Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i BBC Gardeners' World

“Fear not November’s challenge bold. We’ve books and friends, and hearths that never can grow cold”Alexander Fraser STAR OF THE MONTH Rhus typhina Obviously, I love all the plants on these pages, but I am particularly excited by a Rhus at this time of year. Spoilsports will warn you about the suckering habit of this tree but let’s ignore them and think instead about the autumn colours. Truly sensational, but you should not choose this moment to go on holiday as they are only there for the briefest of moments. An explosion of umber, mandarin, rosy apple, heart of bonfire, ochre, buttered crumpet, guardsman’s tunic, fox at sunrise and heart of fig. In the circumstances I think we can forgive a bit of suckering. Needs sunshine for the best autumn…

Reflected glory With the vivid colours of autumn in mind, Arthur Soames, owner of Sheffield Park & Garden in the early 20th century, introduced many of the season’s stars to this East Sussex garden. They’re now so spectacular that this riot of colour is Grade I listed and internationally recognised. There are over 250 acers in the garden, with leaf colours ranging from lime green to deep crimson, as well as the largest collection of Nyssa sylvatica on one site. Lakes were later added to the garden to reflect this kaleidoscope of colour. OFFER Garden: 2 for 1 £18, single reduced to £9. national trust.org.uk/sheffield-park East meets West Created by two trailblazing women in the 20th century – a Scottish explorer and a Japanese garden designer – The Japanese Garden…

Part 2: How to create the backbone for a great garden Several years ago I moved to a new home with a mature established garden. It had many good qualities but needed a major revamp in order to suit my needs. In this three-part series, I’m sharing how I rethought my garden so you can do the same with yours. Breathing new life and style into an established plot is a relatively simple process, as long as you follow a logical set of steps. Last month I started with an initial assessment of the site, so now I’m looking at choosing and positioning all the various elements that you might want in your garden, to ensure a cohesive, attractive and practical design. No matter the shape or size of your…

I really enjoy the pace of the garden in winter. Yes, there are things to do but it never feels rushed, and with my busy work schedule it’s the only time I can have two full weeks at home. Mrs Frost loves Christmas too, so we do like to go to town. I’m at my happiest spending time in the kitchen with music on, family in and out, and lslay, our labrador, for company. This year of course we’ll also have Buster in the mix, which will be interesting! You may be surprised to hear that we also like a little drink at Christmas – in fact, now the kids are older we’ve got into the habit of making early-evening cocktails, either on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, or both.…

20 July 2026, 12 nights from only £2,489pp From grand palaces to charming old towns and historic ports, this Summer Baltics cruise takes in the ‘royal’ city of Denmark and vibrant cities in Sweden, Poland and Lithuania. Hosted by gardening expert David Hurrion, your exclusive on board experience includes illustrated talks, drinks party and gardeners’ Q&A. Plus a feast of gardens to enjoy! ◼ DAY 1 London Tilbury Join your cruise ship Ambience. Time to relax before dinner and evening entertainment. ◼ DAY 2 At sea Meet host David Hurrion for an illustrated talk on gardening, with a sneak preview of his own garden. ◼ DAY 3 Gothenburg, Sweden Look out for historic canals and architecture and enjoy visits to Gothenburg Botanical Garden and The Garden Society of Gothenburg. ◼…

The Cook’s Professional 3.5L Digital Slow Cooker makes delicious, tender meals with ease — simply add your ingredients, set the timer, and let it do the hard work. With a generous capacity plus delay and keep-warm functions, it’s perfect for busy families, batch cooking or effortless entertaining. And now, as a Good Food subscriber, you’ll also enjoy premium access to the Good Food App at no extra cost. That means thousands of triple-tested recipes, expert tips and time-saving features, all at your fingertips. Subscribe in time and make every day cooking easier, smarter — and more delicious. Dimensions: L39 x W24.5 x H22.8cm Weight: 3.98kg Power cord length: 82cm Capacity: 3.4L 220-240V AC50-60Hz 200W Subscriber benefits • Pay £49.99 for 12 months saving 39% on the shop price – that’s…

How about a little ‘me’ time? I know, it smacks of selfishness whenever we dare to undertake something purely for our own pleasure, but as gardeners I think we’ve earned our moments of self-indulgence. After all, just about every activity that any responsible gardener undertakes out there on that plot of ground – apart from growing food – is carried out for the benefit of nature, wildlife, the greening of the Earth and the good of the planet. It’s a noble intention. But just for a little while, let’s assume that your care for all other forms of life on your tiny patch of the planet is a given and you can take time to indulge yourself. What is it that gives you pleasure on a purely personal level? Of…

