Potpourri Magazine

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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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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The garden is full of high summer flowers to bring into the house – it’s such a lovely thing to do and helps you really appreciate the detail of your...
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Summer in the garden can be unpleasant for hay fever and asthma sufferers, but this needn’t be the case with the right plant choices.  Here’s what to consider. As a...
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Nigel is Professor of Planting and Urban Horticulture at the University of Sheffield.  He’s a horticulturist and designer and has pioneered innovative ecological approaches to planting gardens and public spaces...
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Paul and Pauline McBride designed and created this garden from scratch.  We first asked them: What was the thinking behind the design? The overall design is a spiral intersected by...
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From wild flowers to sedum growing above extensions and sheds, people are increasingly realising the benefits a green roof can bring.  Not only are they attractive, they also help keep...
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Gardening writer, broadcaster and lecturer, Peter shares his wealth of experience on this horticultural podcast. He talks to horticultural experts from all aspects of the gardening world, from designers Ann-Marie...
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Roast chicken in the garden, anyone? If lockdown inspired you to cook al fresco, but you’d like to do more than grill a sausage, it might be worth investing in...
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