Innholdsfortegnelse for 29 November 2025 i Garden News

One of the things we know about Garden News readers, from the research we’ve done over the years, is that for many of you, gardening never stops – no matter what time of year it is or what the weather is throwing at you. Tipping it down with rain, ground frozen or hurricane blowing? No problem, you head to the greenhouse or just potter in the shed for an hour or two. Even when gardens are ‘put to bed’ at this time of year, gardeners always find things to do – and that is such a positive thing, especially for mental health. That thought came to mind this week when looking at this issue. As ever we have page after page of jobs to do in the garden this week…

The shorter days and wintry weather might mean you can’t spend as much time in the garden as you’d perhaps like, but it’s still possible to get your plant fix by filling your home with flowers and foliage. Not only will this look good, it will also make you feel better, as studies have shown being surrounded by plants has a soothing effect on us, and some houseplants can even purify the air. Here’s how to beat the winter blues with ideas for bringing the outside in. Pretty seedheads Scour your garden for any remaining sculptural seedheads, like alliums, poppies, teasels, nigella and scabious. Cut them so they have a long stem and place the different seedheads upside down in separate paper bags. Tie with twine and hang somewhere warm…

Weathering the storm chaos! Brent Noon There’s always room for one more pot plant in this Chesterfield container garden. As I write this, Storm Amy has come and gone. I managed to shield many of the larger plants by grouping pots together in a less windy spot and moving the hanging baskets into the garage. Luckily, there wasn’t too much damage, and it shouldn’t take long to tidy up pots and clear away leaves. Each year I check every pot to see which plants are ready for a repot. It’s a great time to make sure roots are healthy and not waterlogged, and that dreaded vine weevil grubs aren’t making a meal of them. Several plants need repotting, though some can wait until new growth begins in spring. Hardy geraniums…

Follow Naomi's progress as she gets to grips with her tiny urban garden on heavy Bristol clay I often write about the importance of a small garden’s connection with its wider environment, as this has a huge influence on what will grow and how successful wildlife-friendly measures may be. Looking beyond the boundaries can also give a garden new perspective and relevance: its few fruit trees perhaps revealing themselves to be part of an informal orchard across several properties, while the hole in the fence provides access to the pond for hedgehogs and toads. Yet human connections are important too and when the pace slows – and there really is only so much planting, dividing and sowing of seeds one can do – I’m a huge fan of winter garden…

The big clear up is happening in the orchard right now. While we’ve had a record apple and pear harvest this year, we’ve also seen a record amount of brown rot. This fungal disease overwinters on the damaged or mummified fruit. If left, it will release spores next spring to cause more damage to fruit. So, we’re being rigorous in clearing up. Luckily, a huge amount of undamaged fruit has been harvested for winter, and this is one of the tasty cakes being made with the produce. They can be frozen once baked and cooled. Ingredients Makes 12 160g butter 100g caster sugar 3 large eggs 225g plain flour Pinch of salt 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp lemon zest 80ml milk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 ripe pears FOR…

Professor Buczacki is a horticultural expert, writer and former chair of Gardeners’ Question Time Got a problem? Our Problem Solver can help! See our contact details on page 3 #GNASKTHEEXPERTS What is wrong with my ‘Charlotte’ potatoes? Vincent Brayshaw, by email Stefan says: You say the symptom seems to be confined to the large potatoes and the rest of the tuber is perfectly edible. I feel sure your potatoes are suffering from a condition called hollow heart, which is the descriptive term for a cavity that arises deep within the tuber. In your case, the cavity is small but sometimes, and on some varieties, it can be much larger and occupy a large part of the tuber. It happens when the growing conditions vary from one extreme to another, such as…

Peonies are a true cottage garden classic, renowned for their longevity and ability to thrive for decades, getting bigger and more impressive as the years go by, making them a sound investment for any garden. These captivating blooms are just as addictive in cut-flower displays, bringing charm indoors just as well as they do in the border. This superb collection includes: • ‘Sarah Bernhardt’: Spectacular rose-pink double blooms appear in profusion early in the summer. Each large flower displays ruffled inner petals, creating a showstopping floral display. • ‘Karl Rosenfield’: Deeply ruffled, double, magenta-coloured blooms deliver bursts of drama to borders, ensuring your summer garden is a riot of colour. • ‘Shirley Temple’: One of the latest-flowering varieties, extending the peony season. Bold red buds slowly open to reveal elegant…

