Alice Vincent
Alice Vincent is the author of Rootbound, How to Grow Stuff and Seeds from Scratch. A self-taught urban gardeners, she is behind the Instagram account @noughticulture.
Recent articles by Alice Vincent
Couture clash: are you a dressing gown or overalls gardener?
Practicality nearly always trumps fashion in our gardening wardrobes, but Alice Vincent feels the need to make room for some workwear chic… and even a pair of Crocs. Illustration Alice Pattullo
I’m a different person from the woman who christened the soil by swinging champagne from a bottle: Alice Vincent reflects on her gardening year
In the last of her regular columns, Alice Vincent reflects on what she’s discovered over the course of documenting her gardening year, and why it’s now time to move on. Illustration Alice Pattullo.
Is it time to rein in tulip mania?
Alice Vincent wonders if it might be time to rein in our unsustainable pursuit of the perfect Instagrammable border
Alice Vincent | 'With each passing season I’m more offended by a rose in winter'
A cutting garden may be high on her fantasy garden wishlist, but Alice Vincent still finds it hard to cut the flowers from her borders. Could seasonal floristry help to win her round? Illustration by Alice Pattullo.
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.
I don't need a garden destination on holiday: the landscape and plants are enough
At one time, Alice Vincent would seek out horticultural hightlights on holiday, but now she’s happy simply to make memories from magical moments in the landscape. Illustration by Alice Pattullo
Cut-and-cover composting means more me-time. What's not to like?
Alice Vincent has had a pretty hectic 2023, but for next year she’s come up with a cunning plan that will give herself more time while reducing her carbon footprint.
Trees can become landmarks and living artworks and we should plant them in our gardens
After a decade of gardening and some initial reluctance, Alice Vincent has finally got around to planting a tree. Illustration Alice Pattullo
With a new baby, my garden has morphed into something different
With a young baby in tow, there are changes afoot for Alice Vincent as she looks at her garden, and her ways of gardening, with fresh eyes. Illustration Alice Pattullo
Why is it so hard to find affordable and inoffensive garden furniture?
Summer may be slowly slipping away, but columnist Alice Vincent is still on the lookout for stylish garden furniture she can afford that she doesn’t have to make herself.
Illustration Alice Pattullo
I've turned a corner of my plot into a gravel garden, and I love it
With an eye to gardening in a hotter climate, Alice Vincent has decided to give over a corner of her garden to gravel planting, but how will her plants cope in their new home? Illustration Alice Pattullo
Letting a bit of wild into our gardens can only be a good thing
Like many gardeners, Alice Vincent used to want to feel in control of her garden space, but now she is learning to let go a little and welcome in the wildness
Could this be the end of my container gardening era?
Now containers are no longer her only option, Alice Vincent wonders if they still have a place in her garden, or is it time to leave her dolly tubs and chimney pots behind? Illustration Alice Pattullo
Opinion | There are more women, but a gender divide still pervades at Chelsea
Alice Vincent reflects on the attempts to address the gender divide at Chelsea Flower Show and what it means in real terms
Sleeping beauty: snooze through winter ahead of spring
Beyond the frenzy of seed sowing, winter is the season of snoozing and taking stock, says Alice Vincent, and letting your garden rest up ahead of the demands of spring. Illustration Alice Pattullo
The gift of a rose: one of the solutions to the end-of-year panic
The depths of midwinter offer little opportunity to enjoy outdoors, so it’s far better then, says Alice Vincent, to curl up with a good catalogue and plan your summer garden. Illustration Alice Pattullo
Mulching and compost are the black magic of gardening
Mulching and composting are at the very heart of successful growing, argues Alice Vincent, and the dark alchemy of turning waste into black gold is an art every gardener should learn
Alice Vincent | Editing a garden: learning how to take out as well as put in
Adding new plants to a garden is rarely a problem, but learning when to subtract and divide the ones you love can be more of a wrench
Opinion | How do you document a garden?
The ephemeral environment that constitutes the garden is notoriously tricky to capture in words and pictures. It doesn’t stop us trying, though, says Alice Vincent
Alice Vincent | The prospect of my first garden overwhelmed me
In the first of her new column, Alice remembers the excitement of finally getting the chance to make her own garden entirely from scratch. Illustration from Alice Pattullo
Opinion | Women are silent caretakers of the earth: it's time we told our stories
On International Women’s Day, writer and gardener Alice Vincent reflects on the silent work of women in countless gardens and calls upon us all to be proud of the space we grow in. Photographs Camilla Jorvad