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 - Michael Perry

Michael Perry is not your traditional plantsman - and that’s precisely why he’s become one of the most recognisable figures in modern horticulture.  Known to many as Mr Plant Geek, Michael...
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Wildlife in the garden - lichen

One of the most beneficial resources for wildlife may be growing in your garden, with no effort or maintenance at all required from you.  Lichen is considered one of the...
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Greener gardening - compost the Christmas tree

Out with the old, in with the New Year!  It’s time to take down the Christmas tree and dispose of it sustainably - and the best way to do that...
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Garden gadgets - heated propagators

A heated propagator is an essential bit of kit if you’re someone who likes to raise plants from seed, and wants to get the growing season off to an early...
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Plant of the month - witch hazel

Is there anything more uplifting in the depths of winter than discovering the first few spidery flowers unfurling on a witch hazel?  These otherworldly blooms provide a bright miniature explosion...
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Body, soul and soil - calm colours in the garden

How calming is your garden?  We can use colour to create a peaceful and harmonious feel in our outdoor space, which soothes the senses and makes us feel calm.  If...
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Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in January

Cut back hellebore leaves If you have hellebores in your garden they’ll benefit from a tidy up around now.  Cut all leaves back to the ground and you should discover...
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Modern heroes of horticulture - Chris Hull

There are some people in horticulture whose careers grow slowly, gently, season by season.  And then there are those whose paths unfurl with the quiet determination of a tree finding...
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Greener gardening - sustainable cut flowers

December is a time for giving, celebrating and decorating, and inevitably that may involve buying cut flowers for your home, or gifting an arrangement to a loved one.  It’s worth...
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Wildlife in the garden - red squirrels

Are you lucky enough to live in an area of the UK where there are red squirrels?  Although greys are much more commonly spotted in parks and gardens across the...
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Garden gadgets - handcrafted scissors

If you have a gap in your garden tool bag for a special pair of scissors, consider getting your hands on some handcrafted, Teflon-coated Garden Pruners.  Small but powerful, these...
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Plant of the month - sage

Evergreen, easy-going, shrubby sage is not just a classic Christmas ingredient, it’s also a long-lived and rewarding addition to your herb garden.  Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is the standard culinary...
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Body, soul and soil - pull out those pencils

In the depths of winter, when the weather is poor or time is short during the festive season, we occasionally have to resort to indoor activities.  However, we can still...
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Gardeners' notes - jobs to do in December

Harvest sproutsIf you’re growing your own Brussels sprouts for Christmas, they should be ready to pick this month.  They taste sweeter after a frost, so bear the weather forecast in...
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Greener gardening - leave room for ladybirds

Ladybirds are a welcome sight in our gardens, helping to keep aphids and other pests under control.  They’re brightly coloured and distinctive, so where do they hide in winter? Ladybirds...
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Garden gadgets - compressed compost

One of the most interesting innovations in gardening lately is compressed coir compost. Coir is a natural fibre which comes from the outer husk of coconuts, and is being used...
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Wildlife in the garden - fieldfare

Fieldfares are visitors to our gardens and parks during the winter months - they come to the UK from Scandinavia and Russia from September to April, sticking to rural areas...
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Plant of the month - ivy

One of the most misunderstood plants in our gardens, ivy is lush, evergreen, symbolic and valuable to insects and wildlife. English ivy (Hedera helix) is the most common form of...
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Gardeners' notes - what to do in November

Plant bare roots Many woody plants, like fruit trees, shrubs, hedges, roses and some perennials, can be bought from nurseries and specialist growers as bare root plants.  In other words,...
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Modern heroes of horticulture - Jamie Butterworth

Jamie Butterworth is part of a new wave of horticulturists redefining what it means to be a plantsman in the modern world - blending craftsmanship, science, and storytelling.  At just...
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Body, soul and soil - grab a jacket, get outside!

When the days get shorter and the temperature drops it’s all too easy to embrace the indoors - a cosy corner, a hot drink and a seed catalogue is all...
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