Innehållsförteckning för November 2024 från BBC Gardeners' World

Create… fabulous displays of spring bulbs – watch our collection of quick and easy video guides at GardenersWorld.com/success-bulbs Listen… to Monty, Carol Klein, Charles Dowding and other experts in our new conversations podcast series at GardenersWorld.com/podcast Buy… our special edition Your Happy House Plants – perfect for you or as a gift for Christmas. In shops now or buy online while stocks last at bit.ly/guides-gw Book… your tickets for BBC Gardeners’ World Live on 12-15 June 2025 at the NEC Birmingham. Early birds get 25% off* standard tickets – quote GWR1 (offer ends 17 Feb). Full details at bbcgardenersworldlive.com Discover… the glorious gardens, vineyards and landscape of France and Spain on a 10-night cruise, accompanied by gardening expert David Hurrion, on 6-16 May – see p57 for details Sign up for our…

‘Cloud Nine’ Blue-grey summer foliage turns gold in autumn, becoming slightly vaseshaped. Height x Spread 2.1m x 1m ‘Northwind’ Rich-green foliage, slightly tinted in blue, changes to orange in autumn, with small pinkish blooms. H x S 1.5m x 90cm ‘Dallas Blues’ Narrow blue-green leaves in summer become a golden-orange in autumn, with reddish flowers. H x S 1.8m x 50cm ‘Shenandoah’ Masses of tiny flowers top slender green leaves, which have purple tips that turn burgundy in autumn. H x S 90cm x 90cm Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’ Vertical growth, carrying bluish foliage with purple tints before developing golden autumn tones. H x S 1.5 x 1m What can TV westerns tell us about our gardens? For thousands of years, tallgrass prairie was a widespread feature of the North American…

HOT TOPIC Making the most of bountiful harvests to eat all this?” We’ve happily eaten our crops, shared them with friends and family, and enjoyed seeing others tasting the freshest produce. And in the recent allotment show we achieved three firsts, three seconds and four thirds, including first prize for our Monty scarecrow! Issie Grayson, Essex/Cambs In September’s GW, Monty admitted to producing more veg than he needs and consigning a proportion to the compost heap. We’ve been overrun with courgettes this year, so we put a basket at the end of our road and filled it again and again with our excess produce. Every single item was taken by our neighbours, even the enormous marrows. Is anything more satisfying than feeding the village for free? Katharine, Emily (age 7)…

Alan Titchmarsh I would take this garden home with me. It has lovely cohesive planting – a proper little cottage garden that’s comfortable in its own skin. It’s a real pleasure. Arit Anderson Love what Sara has done with the walls, painting them the ideal colour to help them fade away but also using them for planting height. A tough job done well. Ann-Marie Powell This garden feels like a whole world with lovely planting that hangs together really well. It’s soulful and inspiring. I’d be happy with this garden myself. Kevin Smith I love the fact that all the furniture and pots are second-hand and bought on a budget. Some of the pieces look like they could cost a fortune but really didn’t. This year’s prizes All six finalists…

PACKED BY HAND IN PAPER BAGS Whether you’ve found a few gaps to fill or you’re just getting started, there’s an incredible range of bulbs available and still plenty of time to plant them. When the garden is sorted, you could complete your gardening year with something special to grow indoors this winter and start the new year with a bang. With this exclusive offer you will save on postage and pick up some fantastic bargains. ◼ Narcissus papyraceus A classic indoor daffodil for the festive season. Height x Spread 40cm x 15cm Flowers Dec-Jan 5 bulbs £6.25 ◼ Hippeastrum papilio Strong, sturdy flowers that will boost your Christmas cheer. H x S 60cm x 25cm F Dec-Feb 1 bulb £17.80 ◼ Hippeastrum ‘Wild Amazone’ Gorgeous lime-green and cantaloupe petals.…

Brighten up a patio or gloomy spot with a container that has been planted up for winter interest. Winter pots are best displayed where they can be easily seen – near a window, door or path. Acid-loving plants such as flowering heathers, camellias and berried gaultheria (left) are at their most interesting over winter and early spring, and make great container plants. Avoid mixing acid-loving plants with those that do best with lime in the compost so that the conditions best suit all the plants in the pot. Choose a large container with decent drainage holes as none of these plants will grow well if waterlogged. The compost must be ericaceous too. If you have acid soil or some ericaceous John Innes loam-based compost, a little of that can be…