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“The key thing is not to worry – if it goes wrong, well, you’ve learned a lesson and the plant is probably going to recover quicker than you” “Our philosophy on perennials and grasses is simple: if it doesn’t look good or needs propping up to look presentable, then cut it back” t’s sometimes said that a good plant dies gracefully, and that a plant that looks good in death is a valuable addition to the garden through the colder months. There’s truth in this and when autumn begins to slide into winter I like to leave as much growth as possible, so things don’t look too bare. It’s different every year – last year was particularly wet, and by Christmas things were battered, but in previous years we’ve left…

“Evergreen perennials often save their ta-da performance for this time of year, giving us flowers and decorative foliage” Once upon a time, most gardeners would start the process of ‘putting their gardens to bed’ in September. It was as though the garden had no importance; in fact, it disappeared from view for half the autumn, the entire winter and a large chunk of the next year’s spring. Gardening would recommence in April, a bit earlier if you had a greenhouse. Soil might have been turned over in the vegetable garden to let the frost do its work, but as for finding joy and beauty in the winter garden, that was something few gardeners strived to create. But times change. The ethos of gardens, what they are and who they are…

Care for Christmas cactus Keep Christmas cactus plants (schlumbergera) at a steady temperature of 18-20ºC this month now that buds should have appeared and flowers are starting to open. This will encourage a good flowering display, whereas a sudden dip in temperature could cause buds to drop. Plants in bud need watering each time the compost goes dry until flowers fade, but make sure excess water drains away so that the plant isn’t sitting in water for long periods. Christmas cactus need exposure to a cool period (ideally 12-15ºC) through autumn to initiate flower buds. Keep leaves of ZZ plant clean This popular glossy-leaved house plant is good for growing in dark corners but can easily be forgotten and accumulate a lot of dust. To clean the leaves, mist them…

Adam Duxbury, Head of Content To me, a memorable trip is when you visit a part of the world that still has the power to surprise you. And on a recent trip to Belize, by the end of the first day I had lost count of how many times I quite literally stopped in my tracks, gasping at yet another surprising discovery. “That’s what their wild coriander tastes like?”; “A black howler monkey is making that noise?”; “You can see Guatemala from the top of this pyramid?” I think you get the idea… Driving inland from the flat coastal plains of the country’s former capital Belize City, the landscape changes dramatically, becoming steep and densely covered with the trees for which the country is famous, including mahogany, sapodilla (whose sap,…

While Graham Blunt of Plantbase is passionate about plants and the environment, he regularly reveals glimpses of the PR and marketing man he used to be in the 1990s. He loves taking his plants to specialist plant fairs (16 of them in 2025) and wears his signature outfit of camo trousers, dress shirt, bow tie and cummerbund to get the attention of customers. But don’t let his outfit fool you into thinking he is less than serious about his work, including his commitment to minimising his environmental footprint. On the three-acre site of Plantbase nursery, Graham and his partner Jane built their home and offices from scratch, designing the site for energy efficiency, with solar panels for off-grid living. The six-year project saw them living in a caravan through both…

Ashley Edwards A head gardener with Crocus at Dorney Court, Ashley also gardens oncreen with DIY SOS and GW TV. Anne Swithinbank A keen fruit, vegetable and house-plant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Garden Wisley Bob Flowerdew Bob is an organic gardener and a radio presenter, as well as the author of dozens of gardening books Q Perfumed plants don’t seem to give out much scent in my garden – why? DE Bastin, Hertfordshire A ASHLEY SAYS Floral scent is created by many different volatiles and is highly sensitive to environmental changes. A 2022 University of Cambridge study* showed that prolonged periods of drought had an effect on plant volatiles and, as a result, floral scent. It could be that your clay soil is drying out…

LEADING THE WAY Content Director Kevin Smith Magazines Editor Kay Maguire Head of Content Adam Duxbury Head of Digital Catherine Mansley Head of Operations Gregor Shepherd CREATING QUALITY GARDENING CONTENT Horticultural Editor Emma Crawforth Digital Editor Blake Roberts Senior Content Creator Sonya Patel Ellis Picture Editor Sarah Edwards Audio/visual Editor Claire Vennis Strategic Projects Editor Oliver Parsons Social Media Lead Rachael Gibson Video Content Developer Jordan Kelly-Linden Editorial Assistant Sydney James GETTING THE DETAIL RIGHT Art Director Jo Cloke Art Editor Andrew Ellis Chief Sub Editor John Perkins Multimedia Sub Editor Shirley Accini PUBLISHING AND MARKETING Commercial Director Rachel Clare Brand Manager Emma Davis Commerce Manager Rita Baptiste Brand Marketing Executive Phoebe Elliott Commerce and Digital Marketing Executive Lois Elliott Brand Admin Assistant Sara Bhambra With thanks to Paula Boyd-Barrett,…