Late autumn to early spring is the ideal time to plant bareroot roses. Roses enter a dormant phase over the winter months, so getting them in the ground during this period of rest gives roots time to establish, ready to burst into action with new growth in spring. Bareroot roses are sold without soil or a pot but simply in a bag; this makes them light to post, easy to transport and usually cheaper than potted roses. Buy plants at a nursery or online; they often have minimal, recyclable packaging so are a sustainable purchase. They’re simple to plant and quick to establish. Prep the space where your rose is to be planted. Dig over the soil to get rid of large stones or break up heavy clay, then add…

As woody plants slip into dormancy, this is the ideal time of the year to take hardwood cuttings of a broad selection of shrubs and climbers. Hardwood cuttings are simple to root and require no specialist equipment. While they root slowly, they do so reliably. When taken now, these cuttings develop roots throughout spring, produce new shoots next year, and will be ready to plant in their final position by the following autumn. Hardwood cuttings offer the most straightforward method to propagate grapevines. There are several approaches, but all involve selecting strong, young, smooth shoots that formed over the summer and have now matured and turned brown. Always avoid old stems with stringy bark or weak, thin growth. Unless you’re establishing a vineyard, you’ll rarely need more than a handful…

Diervilla splendens ‘Magical Dark Delight’ One of the darkest bush honeysuckles with burgundy and brown leaves and clusters of yellow flowers in summer. Easily grown in any moist, well-drained soil in sun or light shade. H&S: 75cm. Price: £16.95/2 x 9cm pots. From: bedwenplants.co.uk Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Purple Horizon’ The first purple-toned ninebark’s foliage is not susceptible to sun scorch. It’s adaptable in most moist, well-drained soils in sun and semi-shade. H: 1.5m, S: 50cm. Price: £19.99/3L pot. From: larchcottage.co.uk Weigela florida ‘Electric Love’ Dark bronze foliage and dazzling red blooms mark this low, mounded, deciduous shrub. It prefers full sun in any moist, well-drained soil, but will tolerate some shade, when the colour fades. H&S: 70cm. Price: £7.75/9cm pot. From: middletonnurseries.co.uk TRIED AND TESTED TRY THIS FAVOURITE! Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ This…

The latest from Carol's beautiful cottage garden... plus her diary for the week! How often do you think about your soil? No matter what the size of our gardens, the most fundamental element of all of them is our soil. Far from treating it as inanimate (I’ve heard it being referred to as dirt), it’s a living thing and without it, there would be no gardening and no plants. ‘Earth’ is the name of our planet and our soil. One of the ways we can best cherish it is to feed it with compost and leaf mould. It’s the soil that feeds the plants, so we should feed the soil. Whatever our soil, if it’s to grow plants well, we need to cosset and nurture it. Garden plants are a…

Organic mulch is derived from living materials like compost, straw, grass, leaves and wood chips; these materials decompose over time. Inorganic mulch is made from non-living materials such as gravel and landscaping fabric, which don’t break down and can prove costly. The good news is you can make your own free mulch from organic materials in your garden. Homemade compost is eco-friendly, sustainable and cheap, as you’re simply returning your kitchen and garden waste back to the soil. Vegetable peelings, disease-free leafy plants, cardboard and grass can all be collected in a heap; after six months to a year this hotchpotch of materials will transform into a nutritious soil tonic with a dark, crumbly texture. Rake up fallen leaves from your lawn and paths. Decomposing leaves left in an aerated…

Helping you get your best-ever fruit and veg I’ll be honest, over winter we don’t eat a lot of salad. It’s not really the weather for it, is it? But I do like to have a few fresh leaves about for sandwiches or to brighten up a meal. For the last couple of years, I’ve been growing a lovely old variety called ‘Reine des Glaces’ from Real Seeds. Its name translates to ‘Queen of the Ices’, which suits it perfectly. This frilled, crisphead lettuce stands up well to the cold and manages just fine either in the greenhouse or outside, as long as it’s tucked up under some protection from the worst of the weather and the birds. At this time of year, I give each plant around 30cm of…

Several weeks ago we ran a news story about how the UK’s drive to reduce peat use in gardening was stalling. In response, reader Ivan Collins wrote in with a strongly worded letter expressing his frustration with peat-free compost — and it clearly struck a chord. We asked if you agreed, and you didn’t hold back. Here’s what just a few of you had to say… and it’s clear that peat-free compost is as contentious as ever! Where is the evidence? I have to comment on the article ‘Peat-free slows down’. The Peatfree Partnership claims this is due to ‘political inaction and a lack of clarity from government’, creating confusion. What a load of rubbish! There's a good reason why it has slowed down. I suggest the plant-growing public, like…