Indholdsfortegnelse for New Year 2026 i BBC Gardeners' World

SAVE UP TO £15 This delightful hellebore mix features both single and double blooms, in a range of soft hues, some with ruffled or speckled petals. Together they create a colourful and varied display. Despite their dainty beauty, these plants are fully hardy and will withstand most UK weather, come rain, snow or shine, to maintain the display. Height x Spread 35cm x 25cm Flowers Feb-Apr ■ 6 plug plants £19.99 £14.99 SAVE £5 (480961) ■ DOUBLE UP! 12 plug plants £24.96 SAVE £15 (480961) PLUS FREE Blooming Fast Superior Soluble Plant Food (100g) worth £4.99 (100085) EXTRA BONUS OFFER NEW! Amaryllis ‘Dancing Queen’ This indoor-flowering bulb produces double, frilly blooms in a striking candy-stripe of salmon and white. Makes a fabulous seasonal gift or festive feature. ■ 1 x bulb £14.99…

“There are lots of birds that are a hidden, constant presence. But putting out feed changes all this” My sky is never empty. At dawn there may be just a lone crow beating a steady path north, or at dusk, the curiously undulating, huge wings of a heron heading to roost in a willow above the ditch. Ducks in pairs race headlong and straight, and thin skeins of geese breast the morning air. Until about 15 years ago, spring was rich with the sad warbling call of the curlew but here, as in so many places, it is now just a haunting memory. Then in late spring and summer, our sky is positively chaotic with martins and swallows by the hundred, cutting wheeling curves like sky skaters. One of the…

1 Sambucus nigra ‘Thundercloud’ This hard-working shrub will thrive in sun or semi-shade. With dark purple leaves and frothy pink summer flowers, followed by dark berries, it’s both attractive and beneficial over a long season. 2 Rosa ‘Shropshire Lass’ I think this is my favourite climbing rose – it’s happy on a north-facing wall and carries large open white flowers that are great for bees and butterflies, followed by wonderful hips for birds. 3 Polystichum setiferum Often undervalued, ferns like this add lovely understorey interest in a shady spot. Their dense, protective foliage also provides shelter and habitats for insects, amphibians and small mammals. 4 Dahlia merckii This tall Mexican native provides late-season colour, with small single open flowers in shades of lilac pink. It attracts pollinators such as bees…

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines invites BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine readers to embark on a journey filled with comfort, charm and exclusive rewards. Explore the Norwegian fjords on a stunning journey through dramatic landscapes, from towering waterfalls and glaciers to serene fjords and Viking history. Sail into remote places like Lysefjord and admire iconic sights such as Pulpit Rock. Enjoy outdoor adventures like hiking, kayaking, and riding the Flåm Railway. With smaller ships designed for narrow waterways, you’ll get closer to nature and experience Norway’s seasonal beauty, from the lush summer greenery to powerful spring waterfalls. These cruises celebrate Norway’s ‘friluftsliv’ spirit, connecting with nature for wellbeing and unforgettable scenic discoveries. Cruises range from 5 to 16 nights or more. As a Gardeners’ World reader, when you book using the code…

Plant a hornbeam hedge Bare-root hedging plants, such as hornbeam, are readily available online now, and are cheaper than buying potted plants. Once the bare-root plants are delivered, get them in the ground as soon as possible. Hornbeam needs a sunny or semi-shaded site. When planting, make sure the dark soil mark near the base of the trunk is level with the surface after firming the soil down. Water well after planting, then add a 5cm layer of well-rotted compost as a mulch. As hornbeam holds its foliage over winter, it provides valuable shelter and roosting sites for birds. In spring, the leaves are a food plant for various insects, while in autumn, birds and small mammals will eat the winged seeds. LOOK OUT FOR emerging bulbs As spring bulbs…

Make more jade plants Propagate jade plants (Crassula ovata) by taking leaf cuttings. Gently twist off a few mediumsized leaves from the main plant. Put the leaves somewhere warm and dry indoors for a few days, so that the cut ends can harden over. Place the leaves upright (cut end down) in a tray filled with peat-free compost and perlite, then water them in gently. Place a tray underneath to catch the excess water, then empty it once the water has drained through. The plants should begin to form roots within a few weeks, when you can then pot them on into individual small pots. Grow on your jade plants in a bright, sunny spot that gets a few hours of sun a day and doesn’t dip below 10°C in…

