees
Tree guards can protect new saplings from deer and other wildlife. Here is a breakdown of how to use them and the best tree guards to buy.