Potpourri Magazine

If you love gardening, our magazine will inspire you. It's a real magazine, not just a newsletter, and it's packed full of interesting articles written by professional gardening journalists. It's totally free and arrives once a month by email. Here is a selection of recent articles.

Greener gardening - sustainable wool pots

Wool isn’t just for cosy jumpers at this time of year - it’s also very useful in the garden.  Versatile and abundant, wool is increasingly being used in various forms...
Read More

Garden gadgets - smart pebble

If your houseplants are looking a bit worse for wear after a long winter blasted by cold draughts and central heating, consider investing in an AI-powered green gadget to help...
Read More

Plant of the month - viola

One of the cheeriest sights to keep you going until the light finally shifts and the darkest days of winter are behind us is surely the sight of a selection...
Read More

Body, soul and soil - water for wellbeing

It’s not just green spaces which can improve our mental health and wellbeing - blue spaces are proven to have similar beneficial effects.  Being close to water, with its calming...
Read More

Modern hero of horticulture - Ben Cross

In a world where speed, scale and imports dominate the flower industry, Ben Cross has chosen a different path; one rooted in heritage, sustainability and an unwavering belief that British...
Read More

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in February

Sow sweet peas It’s never too early to sow sweet peas - those started in autumn or winter are generally stronger and flower earlier than spring-sown, but you do need...
Read More

Wildlife in the garden - weasels

You might be casually looking out of the kitchen window, cup of tea in hand, surveying the borders and pondering what should go in that gap by the magnolia…when suddenly...
Read More

Modern heroes of horticulture - Michael Perry

Michael Perry is not your traditional plantsman - and that’s precisely why he’s become one of the most recognisable figures in modern horticulture.  Known to many as Mr Plant Geek, Michael...
Read More

Wildlife in the garden - lichen

One of the most beneficial resources for wildlife may be growing in your garden, with no effort or maintenance at all required from you.  Lichen is considered one of the...
Read More

Greener gardening - compost the Christmas tree

Out with the old, in with the New Year!  It’s time to take down the Christmas tree and dispose of it sustainably - and the best way to do that...
Read More

Garden gadgets - heated propagators

A heated propagator is an essential bit of kit if you’re someone who likes to raise plants from seed, and wants to get the growing season off to an early...
Read More

Plant of the month - witch hazel

Is there anything more uplifting in the depths of winter than discovering the first few spidery flowers unfurling on a witch hazel?  These otherworldly blooms provide a bright miniature explosion...
Read More

Body, soul and soil - calm colours in the garden

How calming is your garden?  We can use colour to create a peaceful and harmonious feel in our outdoor space, which soothes the senses and makes us feel calm.  If...
Read More

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in January

Cut back hellebore leaves If you have hellebores in your garden they’ll benefit from a tidy up around now.  Cut all leaves back to the ground and you should discover...
Read More

Modern heroes of horticulture - Chris Hull

There are some people in horticulture whose careers grow slowly, gently, season by season.  And then there are those whose paths unfurl with the quiet determination of a tree finding...
Read More

Greener gardening - sustainable cut flowers

December is a time for giving, celebrating and decorating, and inevitably that may involve buying cut flowers for your home, or gifting an arrangement to a loved one.  It’s worth...
Read More

Wildlife in the garden - red squirrels

Are you lucky enough to live in an area of the UK where there are red squirrels?  Although greys are much more commonly spotted in parks and gardens across the...
Read More

Garden gadgets - handcrafted scissors

If you have a gap in your garden tool bag for a special pair of scissors, consider getting your hands on some handcrafted, Teflon-coated Garden Pruners.  Small but powerful, these...
Read More

Plant of the month - sage

Evergreen, easy-going, shrubby sage is not just a classic Christmas ingredient, it’s also a long-lived and rewarding addition to your herb garden.  Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is the standard culinary...
Read More

Body, soul and soil - pull out those pencils

In the depths of winter, when the weather is poor or time is short during the festive season, we occasionally have to resort to indoor activities.  However, we can still...
Read More

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in December

Harvest sproutsIf you’re growing your own Brussels sprouts for Christmas, they should be ready to pick this month.  They taste sweeter after a frost, so bear the weather forecast in...
Read More