If you are looking to elevate your house-plant styling but don’t know where to begin, this guide will provide inspiration on grouping plants for an eye-catching display, show you how you can use foliage to soften a harsh space and demonstrate how to style a plant shelf from scratch. A few simple tweaks can go a long way in transforming your home with plants. Some basic principles include grouping house plants in odd numbers and displaying them on different levels with a combination of tall, compact and trailing plants. When grouping plants together you need to think about size, form, colour and texture. Get creative and play with the space; live with it for a day and if it’s not the look you were after, simply swap things around. I’m…

Easy and fun to grow, tomatoes are the ultimate crop, available in a range of sizes and colours that are high yielding and delicious. At least, that’s the promise, but you may have been frustrated in the past with a poor crop, especially if you’ve tried growing outside – I certainly have. Some of the challenges that I’ve come across have included disease such as tomato blight, dull weather, and too much or too little rainfall. This summer, after trialling 12 of the toughest, most disease-resistant cultivars in our polytunnel on an exposed hill in West Yorkshire, I’ve been impressed by the results. The key to growing tomatoes successfully is choosing the right cultivars, which I did by focussing on the hassle-free harvest principles of: high yield, big flavour and…

◾ After taking care with every stage of your tomato growing, you’ll need to get ready for a really bumper harvest! Most people underestimate the time needed to pick and use high-yielding crops, so get ready. Colour can signify that a tomato is ripe, but the best check is to see if they’ve softened with a gentle squeeze, especially if you’re growing green or differently coloured tomatoes. ◾ Pick ripe tomatoes as soon as possible to encourage the plant to produce more. Most tomatoes have a little join in the stalk holding the fruit to the truss – this tends to snap away easily with a tilt upward, pressing it with your thumb against your fingers. But beefsteaks will need cutting off. ◾ Keep picking fruit from mid-summer into early-autumn.…

In 1912 as a symbol of friendship, the Mayor of Tokyo gifted over 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington, DC. These were planted along the Tidal Basin and in 1934 the National Cherry Blossom Festival was born. Spanning four weeks in March and April when the blossom blooms, the festival is a celebration of the trees, their flowers and the joys of spring, and it resonates across the city. An opening ceremony is followed by events such as the Blossom Kite Festival and the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade. There’s even a real-time ‘Bloom Watch’ camera at the Tidal Basin so viewers can track peak bloom time. It’s a joyous community event and just one of the many horticultural highlights in this landmark city. My first day was…

Visit GardenersWorld.com/what-to-do-now for more advice on the best crops to sow and plant this month, and how to do it Gardeners' World offer RASPBERRY ‘GLEN AMPLE’ These long canes produce bright red, sweet and juicy fruits, with a pound or more of fruit from each cane. Ideal for growing in large pots with a wig-wam support. Harvest Jul-Aug 10 x long canes £39.98 £19.98 SAVE £20 (330018) PLUS FREE! Blooming Fast Superior Plant Food 1 x 100g sachet (100085) yougarden.com/RGW312 Call 0844 502 0050* quote code RGW312 Please add £6.99 P&P to your order. Offer subject to availability. We reserve the right to send suitable substitute varieties of the same or a higher value. Offer closes 28/02/26 or whilst stocks last. Delivery to UK only. £3 surcharge may apply to certain…

GO TOGardenersWorld.com/in-mag or scan the QR code SIX MONTHS FOR ONLY £12 SUBSCRIBE BEFORE 4 JANUARY TO GET THE FEBRUARY ISSUE * Offer expires 31 January 2026. This is a Direct Debit subscription offer and is open to UK delivery addresses only. You may cancel at any time. Offer subject to availability. BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine is published 12 times a year. You will pay £12 for a 6-month subscription. Prices are discounted from the basic annual rate and include P&P. We reserve the right to reject or cancel subscriptions at any point if the customer has previously cancelled their subscription during the trial period for that magazine or any other magazine in the Immediate Media portfolio. Full terms and conditions at immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions. Experience more as a BBC Gardeners’ World Subscriber…

