Breaking news
When I was growing up, celery was served almost invariably as a summer salad vegetable – and it is very good like this. But cooked celery enriches almost any soup or stew, as well as being tasty in its own right. Celery and its close relative celeriac are both delicious now. Celeriac is cultivated for … Read more
From late winter through to June my greenhouses are used primarily for raising plants by the thousand – mostly annual flowers and vegetables grown from seed, but also cuttings, divisions and bulbs of any and everything that we fancy. It becomes a busy plant factory. Then in high summer it shifts into a space for … Read more
We have reached the tulip-planting season. In theory all other bulbs should be planted by now, leaving tulips till last. In practice, few of us achieve or even aim for that. I still have some daffodils and crocuses to plant and although it is something I should definitely hurry up and get on with, any … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Biennials have adapted to survive the harshness of winter before restarting growth and flowering early in the new year, so now is the ideal time to plant them. The biennials we use most here are wallflowers. The basic wallflower has yellow … Read more
Berries are the surprise gifts that light up autumn. A berry is defined as a fruit with the seeds wrapped in pulpy flesh, which attracts birds and animals to eat them, thus spreading the seeds. Grapes are berries, as are tomatoes, bananas, cucumbers and watermelons, while – technically – raspberries, strawberries and blackberries are not. … Read more
Monty Don says wolves should be reintroduced to the countryside to stop deer killing off woodlands Monty Don said deer now have no natural predators meaning they run rampant The host of BBC Gardeners’ World said introducing wolves is an ‘interesting idea’ He said ‘chance of people being attacked by wolves [was] infinitesimally small’ By Daily … Read more
Plump for pumpkins! Whether roasted, mashed or made into soup, pumpkins are a princely veg, says Monty Don. All they need is sun and space to spread… Monty Don shares his tips for growing the best pumpkins Says that growing cross-patch crops such as lettuce or radishes can fill space Ensure 5cm of the pumpkins neck … Read more
Bring spring home early: Plant bulbs and their companions now to banish winter blues Nigel Colborn shared advice for preparing gardens for a gorgeous spring show British gardening expert said tulips and hyacinths make good main stars He revealed it could be time to rip out colourful summer plants to make room By Nigel Colborn … Read more
A ripe pear has slippery, silky flesh with honeyed juices that coat your fingers and dribble down your chin. The sweetness is intense but not cloying and the irreducible pear-ness of it deeply satisfying. The chances of buying a pear like this are remote, so the best place to get one is in your garden. There … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Autumn can be a radiant time of year. Rain and wind are our enemies, because everything is fragile, with leaves and flowers hanging on by threads. But if we have a dry few weeks, autumn can give us a final blaze … Read more