1 Sow biennials (these are plants that are sown this year and flower the next) they include foxgloves, sweet rocket, wallflowers and honesty. 2 Plant bulbs – as well as being easy to plant, spring-flowering bulbs are versatile, happy in garden border

Set just off the high street in increasingly trendy Charlbury you’ll find The Bell, a characterful 17th-century coaching inn. It now forms part of the Daylesford Stays collection, following a stylish – and sustainable – refurb from the founder, Lady

Whether you’re redesigning your garden’s borders or planting up containers to decorate your balcony, bulbs can be grown almost anywhere. Wordsworth was spot-on when he wrote of his delight at seeing “a host of golden daffodils” – spring flowers reall

We all know that bijou bathrooms are ripe for bold and colourful design, AKA cloakroom swagger. Matching the loo wallpaper to the living room upholstery takes the idea of decorative flow to a whole new level, but doesn’t it look brilliant in this hom

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There are all manner of weeds lurking in our gardens and sowing seed wherever they get the chance. The general consensus is that they’re a pain – especially when they’re encroaching on our prized flowers or vegetables and sapping the nutrients from t

Cambridge Imprint is very much a family enterprise. All artists by trade, sisters Jane Powell (a textile artist) and Ali Murphy (a ceramicist), and sister-in-law Claerwen James (a painter), decided to combine their creative skills in 2013. What start

If you don’t have a garden with a dedicated veg patch, growing vegetables in pots is a great alternative. Those with tiny outside spaces, paved-over gardens, balconies or even just a windowsill in the sun can turn their hopeful green thumbs towards g

My design mantra is putting the unexpected together,’ says Sean Symington. ‘I like combining country or cute items with contemporary lines, such as the scalloped banquette and tulip table in my kitchen-diner. I love the contrast.’ The interior desig

Making your own fertiliser is a great way to give your plants a boost without splashing the cash on expensive shop-bought products. And there are a good few ways to go about it that are both simple and effective. So, if you’re a fan of cheap garden i

There are three key things to remember: first, the soil is left undisturbed so beneficial organisms can multiply. Second, the soil is fed with organic matter. Third, compost mulches are topped up annually to improve soil structure. You don’t need a l

FEATURE ANDRÉA CHILDS PHOTOGRAPHS (BIRDIE FORTESCUE) BOZ GAGOVSKI, (STUDIO DUGGAN) SARAH GRIGGS ■

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Any experienced gardener will tell you that to grow beautiful, healthy plants you must first take care of the earth beneath your feet. While all soils fulfil a similar function, there are many different types, and knowing which one you have in your g

Gardening is a fantastic pastime for all ages. It gives you a new appreciation for nature, gets you out in the fresh air and does wonders for both your physical and mental health. However, with so many different plant varieties, and tasks that change

1 Pots are a wonderful way of adding pops of colour to the garden. Pot up dahlias, gaillardias, begonias and salvias which will flower well into autumn. 2 Collect seeds from hardy annuals and biennials. The best time to do it is when the seed heads o

Springtime and early summer, we are overrun with diminutive, emerging plants that grow close to the soil and delight us with a carpet of colour and foliage. But as the growing season hits its stride, our eyes turn skywards to the ranks of tall plants

If you’ve ever picked wild honeysuckle and tasted the nectar at the base of the flower, you’ll be familiar with the sweet, sugary hit. No wonder bees love it. This might be a delicacy you last tried in childhood, but it’s time to rediscover the joy o

Offering such exquisite beauty and fragrance, and in a dazzling variety of forms, roses are the quintessential feature of the English country garden. Species or wild, roses like to sprawl in a natural style, are mostly single-flowered and many have c

September is a good time to scarify your lawn. Go over the grass with a spring-tine rake, raking in one direction to remove loose thatch and moss. This helps rainwater seep down where it’s needed most. Repeat again in April. If you have a large lawn,

1 Check long grass for wildlife before strimming. And don’t use hedge trimmers during the bird nesting season (March to August). 2 Once all risk of frost has passed, plant out your colourful summer bedding and pot up hanging baskets for guaranteed su

Take a trip down memory lane with pages and pages of nostalgic goodness Get up close and personal with your favourite bands and artists Find inspiration and impress your dinner guests with recipes for every occasion Discover fun facts and get creativ

1 Plant bulbs in the green. Woodland-loving plants including winter aconites, snowdrops and bluebells, grow better when planted in active growth just after flowering. 2 Cut a few winter-flowering shrubs, such as Daphne and honeysuckle, for indoor sce

What comes to mind when you think of gardening? For some it might be a chore to rake the leaves or mow the lawn, but for others gardening evokes every sense; the smell of honeysuckle on the breeze; the sound of the robin’s first call in the morning a

SERVES 4 While true tahini is made with toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds make a perfectly delicious alternative. 150g hulled sunflower seeds1tbsp cold-pressed sunflower oil or olive oilPinch of salt, or to taste 50g sunflower seed tahini (see ab

Warmer temperatures mean it may be hard to drift off, but a few bedroom switch-ups can make all the difference. Stow away cosy throws and bring out crisp cotton sheets and lightweight fabrics in soft hues for a summery feel. And invest in a blackout

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Transforming a house into a home is an evolutionary process, so when Jane Davies and her husband Martin purchased this pretty period property in the market town of Oswestry in 2002, they knew it would change in the years ahead. With three children, r

Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors is a new exhibition at the Garden Museum exploring the green spaces created by Vanessa Bell at Charleston, Virginia Woolf at Monk’s House, Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst and Lady Ottoline Morrell at G