The multidimensional experience we have in our gardens is governed by our five senses. We work hard to get our outside spaces looking good, and we love to relax to the sounds of nature – the songs of birds and the buzz of bees filling our ears. Beyond how a garden looks and sounds, our senses of smell, taste and touch help us enjoy it to the fullest. This month, I want us to tune into our noses and go on the hunt for scent. How does your garden smell? How would you like it to smell? With a focus on what to plant and where to plant it, you can create the fragrant garden of your dreams – one that smells wonderful all year round. And yes, even in…

SAVE UP TO £14.99 English bluebells (in the green) The native Hyacinthoides non-scripta bluebell produces violet-blue flowers that will attract pollinators to their delicately scented flowers. H x S 40cm x 8cm F Apr-May ◼ 25 bulbs £14.99 £11.99 SAVE £3 (KC8502) ◼ 50 bulbs £29.98 £18.99 SAVE £10.99 (16025) Snowdrop double-flowered (in the green) Versatile and vigorous, these snowdrops will quickly multiply to create a carpet of honey-scented, double-flowered blooms. H x S 15cm x 10cm F Feb-Mar ◼ 25 bulbs £16.99 £11.99 SAVE £5 (KC8503) ◼ 50 bulbs £33.98 £14.99 SAVE £14.99 (17107) If our feature, starting on page 116, has inspired you to grow your own snowdrops, then we’re excited to bring you this great offer from Suttons. The native Galanthus nivalis snowdrops signal winter’s end with an understated elegance. They love to shelter in…

Imperial Cities of Morocco From £1,559pp – 7 nights, 8 days Departures March-December 2026† Marrakesh, Rabat, Fez and Meknes are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. Their rich history comes alive in the narrow streets of the medieval medinas and the cool, mosaic-lined courtyards of elegant mosques and royal palaces. For fascinating history, diverse and exciting cities, superb architecture, an extraordinary landscape and a rich culinary heritage, look no further than this splendid tour. Your tour includes ◼ 7 nights in four- to five-star accommodation, with daily breakfast and dinner ◼ Guided tour of Marrakesh ◼ Visits including Casablanca and its Hassan II Mosque, Morocco’s capital city Rabat, Roman site of Volubilis, and more ◼ Return flights from a selection of regional airports with hotel transfers ◼ The services…

If you’re new to sowing seeds or haven’t had much success in the past, then let me take you through the basics. It’s such a rewarding, cheap and easy way to fill your pots, borders and veg patch. Some seeds can be sown directly outside, which is really quick and simple, while others are best sown indoors in pots or trays of compost. You don’t need much kit – just the seeds, some pots and peat-free seed compost. A heated propagator is useful, but not a must, as most seeds will germinate with the warmth of a bright windowsill indoors. With a few tips, success is pretty much guaranteed, although some seeds take longer to germinate than others and just as you’re giving up hope, up they come, to much…

The secret My number one tip is to focus on variety choice. Too often I’ve been sucked into buying the fanciest looking tomatoes without paying enough attention to qualities like resistance to disease and lower temperatures. Lo and behold, in the past my tomato crops have been slow to ripen or hit by tomato blight. This year I chose to grow all my tomatoes under cover, which helps mitigate blight, gives a longer growing window and results in bigger yields. I also mostly grew cultivars with an RHS Award of Garden Merit, which means they’ve been trialled for health, high yield and resistance to blight. I included two cultivars without AGMs that did well in my previous BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine trials. By choosing only plants trialled by growers, you’re…

CRAPE MYRTLE (LAGERSTROEMIA INDICA) These highly ornamental small trees caught my eye in every garden I visited – in spring, before the leaves and vibrant flowers are out, their smooth, mottled red, brown and cream bark really shines. Crape myrtle needs a south-facing, sheltered spot and free-draining soil. And with clusters of pink, white or violet flowers in late summer and bright red, orange and yellow leaves in autumn, these DC stalwarts have something to offer all year round. PRUNUS SERRULATA ‘KANZAN’ The original cherries gifted from Japan represented 12 different varieties, but today Yoshino (P. x yedoensis) and Kwanzan (P. ‘Kanzan’) are the most common trees you’ll see in the city. Yoshino, with its single white flowers, circle the Tidal Basin while ‘Kanzan’ blooms mainly in East Potomac Park. Medium-sized…

