Potpourri Magazine

The tropical garden trend continues to be popular with people seeking a ‘holiday’ feeling in their own garden.  Gardens created using lush, leafy exotics work particularly well in urban situations, creating jungly, private spaces, and best suit secluded areas of...

There’s increasing evidence linking a healthy gut to our physical and mental wellbeing.  A healthy microbiome (the ecosystem of micro-organisms in the intestine) helps us digest our food and absorb nutrients and is believed to improve our immune system and...

We talk to Tom Coward about developing the historic gardens at Gravetye Manor, East Sussex, created by the ‘wild gardening’ enthusiast William Robinson during the 19^th Century. 

How do you manage the heritage of the gardens at Gravetye?

We try to...

There’s masses to pick in the garden right now to bring inside and enjoy, whether you have a cutting bed or well-stocked borders.  Peonies make wonderful cut flowers, especially the doubles.  Try not to be tempted to pick them in...

When he’s not presenting TV programmes including Good Morning Britain, Ben Shepherd enjoys spending time in his garden with his wife Annie and two boys Sam and Jack.

Pictures of his lovely garden posted on social media include one of...

In the newly revamped plant-based podcast, Michael and Ellen discuss everything from garden design to growing your own fruit and vegetables, with lots of tips along the way.  The pair invite interesting guests to share their knowledge on everything from...

Aside from blankets and layers, you might think that firepits are the most eco-friendly way of keeping warm outside, but unless you do your own logging, wood has to be cut down and transported, the heat given off tends not...

The Japanese have been creating beautiful, balanced gardens for centuries.  These carefully curated versions of the natural landscape create a calm space designed for contemplation.  So, what are some of the elements to borrow in our own gardens?

Water is...

The TV and radio presenter has talked about how her garden has been a great comfort, while her husband Derek Draper continues to suffer the effects of Covid 19.

Their large London garden with its mature fruit trees and roses,...

Creating displays from garden flowers is fun and creative, and the act of scouring the garden for colour each month will help ensure you have flowers to pick all year round.

If you’re lucky enough to still have blossom in...

As well as covering boundaries, hedges define the structure of a garden, anchoring the design, creating stability and acting as a crisp foil to more ephemeral planting.  Designers are finding new plants and styles for hedge planting to maximise the...

Tell us about your journey to head gardener here and what you love about it?

My mum used to work at Waterperry so I’ve been around the garden all my life.  When I became a single mum with two daughters, I...

With the weather warming up and garden gatherings back on the cards, you might want to liven up the atmosphere with a little music.  There’s an increasing range of wired and wireless speakers designed to withstand the weather and spread...

Gardening vlogger Tony O’Neill is a full- time firefighter, but his real passion is gardening and he has created a YouTube channel to offer practical advice on growing organic food and solving common gardening problems.

I found Tony’s tips on...

A good pair of scissors is always useful for gardeners for cutting twine, snipping herbs or a spot of deadheading.  And the good news is Fiskars, makers of the iconic orange-handled scissors, have introduced a recycled version of their multi-...

Pretty bulbs are springing up now in the garden, and although it can feel a shame to pick them, making a small posy to admire up close adds freshness to your house. 

The beautiful combination of blue grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) or brunnera with...

A passionate gardener and designer, Mike Palmer has recently launched his own podcast.  He already had a busy Instagram account where you can see him live on his ‘Sunday Stroll’, showing us round his garden and sharing his knowledge. Mike also...

Dreamy romantic gardens seem to be having a revival in the world of garden design.  Their untamed wildness ties in with the trend for naturalism and there’s something comforting about the old fashioned picturesque beauty they exude.

In the Romantic...

Charlotte has established a hugely successful garden design business creating stylish and elegant contemporary gardens.  She also won a Gold medal at the 2014 RHS Chelsea Flower Show as well as numerous industry awards.  Here are some key elements of...

The sight of billowing pink or white cherry blossom against a cloudless blue sky is a joy to behold.  In fact, this vision gave such comfort during the first Covid lockdown that the National Trust is leading a project to create...

Immersing yourself in the sensory elements of the garden is a great way of creating a haven from the busy world.  And while the health benefits of a garden’s visual impact has been well researched, a recent study by the...