Potpourri Magazine

Gardening hero - Jeremy Irons
Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons is just as at home in the garden as on the screen and stage.  He finds it grounds him, recalling getting back into the garden after...
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Podcast - Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange
In this hugely engaging and informative podcast, Sarah Raven, Arthur Parkinson and guests discuss their favourite flowers and edibles of the season with masses of useful tips on how to...
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Technology in the garden - heated propagators
As the season warms up and our thoughts turn to sowing seeds, a heated propagator is a great asset as they create a consistently warm temperature to help nurture seeds...
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Body, soul and gardening - encouraging wildlife
The sight of birds, bees and butterflies in the garden is wonderfully uplifting and restorative – and research shows that connecting with nature makes us feel more relaxed and less...
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Garden trends - naturalistic garden design
There’s an increasing movement in garden design towards gardens that take their cue from nature.  If you’re ready to embrace your wild side, here are a few pointers. Don’t over...
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Plant of the month - Euphorbia
Euphorbias are fabulous foliage plants with many displaying brilliant lime green flowers in spring and summer.  Here’s a rundown of a few of our favourites. One of the biggest varieties...
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Gardening heroine - Jilly Cooper
The bubbly bonkbuster author has lived in her picturesque14th Century house in Bisley, Gloucestershire since 1982.  The large sprawling garden is idyllically situated with views across the valley and rolling...
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Q&A with Jonathan Webster, curator RHS Garden Rosemoor
Tell us about your career path so far. My grandmother passed on her passion for plants and gardening.  After leaving school, I started an apprenticeship at Ventnor Botanic Garden on...
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Podcast - Gardeners' Question Time
It’s comforting listening to Gardeners' Question Time on its long-standing Sunday afternoon slot.  But equally, the beauty of the GQT podcast is that it allows you to binge on this...
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Technology in the garden - smart irrigation
If you’re looking for an alternative to hand watering your garden, because it’s too time consuming or because you go away in the summer, a smart irrigation system could be...
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Garden trends - hot tubs
Gardens are working harder than ever, being designed with zones for different activities including exercise, relaxation and entertainment.  A growing trend is to take the well-being element a step further...
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Body soul and gardening - biophilia for well-being
Biophilic design, a popular interior trend that responds to our innate need to be close to the natural world, is said to create a calmer environment and generally make us...
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Plant of the month - Cyclamen coum
There’s something magical about the way cyclamen lie dormant in warm weather, appearing again when temperatures drop.  Despite their dainty appearance, they bloom through frost and snow and, in the...
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Gardening heroine - Elizabeth Hurley
Actress Elizabeth Hurley lives with her son Damian in a large country house in Herefordshire, with extensive grounds.  She’s long been a hands-on gardener; in fact she used to own...
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Vlog - Agents of Field
Sophie and Ade’s YouTube channel won the Garden Media Guild’s Vlog of the year  with the judges calling it entertaining, well presented and informative. Run from their kitchen garden in...
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Q&A with Debbie Roberts from Acres Wild
What are some of the highlights of the winter garden? Frost can create a magical effect on shrubs, grasses and those sturdy perennials able to retain their structure.  Low winter...
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Technology in the garden - nesting box cameras
A birdbox provides a safe place for garden birds such as blue tits, thrushes and sparrows to nest.  Installing a specialist bird box camera will give you a wonderful insight...
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Body, soul and gardening - winter scent to lift your mood
Scent has a powerful effect on our mood and this is particularly welcome as we move into the colder months.  Winter flowers tend to have a particularly powerful perfume as...
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Garden trends - festive container planting
Container planting is a growing trend with the sale of outdoor plant pots going up by 225% last year, according to the RHS.  Planters can create an instant garden in...
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Cut flower corner - flora for Xmas
There’s a surprising amount of foliage, berries, branches and even a few blooms to pick and bring in to help decorate your home this Christmas.  Yew and fir are perfect...
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Gardening hero - Jamie Oliver
The celebrity chef, wife Jools and five children, have fabulous gardens surrounding their beautiful 16th century mansion, Spains Hall in Essex. As you’d expect, they enjoy eating al fresco together....
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