Q What tree can I plant in a container to give interest over the summer months? Brian Callaghan, by email A ANNE SAYS How about the Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata ‘Variegata’)? It has architectural leaves up to 1.2m long, divided into leaflets with irregular creamy-white margins – and I can personally vouch for it growing well in containers. However, it does have a rather gaunt, spiny winter outline. Another lovely foliage option is the container stalwart Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’. However, if you want summer flowers, the Chilean woodlander Eucryphia glutinosa (deciduous or semi-evergreen) is worth a try. It blooms from mid-to late summer, with white flowers that have a central boss of yellow stamens. Plant it in neutral to acidic compost and position so the roots are shaded and…

*Just pay £5.95 postage WORTH £16.49 These flamboyant Oriental poppies will light up your borders in late spring and early summer. They thrive in full sun and are happy in poor, dry soil. Clump-forming perennials, they create neat rosettes of deeply-cut leaves covered with coarse hairs, bringing texture to borders before the blooms appear. The large, satiny flowers provide a splash of colour in summer, followed by attractive rounded seedheads. ◼ Papaver (Oriental Group) ‘Queen Alexandra’ Large vibrant flowers of vivid coral-pink. Height x Spread 90cm x 60cm Flowers May-Aug ◼ Papaver (Oriental Group) ‘Beauty of Livermere’ Bright red blooms with black centre markings create an exciting, boisterous display. H x S 1m x 1m F May-Jul ◼ Papaver (Oriental Group) ‘Prinzessin Victoria Louise’ Pale pink, crinkled petals with distinctive markings…

Season’s greetings When many other gardens have bedded down for the coldest season, Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire, is home to an unmissable winter spectacle, when its garden bursts into life as more than 500 varieties of snowdrops come into bloom. These flowers are so closely associated with this garden that many varieties are named after people and places linked with the property. Follow the winding path, flanked by drifts of snowdrops, to a winter garden filled with colour and interest provided by dogwoods and silver birches. OFFER House & garden: 2 for 1 £18. Single reduced to £9. Open all year. Visit: nationaltrust.org.uk/anglesey-abbey The things we do for love The snowdrop collection at Cambo Gardens, Fife, is the result of a true labour of love. Lady Magdalen Erskine and her eight…

The garden is quiet in January and February, but there are plenty of tasks to get on with. Some jobs are needed at this time of year while others, if carried out now, will help you for the gardening year ahead. The growing year in the vegetable garden never really ends and now, in the depths of winter, is the time to improve the soil. Growing food puts a strain on our land, particularly regarding nutrient availability. Adding a mulch of well-rotted manure, compost or leafmould now will improve the soil for next year’s crops. If you have a warm windowsill, sunny greenhouse or heated propagator, you can even start sowing in winter. But if you don’t have a warm space for early germination, then wait until spring, when your…

Leave out natural food for birds Make sure enough natural food is available for birds during winter by growing berrying trees and shrubs, and leaving seedheads standing. Bird feeders and tables can spread disease, giving some birds an unfair advantage over others, and can involve habitat destruction and degradation where the seed is grown. You could also leave windfall apples on the ground or spear halved (homegrown or shop-bought) apples onto tree branches for birds to find. They will provide food for tits and thrushes, and may even attract waxwings to your garden. DON’T FORGET □ Plant wildlife-friendly bare-root trees, shrubs and roses, but only if the soil isn’t frozen □ Leave calorie-dense ivy berries for birds – they may not eat them until March, but the wait will be…

