Potpourri Magazine

Body, soul and gardening - the joy of gardening with others
Much as I love gardening alone, there’s something particularly good for the soul about gardening with others.  It’s great to be with like-minded people who share your horticultural passion.  And...
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Wildlife in the garden - Otters
Twenty years ago we would never have thought that otters (Lutra lutra) could be an occasional, if not common, visitor to gardens in the UK.  Once on the decline due...
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Modern heroes of horticulture - Mike Palmer
Mike Palmer has become a familiar face to keen gardeners in recent years.  His live ‘Sunday Morning Stroll’, something he started on Instagram during lockdown, has garnered a loyal following...
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Gardeners' notes - what to do in May
Lawn care With soil temperatures now reliably into double figures, it's a good time to carry out any renovation work on your lawn.  Rake out any moss and scatter fresh...
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Exceptional trees - General Sherman Sequoiadendron giganteum
There surely can be nothing more impressive than seeing trees that are champions in their genus.  Huge trees, tall trees, wide trees, or very, very old trees.  Estimated at over...
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Plant folklore - Hawthorn Crataegous monogyna
The thorny shrub known as hawthorn is commonly spotted in hedgerows especially around May when its blossom fills the air with a pungent scent of galvanised rubber or spicy almond. ...
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The plants around us - linoleum
Next time you walk into a room at home consider the plants that have been utilised to give you the life you enjoy.  Cotton curtains, cardboard packaging, and plant-based shampoos. ...
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Body, Soul and Gardening - Black Fruit and Berries for Super Health
Inky dark purple fruit have masses of nutritional benefits and are packed with vitamins and antioxidants.  Now is a good time to plant fruit bushes and trees, many of which...
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The Best Black Bulbs
Bulbs with velvety dark flowers make a glamorous statement in a garden.  Many varieties look almost pitch black in certain lights, then reveal more plum colours as the sun shines...
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Fruit Tree Blackfly
Aphids can attack fruit trees year after year if not tackled.  They pierce the cell walls of leaves to suck the sap, making the leaves curl and yellow.  As they feed,...
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Black Houseplants
Dark leaved house plants can give your interior great sophistication.  Here are five of the best. Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’.  The waxy, shiny foliage of this dark variety of the popular upright...
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Garden Trends - Shou Sugi Ban - Charred Timber
Using charred timber in garden design has become increasingly popular.  The striking deep black-coloured timber with incredibly beautiful textures is not only stylish but a sustainable way of treating wood...
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Savon noir - black soap for natural garden health
As gardeners we’re always seeking out products that look after our plants as well as the environment and Le Savonnier Marseillais black liquid soap is a natural way of protecting...
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Piet Oudolf Field, Bruton, Somerset
This small but perfect garden, designed by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, is a beautiful tapestry of colour even at this time of year.  The gardens were created from the...
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Body, soul and gardening - the sound of silence
The world is often a noisy place, especially in urban settings.  Research indicates that noise pollution can cause harmful levels of stress, both physically and mentally, and that taking time...
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Garden trends - gravel gardens
Low maintenance and drought-tolerant, gravel gardens are becoming increasingly popular. They’re perfectly suited to our hot dry summers and have a relaxed airy feel, with plants growing up through gravel...
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Cut flower corner - what to pick now
The late summer garden can still be full of colour.  There are roses on their second flush, hydrangeas blushing pink and the last of the echinacea, phlox and penstemon taking...
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The unexpected gardener - Lorraine Kelly
The popular ITV broadcaster enjoys gardening and has talked about finding it a great form of escapism - particularly during stressful times like lockdown.  ‘It’s lovely to just get outside...
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Technology in the garden - smart rain gauge
It’s easy to overestimate how much water a garden has really had after it’s rained.  The soil might look wet, but it could be surface moisture.  A rain gauge can...
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Podcast - The Garden Log
Gardener and podcaster Ben Dark, has until recently been working as a Head Gardener at a private English country estate but has now moved his family to Copenhagen where he...
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In the Cotwolds
Frustrated by the limitations of container gardening on our balcony, we wanted a garden, so some years ago we relocated from London to the Cotswolds. We got our big garden,...
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