WORTH £20.96 Filling your garden with a vibrant celebration of colour, this collection of spring-and summer-flowering bulbs combines traditional favourites and not-so-common varieties to bring a long season of interest to borders and containers. They’re also perfect as cut blooms for indoor vase displays. Collection contains the following: ◼ Anemone coronaria De Caen Group (main image) x 50 bulbs Silky, long-lasting blooms with delicately cupped petals in a vibrant mix of bold colours. Height x Spread 30cm x 15cm Flowers Mar-Oct (fowering time varies, depending on planting time) ◼ Anemone blanda x 10 bulbs Daisy-like flowers create a great profusion of charming colour in blue, pink and white. H x S 15cm x 15cm F Mar-Apr ◼ Oxalis tetraphylla ‘Iron Cross’ x 25 bulbs A pretty little shamrock, bearing distinctive foliage…

Save £18 on a hyacinth basket collection Add fragrant flower power to your festive displays with these hyacinth baskets, perfect for decorating your home or as gifts for friends and family. The fully lined, hand-woven rustic baskets are supplied with hyacinths, fairy lights and decorative moss. Three hyacinth plants per basket will be supplied in bud in December, ready to provide a colourful, fragrant floral display over several weeks. Order before 19 December to guarantee delivery by Christmas. ■ Hyacinth Purple Passion in rustic basket £20 (K25046) ■ Hyacinth ‘Jan Bos’ in rustic basket £20 (K24414) ■ Hyacinth ‘Blue Pearl’ in rustic basket £20 (K25271) SAVER COLLECTION ■ Rustic Hyacinth Basket Collection (1 of each) £42 SAVE £18 (K08614) TO ORDER Subscribers – see p25 for your exclusive discount code T&Cs Please add £4.95 P&P.…

November is the month when the garden really stops growing. There are mild autumnal days, but when the temperature consistently drops, plant growth all but ceases. Sad as this may seem, it does present a welcome opportunity to catch up on the things we’ve neglected when the plants demanded all our attention. There’s no need to be too tidy though – leave old, faded plant material in borders if you can, as it provides habitat and foraging opportunities for the creatures who live in the garden. But do clean any bird baths after the leaves have dropped. The neglected corners, piles of pots, sheds, greenhouses and patios that have seen good use over recent months can now be cleared out, organised, tidied and cleaned, ready for next year. Under glass…

“Clearing leaves not only keeps things tidy it also gathers up a valuable resource that will support soil health” As the temperatures drop, everything seems to slow down, and while I’m happy for weeds to lose their enthusiasm, I’m pleased that brassicas and root vegetables welcome the chilled-out pace. Shorter days can mean less time outside in our growing spaces, but winter vegetables are patient and are often content to stay put, waiting until we want them for supper. It’s well worth spending half an hour on a dry day clearing fallen leaves. This not only keeps things tidy, reduces nesting spaces for slugs and snails, and lowers the risk of slipping, it also gathers up a valuable resource that will support soil health over the coming year. While there are several ways…

Divide perennials for free plants Create more wildlife-friendly plants by digging up, dividing and replanting perennials now. You can do this with pollinator favourites such as hardy geraniums, primroses, astilbe, eryngium, salvia, verbena and astrantia. Simply dig up the rootballs and divide them into separate pieces using two forks back to back (pictured) or an old knife. Discard any old woody bits of root and replant the new divisions around the garden, or give them to friends as a wildlife-friendly gift. Water them thoroughly and continue watering regularly if conditions are dry. Make caterpillar dens for moths Of Britain’s 2,500 moth species, more than half spend winter as a caterpillar. They hunker down beneath their food plant, in the thatch of grass or in leaf litter. Some species, such as…

CHILLIES Hot sauce is a kitchen staple in Belize and you’re likely to encounter a bottle of Marie Sharp’s Belizean Heat (a favourite brand in the country) on almost every restaurant table. Making your own chilli sauce is a lovely reward for nurturing your chilli plants through the summer. Try growing the variety ‘Jamaican Hot’ for an unmistakably fruity Caribbean punch of flavour or ‘Aji Dulce’ for a milder taste. I like to grow at least two of each plant so I get a good crop of fruits. EXOTIC FRUITS I was lucky enough to try some of the wonderful fruit widely available in Belize – much of which I’d never even heard of before. Depending on the season you can enjoy sapodillas, which have a sweet flavour and granular…

This pair of compact holly trees, with their elegant standard (or lollipop) shape, will add an instant festive touch to your doorstep, pathway or patio. Producing masses of red berries set against glossy evergreen foliage, they will look stunning from the moment they arrive, getting better year after year. Supplied as well-established, four-year-old trees, they are slow-growing and easy to manage – just one trim a year will keep that perfect lollipop standard-tree form. They come complete with decorative pots, ready to be placed outdoors in a bright spot. Height x Spread 1.2m x 80cm (if trimmed) Fruits Oct-Dec ◼ Two standard bushes (80cm-1m tall) with two 34cm pots £99.96 £49.96 SAVE £50 (511603) YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE… Helleborus ‘Double Ellen’ Mix These hellebores produce big double blooms, each ruffled at the…