Take root cuttings of plants growing in pots or borders. Primulas, verbascum, phlox, Oriental poppies and Japanese anemones are all good examples of plants easily propagated this way. Water, then lift plants carefully or knock them out of their pots, keeping roots intact as you remove or wash the soil off them. Like all types of cuttings, the healthy young and thickest growth will support the strongest new plants, so select the cutting material from the thickest roots and of last year’s growth. Some cuttings, such as Japanese anemones, can be laid horizontally on top of the compost then covered with grit to produce new plants from buds along the length of the root. A cold frame, cold greenhouse or sheltered spot in the garden are all suitable conditions for…

Tidy up asparagus by cutting back stems once they have turned the colour of straw. By this stage the crowns will have finished drawing down energy for next year. Leave short stubs and take all the old stems well away from the bed, so asparagus beetles don’t have somewhere to overwinter near the plants. Disturb the ground around the crowns a little, too, so birds can feed on the pupae, then follow up with a mulch layer of manure a few days later. Tidy strawberries Prepare the strawberry bed for winter by cutting off all the old leaves. Locate the main plants then use a trowel around them to remove any weeds and reduce the number of runners, so the runners remaining have more space. Replace any weak main plants…

This month 124 Gardeners’ Question Time The BBC Radio 4 experts answer this month’s pick of readers’ queries, including: ◼ What should replace my dead apple tree? ◼ How do I stop raspberries taking over? ◼ Why is my hibiscus dropping buds? Bamboo flowers Individuals of many species of flowering plants die after blooming, for example, annuals such as cornflowers. Having produced their seeds, their genes live on in future generations that germinate from those seeds. Plants that do this are called monocarpic because they only make seeds once in their lifetime. Some perennial plants, like aeoniums, do this too, which can leave a hole in your collection. It’s thought this lifecycle may give protection from predators, whose populations are kept low over a period of years without an annual glut…

I love taking a peek at other people’s gardens. Whether it’s an organised opening for charity or a cheeky look over a fence while on a train journey, there’s something fascinating about seeing what other people do with their outdoor spaces. I’m always keen to pick up creative ideas for my own garden and constantly on the lookout for plants I’ve never grown before, and I’m intrigued by how a garden means something different to everyone. So it’s no surprise that I adore judging our annual Gardens of the Year competition. I’m always eager to see the wide diversity of plots that are entered and never tire of discovering the amazing ways people transform their space. Some are small, some big, some I love and others I’m not so keen…

Perfect for planting in pots, these standards have been expertly grafted to create their lollipop shape. Also known as tree roses due to their shape and height, they will create instant impact wherever you position them, especially when framing a door or gateway. They are available in yellow, pink, red and white. Buy a collection of four (one of each colour), or two plants of your chosen colours. Height x Spread 1.2m x 60cm Flowers May-Oct ◼ 4 bare-root standard roses (one of each colour), approx. 60-70cm tall £79.96 £34.96 SAVE £45 (530199) ◼ Any 2 bare-root standard roses £39.98 £19.98 SAVE £20 – choose from the following colours: Yellow (530196) Pink (530197) Red (530195) White (530198) MORE OFFERS ◼ Rose fertiliser Grow outstanding rose displays like never before with the…

Pining for beauty SAVE £16 Take a moment to reflect at Pinetum Gardens, just outside St Austell in Cornwall. Full of colour, fragrance and inspiration all year, this 30-acre garden is a unique fusion of East and West. There is a series of 10 individual areas to explore, including a Japanese garden, a winter garden and a water garden. These are home to more than 6,000 plants (most of which are labelled), including many treasures from Asia. Several large ponds and the great lake add to the feeling of serene calm. ENTRY OFFER Garden: 2 for 1 £16. Not valid on event days, and only for entry 10am-12pm. For opening details, visit pinetumgardens.com Reflect on this SAVE £10 Explore the beautiful heritage landscape of woodland, lakes and an arboretum of trees…

It’s time to reveal our Judges’ Choice from our 2024 Gardens of the Year competition. And that’s not all – in January we’ll share with you the garden that GW readers select as their People’s Choice, so vote now for your favourite at GardenersWorld.com/peoples-choice Meet the judging panel Alan Titchmarsh TV presenter and BBC GW Magazine regular, Alan has created and cared for countless beautiful gardens of all sizes and styles Arit Anderson Designer, writer and Gardeners’ World presenter, Arit is passionate about the positive environmental impact gardens can have Ann-Marie Powell Garden designer, presenter and author, Ann-Marie can’t get enough of bold colours and textures, and gardens that invite an evolving ecology Kevin Smith BBC GW Magazine Editor, Kevin is always on the lookout for gardens, ideas and styles…

sponsored by Voting closes at 11.59pm on 8 November 2024 Vote for your favourite at GardenersWorld.com/peoples-choice The People’s Choice garden will be revealed in our January 2025 issue…