Northern Italy lakes & gardens From £1,875pp* – 7 nights, 8 days. Departs from 4 May* Travel to Northern Italy’s lakeside paradise by Eurostar from London. Stay on beautiful Lake Orta. Visit charming Stresa on Lake Maggiore, known for its stunning villas and gardens, and Lake Como, with a trip to Villa Carlotta. You’ll also cross the border into Switzerland twice and visit cosmopolitan Milan. Your tour includes ◼ Return from London to Paris by Eurostar; return from Paris to Stresa by TGV ◼ Seven nights half-board at the four-star Hotel Giardinetto ◼ Three free days to relax or explore at your own pace ◼ Excursions to Lake Como and Lake Lugano ◼ A day trip to Milan ◼ An excursion around the shores of Lake Maggiore, including Stresa and…

If you are a galanthophile (snowdrop lover) who likes unusual ornamental plants plus fruit and veg growing, then you’ll love Berkshire-based nursery Edulis. In fact, you may well know about it already, as at this time of year snowdrops are in bloom and Edulis, with its extensive range of varieties on offer, has built up a reputation for rare forms that are only available in small numbers. While the edibles and ornamentals keep the nursery busy for most of the year, the snowdrops take over in winter: “It’s our largest plant collection and it just keeps on growing,” says owner Paul Barney. Edulis is situated in a walled garden that Paul’s parents once owned and where his father, who worked in publishing, grew organic vegetables as a hobby. The veg-growing…

SAVE £100pp* 16-22 May 2026 | 7 days from £1,895pp If our globetrotting feature sparks your wanderlust, why not indulge it closer to home? Discover the rich history and horticultural splendour of Kent and beyond on this inspiring garden tour. From the romantic towers of Leeds Castle to the elegant grounds of Doddington Place Gardens and Mount Ephraim, each day brings new delights. Enjoy exclusive experiences, including a private garden tour and wine tasting at Yotes Court, and a guided visit with the Head Gardener at historic Hever Castle. A full day at the world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show adds a burst of colour and creativity, while the wild beauty of Wakehurst is the perfect finale. YOUR TOUR INCLUDES ◼ Six nights’ dinner, bed & breakfast: 3 nights at a…

SIX MONTHS FOR ONLY £12 SUBSCRIBE BEFORE 4 JANUARY TO GET THE FEBRUARY ISSUE When you give your friends a gift subscription, they’ll enjoy the benefits of joining the BBC Gardeners’ World Subscriber Club: FREE delivery to their door Premium Access special subscriberonly content at GardenersWorld.com Exclusive money-saving offers plus competitions, discounts and free seeds GW Live events Enjoy discounted tickets and promotional offers GO TO GardenersWorld.com/in-mag or scan the QR code * Offer expires 31 January 2026. This is a Direct Debit subscription offer and is open to UK delivery addresses only. You may cancel at any time. Offer subject to availability. BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine is published 12 times a year. You will pay £12 for a 6-month subscription. Prices are discounted from the basic annual rate…

ACROSS 1 These small nodding gems brighten up the new-year garden (9) 7 __ unguicularis is a late-winter bloomer (4) 8 __ down canes of autumn-fruiting raspberries (3) 9 It’s a good time to plant bare-root __ in prepared ground (5) 10 Turn off the water supply to outside __ (4) 11 Chamaedorea __ is better known as parlour palm (7) 12 Now is a good time to winter __ apple and pear trees (5) 14 Nutritious dried pulse (5,3) 18 Shy amphibians that may be hibernating in the garden (5) 20 They allow climbers to cling (8) 21 ‘Prinses __’ is a vibrant, fiery tulip (5) 22 Common name for Thujopsis dolabrata (4) 23 Strawberry black __ is a sign of frost damage (3) 24 It protects crops from pests…

Do you still feel in need of a challenge? Or have you been gardening so long that you know your plot inside out – along with what will grow in it and what will steadfastly refuse to budge – and are content to soldier along, taking the easy route to success, quoting the famously repeated ‘right plant, right place’ as your dictum? Don’t get me wrong, it makes eminent sense to plant a tree or a shrub, a perennial or a bulb in a place where you know it’s most likely to thrive. The drainage, the moisture supply, the light levels, the acidity or alkalinity, and the necessary amount of shelter will all contribute to a happy plant, and well done you if you have ticked all these boxes before…