Potpourri Magazine

Gardening hero - Alan Titchmarsh
Gardener, writer and television presenter, Alan Titchmarsh, 71, has most recently been on our screens presenting ITV’s ‘Love Your Garden’ and ‘Spring into Summer’.  Married to Alison for 46 years,...
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Cut flower corner - roses in abundance
The peonies are beginning to wane, but the roses are coming in abundance.  Some good varieties for cutting includes R. ‘Irish Hope’, a pale-yellow floribunda; R.’Winchester Cathedral’, a lovely white...
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Gardening trends - sedum bowls
Low maintenance, evergreen and drought tolerant, sedums are perfect for containers.  So, it’s no surprise that large ceramic bowls and stone troughs with a collection of low-growing hardy sedum are...
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Body, soul and gardening - gardening for mental health
One of the many wonderful things about gardening is that it helps us cultivate our ability to nurture.  As humans, caring for something is intrinsically rewarding and mood-enhancing, says the...
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Garden trends - the new exotics
The tropical garden trend continues to be popular with people seeking a ‘holiday’ feeling in their own garden.  Gardens created using lush, leafy exotics work particularly well in urban situations,...
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Body, soul and gardening - home-grown produce for a healthy gut
There’s increasing evidence linking a healthy gut to our physical and mental wellbeing.  A healthy microbiome (the ecosystem of micro-organisms in the intestine) helps us digest our food and absorb...
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Head Gardener Q&A - Tom Coward from Gravetye Manor
We talk to Tom Coward about developing the historic gardens at Gravetye Manor, East Sussex, created by the ‘wild gardening’ enthusiast William Robinson during the 19th Century.  How do you manage...
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Cut flower corner - early summer bounty
There’s masses to pick in the garden right now to bring inside and enjoy, whether you have a cutting bed or well-stocked borders.  Peonies make wonderful cut flowers, especially the...
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The secret gardener - Ben Shepherd
When he’s not presenting TV programmes including Good Morning Britain, Ben Shepherd enjoys spending time in his garden with his wife Annie and two boys Sam and Jack. Pictures of...
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Vlog - The Plant-Based Podcast
In the newly revamped plant-based podcast, Michael and Ellen discuss everything from garden design to growing your own fruit and vegetables, with lots of tips along the way.  The pair...
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Technology in the garden - low energy patio heaters
Aside from blankets and layers, you might think that firepits are the most eco-friendly way of keeping warm outside, but unless you do your own logging, wood has to be...
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Body, soul and gardening - Japanese gardens
The Japanese have been creating beautiful, balanced gardens for centuries.  These carefully curated versions of the natural landscape create a calm space designed for contemplation.  So, what are some of...
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The secret gardener - Kate Garraway
The TV and radio presenter has talked about how her garden has been a great comfort, while her husband Derek Draper continues to suffer the effects of Covid 19. Their...
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Cut flower corner - what to pick this month
Creating displays from garden flowers is fun and creative, and the act of scouring the garden for colour each month will help ensure you have flowers to pick all year...
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Garden trends- Hedges, a designer's favourite
As well as covering boundaries, hedges define the structure of a garden, anchoring the design, creating stability and acting as a crisp foil to more ephemeral planting.  Designers are finding...
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Head Gardener Q&A - Pat Havers from Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire
Tell us about your journey to head gardener here and what you love about it? My mum used to work at Waterperry so I’ve been around the garden all my...
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Technology in the garden - bringing on sound
With the weather warming up and garden gatherings back on the cards, you might want to liven up the atmosphere with a little music.  There’s an increasing range of wired...
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Vlog - Simplify Gardening
Gardening vlogger Tony O’Neill is a full- time firefighter, but his real passion is gardening and he has created a YouTube channel to offer practical advice on growing organic food...
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Technology in the garden - Recycled scissors
A good pair of scissors is always useful for gardeners for cutting twine, snipping herbs or a spot of deadheading.  And the good news is Fiskars, makers of the iconic...
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Cut flower corner - spring is in the air
Pretty bulbs are springing up now in the garden, and although it can feel a shame to pick them, making a small posy to admire up close adds freshness to your house. ...
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Podcast - Mic the gardener
A passionate gardener and designer, Mike Palmer has recently launched his own podcast.  He already had a busy Instagram account where you can see him live on his ‘Sunday Stroll’, showing...
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