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.

Modern heroes of horticulture - Madeline Mesias

Modern heroes of horticulture - Madeline Mesias
Some gardens are designed simply to look beautiful. Others ask bigger questions - about how we live, what we grow, and our connection to the land around us. For Madeline...
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Greener gardening - pest control

Greener gardening - pest control
Can you hold your nerve and hold off on the chemicals when it comes to aphid attacks?  Pesticides are harmful to people, pets and the environment, and using these chemicals...
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Wildlife in the garden - grass snakes

Wildlife in the garden - grass snakes
Have you ever spotted a snake in your garden?  Grass snakes are not uncommon in England and Wales, though absent from gardens in Scotland and Ireland.  However, they’re also shy...
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Garden gadgets - automatic greenhouse vents

Garden gadgets - automatic greenhouse vents
As the summer gets going and the thermometer creeps a little higher, it’s really important to monitor the temperature inside your greenhouse and adjust it accordingly.  Even on cooler days,...
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Plant of the month - peonies

Plant of the month - peonies
Beautiful, blousy herbaceous peonies are one of the floral highlights of late spring/early summer.  Bursting from fat, round buds, these blooms are luxurious and lush, whether you enjoy them in...
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Body,, soul and soil - stand and stare

Body,, soul and soil - stand and stare
Have you ever stepped outside into your garden to do nothing more than stand and stare?  It might seem counter-intuitive for a gardening magazine to encourage you to do virtually...
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Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in June

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in June
Take cuttings of pelargoniums Pelargoniums are a great addition to your summer garden, enjoying a warm and sunny spot in a pot or in the ground.  Their bright colours and...
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Greener gardening - no mow May

Greener gardening - no mow May
A very easy way to make your garden a little bit greener with absolutely no effort is to participate in No Mow May.  This initiative, spearheaded by the charity Plantlife,...
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Wildlife in the garden - moths and butterflies

Wildlife in the garden - moths and butterflies
Butterflies are often the stars of the show when it comes to winged insects in the garden, but did you know there are around 2500 species of moth in the...
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Garden gadgets - automatic watering systems

Garden gadgets - automatic watering systems
If you’re planning a summer holiday and beginning to worry about how to keep your plants alive and thriving while you’re away from home, perhaps its time to consider a...
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Plant of the month - allium

Plant of the month - allium
Alliums are fantastic flowers which pack a punch in a pot or a mixed border.  They’re great for colour, structure and impact – and pollinators love them too. Part of...
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Body, soil and soul - scent in the garden

Body, soil and soul - scent in the garden
There’s something about fragrance which triggers memories and feelings, and the sense of smell really comes alive in the garden – we’re surrounded by different scents which might evoke a...
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Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in May

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in May
Grow basil Sow basil seeds for a tasty addition to your kitchen garden – they make a great companion crop for tomatoes.  The aromatic compounds in basil are thought to...
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Body, soul and soil - good, clean dirt

Body, soul and soil - good, clean dirt
Did you know that getting your hands dirty can be good for you in more ways than one?  As well as boosting our mental and physical health, gardening and coming...
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Modern heroes of horticulture - Will Cronin, Excelsis Gardens

Modern heroes of horticulture - Will Cronin, Excelsis Gardens
For Will Cronin, gardens have never just been a job.  They have been a lifelong calling shaped by a love of the outdoors, a deep personal ethos, and a passion...
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Greener gardening - peat-free potting

Greener gardening - peat-free potting
Peat-free composts are now widely available in garden centres and shops, with more and more gardeners moving to this kind of growing media.  Peat-free is better for the environment, helping...
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Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in April

Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in April
Plant dahlias Dahlia tubers can be planted up now to start them into growth.  The safest way to do this to avoid damage from slugs or late frosts is to...
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Wildlife in the garden - bumblebees

Wildlife in the garden - bumblebees
More and more bees are on the wing this month and bumblebees are among the most distinctive.  The queens emerge in spring to feed on nectar and pollen to get...
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Plant of the month - bleeding heart

Plant of the month - bleeding heart
For a long time this plant was known as Dicentra - now it’s been renamed Lamprocapnos spectabilis.  In any case its common name is ‘bleeding heart’, which is much easier...
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Garden gadgets - thermometers

Garden gadgets - thermometers
It’s that time of year when you can step outside wearing a thick jacket, woolly hat and gloves and half an hour later you’ll be standing there in a T-shirt,...
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Modern heroes of horticulture – Michael Griffiths

Modern heroes of horticulture – Michael Griffiths
Horticulture has always evolved alongside the people who share it.  Today, some of the most influential gardeners are not found behind historic estate walls or on show garden podiums, but...
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