Misty mornings on the first cold days of the winter; I know they’re on the way by November. Wrap up warm and it’s not all bad. In fact, there’s much to enjoy as leaves drop and the odd emerald pop of moss stands out on branches and rocks. With the arrival of winter, I’m reminded of one challenge with growing food at scale: covers to stop winter weed-growth. In the summer it’s easy to remove weeds with a hoe or a hand fork, and my crops are also growing rapidly to shade them out. But in winter, when our soil is wet and claggy, hoeing isn’t usually possible and digging causes too much damage to soil structure. Covers that shade the ground, killing weeds or stopping their germination, significantly reduce…

If you’d love to grow your own fruit but have limited space, these duo trees are perfect, offering two varieties on one small tree. As they’re grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock, they will stay compact, and are even happy in large patio pots. They’re pre-trained into a V-shape, so grow well against a wall too. Choose any two duo trees for £19.99: ■ Duo pear tree ‘Conference’ & ‘Concorde’ Height x Spread 2.5m x 1.5m Fruit Sep-Oct (300064) ■ Duo cherry tree ‘Stella’ & ‘Sunburst’ H x S 3m x 2m F Jul-Aug (300065) ■ Duo apple tree ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ & ‘Braeburn’ H x S 2.5m x 1.5m F Sep-Oct (300063) ■ Duo fruit tree peach ‘Redhaven’ & apricot ‘Early Orange’ H x S 2.5m x 1.5m F Aug-Sep (300165)…

Fill gaps between other plants or under shrubs with daffodil bulbs to brighten your spring garden. Plant them at the right depth for reliable blooms for many years. A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs three times their depth, with twice the bulb’s height of soil over them. For a more natural effect, space them 10cm apart in clusters. Over time, they’ll spread and create a fuller display. Daffodils thrive in sunny spots with well-drained soil, making them a low-maintenance addition to your garden. 30 MINUTES TO SPARE Plant lily bulbs in pots for scented summer flowers. Start with a layer of grit for drainage, then add multi-purpose compost. Keep pots outside through winter, and when shoots appear in spring, bring them into a greenhouse for earlier blooms. Place…

1 TIP the pot and rap it hard on the bench a couple of times to loosen the rootball away from the sides of the pot, so the plant slides out onto the bench easily. 2 SEPARATE the clump of mint with your hands into a few fistsized pieces. Use a trowel to dig in from the top if the clump is congested. Once in, it will prise the roots apart with ease. 3 CHOOSE a few of the strongest divisions from the outer part of the clump as this will be where the youngest and most vigorous growth is. Pot them into peat-free potting compost, using 20cm pots. 4 GIVE the plant a good soak to begin with, and when it perks up and starts to grow, keep it…

 28 July-12 August 2025, 16 days from £3,999pp* Summertime is also a rare opportunity to see the Arctic in bloom with Arctic draba, cotton grass and Arctic parraya flowering for a brief time, and who better to join you for part of this once-ina-lifetime voyage than award-winning gardener Adam Frost. He’ll give an exclusive talk and Q&A, and will join you on a hiking excursion in the Urke Valley. You might even get the chance to see one of the Arctic’s most majestic inhabitants, the polar bear. You will also have an experienced team on hand who will host special onboard lectures and offer a range of optional excursions. To top it all off, the cruise includes sumptuous food and drinks on board, courtesy of Norway’s Coastal Kitchen, with the…

The clocks go back. The days shrivel and dark soaks into the afternoons like ink on blotting paper as November slinks in. At least, this is how I anticipate it every year, dreading the arrival of the fag end of the year as a season of gloom. But over the past few years there has been one aspect of November that has cheered me enormously. It begins in mid October with clearing the pelargoniums from the table outside the kitchen window. These go to the frost-free haven of the greenhouse, and the table – an old stone salting slab that was once much used for curing bacon from pigs reared where now we raise flowers – has its winter ornaments placed on it. These consist of a branch worn into…

