Potpourri Magazine

Garden trends - immersive gardens
Designers are increasingly trying to create a sense of ‘immersion’ in a garden, where you feel completely secluded and enveloped in a space.  This can increase the sense of it...
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Technology in the garden - lawn aerators
If your lawn has seen a lot of activity over the summer months, it may have become compacted and need aerating.  This involves making holes in it to allow oxygen...
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Podcast - Growing Together with Claire and Steve
An informative and fun podcast with a varied mix of content from seasonal allotment advice and DIY projects to interviews and design advice. Passionate home gardener Claire Vennis is joined...
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Veg and recipe - squash lasagne
There is something very delicious about the combination of sweet earthy root vegetables with the creamy sauce and soft pasta - perfect comfort food as we move into autumn. Heat...
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Q&A with Helen Barbour, Picton Garden
Tell us about journey into horticulture? I was virtually born on the potting bench, January baby and the Aster propagation started in February; from then my childhood revolved around the...
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Top of the pots - planting for shade
If you have a dingy lightwell or dark side return, using pots with a variety of shade-loving plants is perfect for adding a bit of fresh green and colour to...
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Body, soul and gardening - get into the flow
How many times have you wandered out to the garden to do a spot of deadheading and not come back for hours.  And, however wet or hungry you are, it...
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Podcast: The Plotting Shed
This is a useful podcast for those interested in designing their own garden and are new to garden design.  Presenter and designer Rachel McCartain discusses how her aim is to...
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Technology in the garden - self-watering pots
Containers need a lot more watering than planted borders and can be a problem if you go away a lot or are busy.  Self-watering planters can be an excellent solution...
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Veg and recipe - green tomato salsa
Green tomatoes aren’t as sweet as red tomatoes, but they are safe to eat both raw in salads or sandwiches or cooked in sauces.  They have a tart taste and...
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Top of the pots - growing trees in containers
Growing trees in containers is a fantastic and impactful way of bringing height, blossom and autumn colour into spaces with no planting beds, such as patios.  They can also help...
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Q&A with Nick Stewart, Head Gardener, Lambeth Palace (2022)
What was your journey into horticulture? After completing my degree, my first proper horticultural experience was gained working in the historic Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona, which convinced me...
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Garden trends - the new cottage garden
Cottage gardens with their traditional mix of colourful flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs have a nostalgic, romantic appeal.  This relaxed, wildlife-friendly style is having a resurgence of popularity, albeit with...
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Body, soul and gardening - colourful planting
Colours and their effect on our mood is subjective of course, but greens and cool colours in planting are often associated with well-being and relaxation.  Using reds, oranges and yellows,...
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Garden trends - dark foliage
Designers are predicting a fashion for darker, plummy-coloured flowers and foliage with accents of brighter colours in planting design.  This can add depth, drama and a touch of glamour to...
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Body, soul and gardening - get a stress-free break
Holidays are supposed to be relaxing, so you don’t want to be worrying about how your garden will cope while you’re away.  The most obvious solution is to enlist a...
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Top of the pots - Great combos for summer
High summer is when tall perennials and soft wafty grasses are really coming into their own.  They add lovely texture, naturalism  and movement to a container display – ideal if...
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Garden review - Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Surrey
We visited this garden on a hot day last year and the mixture of woodland planting, dappled light, water and beautifully placed sculptures creates the most wonderfully soothing environment. The original...
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Veg and recipe - samosa
If you’re bored of steaming your runner beans, why not try something a bit more exciting by making tasty samosas?  Runners go well with Indian spices, and combined with fluffy...
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Podcast - Rich Pickings
Garden designer friends Jo Thompson and Nina Baxter talk about gardening and much more besides in this enjoyable podcast. In a recent episode they discuss this year’s Chelsea Flower Show...
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Technology in the garden - sails for cooling shade
Sails make a great alternative to umbrellas, creating a cool retreat in hotter weather without an intrusive pole.  They also have a graceful, contemporary feel. Most will stand up well...
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