Potpourri Magazine

As well as being beautiful and relaxing, gardens can also shield us against air pollution from fossil fuels and petrol that damage our health.  According to the World Health Organisation, 90% of the world’s population breathe polluted air, which can cause...

The hedgerows are brimming with sloes, so remember to take a pot with you next time you go on a nice autumn walk and gather enough to make some sloe gin for a fruity warming winter drink.  Traditionally this should...

The fashion for naturalistic planting continues, and key to this soft, unstructured look is using ornamental grasses.  When planted amongst perennials and loosely pruned shrubs, they give the garden wonderful texture and movement.  They’re also great at linking plants, acting...

The actress, famed for her role in the BBC drama Silent Witness, loves to unwind in her garden.  ‘I’m a big gardener, I love gardening’ she says, recently telling Woman & Home magazine that at some stage in her life...

Winter violas are wonderful hardy little gems that will flower on through the coldest months.  Try sowing some seeds now to flower in a few months’ time.  Sow seeds thinly and evenly in seed compost and cover as they’ll need darkness to germinate,...

Homegrown apples are a world apart from supermarket-bought ones.  An apple tree, with its gorgeous spring blossom and autumn fruit makes an attractive and wildlife friendly addition to any garden, however small.  Even their bare gnarly branches in winter have...

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us.  But if your apple and pear trees have grown so tall you can’t reach the fruit at the top of the tree, and ladders aren’t an option, a fruit picker...

Huw is only in his early twenties, but he has been creating YouTube videos on veg growing since he was 12 and is incredibly enthusiastic and knowledgeable.  His hands-on advice on growing your own organic vegetables, from sowing seeds to...

If you’re in the market for some more garden furniture and are wanting to do something about the environment, the DuraOcean could be the answer.  This ground breaking chair, designed by manufacturers of sustainable furniture Lifestyle Garden with support from...

Drifts of lilac-coloured lavender, humming with bees against a blue sky is a wonderful summer sight.  As well as being beautiful, lavender can also be dried – hanging the sprigs upside-down in an airy place – and used in everything from...

The Garden Ninja, aka Lee Burkhill, is a garden designer from the north of England whose YouTube videos give clear, practical advice on design and gardening, helping people avoid common mistakes and give things a go.

You get a real...

The much-loved gardening broadcaster and writer was born in Germany in 1955 – the youngest of five siblings - and christened Montagu Denis Wyatt Don.  He is married to Sarah and has three grown up children and one grandson, ‘George...

Everything is growing very fast now, with plenty of harvesting, deadheading and seed-collecting to be done.  Here’s how to keep the garden looking good into autumn.

1. Keep deadheading annuals, perennials and repeat flowering roses, cutting penstemon flowers back...

Plums are a delicious tangy fruit, great eaten raw but also great for stewing or making jams, crumbles and tarts.  ‘Victoria’ is a well-known variety and ‘Blue Tit’ and ‘Opal’ are also excellent.  As with gages and damsons, they thrive in...

Gardens are working harder than ever as people spend more time in them and appreciate their potential.  Designers are increasingly creating separate zones with different purposes to maximise the use of the whole garden.

The first consideration is how the...

Gardens that stimulate the senses are a great way to create relaxing outdoor spaces, helping us to physically connect with nature.  As well as the familiar scented gardens, tactile gardens are equally (and literally) feel-good!  Handling the soil, stroking feathery...

It’s a joy watching bees in the garden.  Sadly, however, they’re on the decline due to systemic pesticides and loss of varied habitats, amongst other things.  Bees are vital for pollinating so much of the food we eat including nuts,...

The latest innovations are designed to ease the strain and make gardening easier.

The Bucketbarrow.  The wheelbarrow is a mainstay bit of kit for gardeners, yet since its invention thousands of years ago, it hasn’t changed much - so say the...

London-based gardener Sean James Cameron has been gardening for over 30 years and is passionate about growing his own produce and sharing his knowledge.  His most recent videos follow his journey creating a new allotment into a ‘bountiful land of...

Much-loved food writer, TV presenter and former Great British Bakeoff judge Mary Berry may be renowned for her baking, but less well known is her love of gardening.  ‘In another life I may have been a gardener’ Mary once said...

Beetroots are easy to grow and can be sown from April to June.  Harvest them when they’re the size of a golf ball.  They’re delicious and nutritious and great roasted or grated into salads along with their colourful young leaves. ...