Alys Fowler is an ecological gardener and writer based in Mid-Wales. A lot of what she grows, she eats – the rest, everything else eats! @alysf They are called leaves for a reason; to be left alone to do their essential work. They may look spent, but their business is far from done, both for the plant they left and the wider world around them. Leaf drop is an ancient adaptation. There’s fossil evidence for it first appearing around 100 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period – that’s a lot of time to perfect something – whereas the lawn was an 18th-century invention to show off wealth. Leaf drop is the plants’ way of terraforming the soil they need to thrive in. Soil can hold up to 30…

A crisp winter display During colder months, you’ll rely on evergreens for pot displays, but they don’t need to be green. Try the dazzling silver tones of festuca and the frosty feel of Astelia chathamica – both capture the crisp essence of winter days. Place them in a sheltered spot as they can be tender. With complementary silver foliage, try mixing textures for interest, such as Jacobaea maritima ‘Silver Dust’ with its soft, silky leaves. Add trailing plants, such as silver variegated ivy, a perfect tonal companion. Keep delicate plants such as violas and a Christmas rose at the front so they aren’t lost, and add a large cyclamen – larger types resist grey mould better than smaller ones in a busy container. TOP TIPS WE USED ➊ Jacobea maritima ‘Silver…

Yellow leaves Yellowing leaves can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle, especially during winter. However, if lots of leaves are yellowing, it could be a sign of overwatering, lack of light or, more likely, a combination of both. Check the soil is drying out before watering, and try moving your plant to a brighter location. Leaf loss Some leaf drop is normal during winter, but if your plant is shedding more than usual, it might be reacting to a cold draught, heat from a radiator or low light. Try moving the plant closer to a bright window, away from a heat source or draughts and keep checking the soil for moisture, ideally watering only when the soil has dried. Pests (spider mites) Spider mites thrive in warm,…

◾ What size of branches will they cut? Powered pruners can cut anything that manual secateurs can, and more. Most cut a 25mm thickness but some do more – you just need to make a few cuts for wider stems to get through them. Many offer a choice of smaller cutting widths, which is useful as these not only conserve battery power but also save time as there’s no need to wait for the blade to open fully with each cut. ◾ Are they easy to use? Most of these pruners need a little time to master, with various methods of holding down buttons or triggers to open and close the blades or change widths, with beeps and lights to help. Clarity of manuals vary and although they’re not as…

Split clumps of astrantias to keep them in the best condition for flowering next year. Look for clumps that have slowed down in growth, have flowered poorly or are taking up too much space. You may also notice some leaf blotch, which isn’t a huge problem but is an unsightly backdrop to the flowers. Dividing every three or four years will rejuvenate the plants. The centre of the clump is the oldest part, so discard that and only replant the youngest divisions from the outer part of the old clump. Astrantias have masses of fibrous roots so are easily divided at this time of year and recover quickly, putting on plenty of new growth in the spring. They grow best in sun or part shade and in moisture-retentive soil with…

What are you waiting for… start saving today! PLUS so much more! Visit GardenersWorld.com/offers or scan the QR code and find everything you need at your fingertips PLUS Sign up to our offers email, bringing discounts direct to your inbox – never miss an offer again! Terms & conditions: Restrictions and postage costs apply. Please see individual offers for full details.…

The garden in November can be a beautiful, bright, fiery place, or if there have been a lot of high winds blowing off the leaves and some rain, it can also be a drab and slightly soggy place. Although pruning is generally not a high priority in the autumn as most plants prefer to be pruned either when completely dormant in the depths of winter, or in the spring or summer, there are some clearance jobs that can be done now. This is especially true if you are planning any big winter projects and need to clear room for them to happen. If you’re doing any building work you might want to clear space for that, or if you’re planning to do lots of bulb planting then you will need…

Give the perfect gift this Christmas to someone you love and treat them to a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine subscription. Pay just £39.99 for the first year and save 51% on the shop price. Subscriber CLUB Your friend can experience more as a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Subscriber Club member with: FREE delivery direct to their door GardenersWorld.comPremium, giving access to special subscriber-only content Exclusive money-saving offers plus competitions, discounts and free seeds Subscriber events and opportunities to meet the magazine’s experts Offer ends 19 December 2024 2 EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Call 03330 162123* and quote code GWSP1124 Visit buysubscriptions.com/GWSP1124 †This offer is only open to new UK customers subscribing to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine by recurring payment. The closing date for this offer is 19 December 2024. You…

FREE* bare-root collection Cottage garden favourites, these reliable and easy-to-grow perennials will return year after year. Comprises 3 each of: ➊ Lupin Russell Hybrids ➋ Aquilegia McKana Hybrids ➌ Hollyhock Chater’s Mixed…