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.

Q&A with Maddy Bailey, house plant specialist

Q&A with Maddy Bailey, house plant specialist
How did you get into horticulture? I inherited a deep love of plants from my mum. Since I was little, we'd plod around the garden together - she'd point out...
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Garden trends - feeling peachy!

Garden trends - feeling peachy!
Peach Fuzz has been named the Pantone colour of the year.  It’s the prettiest of colours, soft and warm, sitting somewhere between apricot and pale pink that will add a...
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Body, soul and gardening - get a memory boost

Body, soul and gardening - get a memory boost
One of the myriad benefits of gardening is that it may be particularly good for the memory.  In fact, a Swedish study shows that daily gardening may lower the risk...
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Q&A with Neil Lucas, Knoll Gardens

Q&A with Neil Lucas, Knoll Gardens
Tell us about your route into horticulture? I worked for the civil service before deciding I wanted to be a gardener.  I helped tend the grounds of my parents’ hotels...
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Body, soul and gardening - gardening for fitness

Body, soul and gardening - gardening for fitness
We all know regular exercise is important for physical and mental health, but if running around the park or going to an exercise class isn't for you, remember that gardening...
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Garden trends - recycling your plants is all the rage

Garden trends - recycling your plants is all the rage
When designing gardens, it’s tempting to rip everything out and start again with a blank canvas, but as our interest in sustainability continues to grow, there’s been a move towards...
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Shrub of the month - Daphne

Shrub of the month - Daphne
Daphnes are exquisite shrubs with clusters of beautifully-scented white or pink flowers, which, depending on the variety, flower in late winter, early spring through to summer. They have a bit...
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How to... prune dogwood

How to... prune dogwood
Dogwoods (Cornus) with their wonderful red, orange or green stems are stunning in winter gardens, especially in the clear winter light or planted en masse or in groups of several...
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Podcast - Ins and Outs

Podcast - Ins and Outs
Garden designer Pollyanna Wilkinson and interior designer Jojo Barr share their wealth of experience in this podcast, which is a great insight into the ‘ins and outs’ of design –...
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Technology in the garden - Shoot Garden Design

Technology in the garden - Shoot Garden Design
If you’ve been looking to improve the design of your own or a client’s garden, or simply redesign the planting in a border, gardening website, Shoot, could help save time...
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Body, soul and gardening - cold therapy

Body, soul and gardening - cold therapy
As the temperatures drop, we tend to want to stay warm and cosy indoors.  But feeling a bit chilly can have potential well-being benefits, from easing anxiety to improving circulation...
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Garden trends - low impact paths

Garden trends - low impact paths
Paths are one of the most important aspects of garden design, allowing you to access different parts of the garden throughout the year.  They can take you directly to where...
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Top of the pots - berries and stems

Top of the pots - berries and stems
Small shrubs with berries look great in window boxes at this time of year.  Add some tall colourful stems for extra impact.  Here are our suggestions: Skimmias are hardy and...
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Q&A with Sally Petitt, Head Gardener, Cambridge Botanic Gardens

Q&A with Sally Petitt, Head Gardener, Cambridge Botanic Gardens
What was your route into horticulture? I was planning to study architecture, but halfway through A-levels, I realised that what I really wanted was to be a gardener - I...
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Veg and recipe - warm roasted root veg salad

Veg and recipe - warm roasted root veg salad
Salads aren’t just for the summer.  Winter root vegetable salad is comforting and tasty but is also packed with the fibre, vitamins, and nutrients your body needs in the colder...
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Podcast - Plantastic Podcast

Podcast - Plantastic Podcast
Presented by American professor of horticulture Dr. Jared Barnes, this informative and interesting podcast gives listeners an insight into the US horticultural world. As a horticulture professor, there’s a serious...
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Technology in the garden - grow lights for indoor plants

Technology in the garden - grow lights for indoor plants
As the light level drops, artificial lighting can be a good way of supplementing the amount of light plants get and can also be used to grow plants in darker...
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Body, soul and gardening - organising your shed

Body, soul and gardening - organising your shed
As things slow down in the garden, why not take advantage of the lull and organise your shed ready for spring.  Decluttering can make us feel liberated and more in...
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Garden trends - climate resilient planting

Garden trends - climate resilient planting
With more unpredictable weather patterns, from downpours and cold snaps to extreme heat and drought, we’re seeing a trend towards tougher, more resilient planting that will cope with extreme weather. The...
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Top of the pots - planting bulbs in a pot

Top of the pots - planting bulbs in a pot
Bulb planting season is upon us and a great way of getting a dense and successional display of colour in containers is by using the Dutch concept of a ‘bulb...
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Veg and recipe - parsnip gratin

Veg and recipe - parsnip gratin
This dish turns earthy parsnips into something luxuriously creamy. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C.  Prepare six or so parsnips by top-and-tailing them and then slicing them lengthways or...
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