CATEGORIES

WHY SHOULD I VOLUNTEER?

Giving your free time to volunteer in the community or as a mentor can have a big impact, and also benefit you in ways you can't imagine, says John Wyer

EARTHLY CONCERN

Weeds, slugs, birds and mice - all are welcome on Birch Farm in Devon, where Joshua Sparkes seeks to respect the local ecosystem and mimic nature in his innovative approach to growing

Gardening is good for you

In the first of his new factual column on the benefits of gardening, Dr Richard Claxton uncovers all the evidence-based ways it can help your physical health.

TANGERINE DREAM

On the edge of one of London's busiest roundabouts, Nigel Dunnett has created exciting combinations of drought-tolerant plants for a roof garden that is as unexpected as it is joyful

GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT

Growing your own edible plants is a great way to boost your gut microbiome. Discover expert picks of edimentals that are both beautiful and beneficial

Waste not, nice plot

Designer Miria Harris gave herself the challenge of a no-skip, zero-waste project, giving away, recycling or reusing everything in this back garden before transforming it into a space her client could love

One for all

A new community garden designed by Sarah Price around an old library turned arts centre in southeast London is a treasured space for local residents and garden lovers alike

Meet our horticultural HEROES

Discover the stories of the extraordinary garden champions who are making a difference to places, people, plants and the planet

SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

In the culinary world, chefs and food writers sometimes closely guard their recipes, says Nigel Slater. Among gardeners, however, there is a refreshing spirit of generosity

Autumn at Sissinghurst

As the garden slips into a new season, head gardener Troy Scott Smith and his team are busy with tasks from hedge cutting and lawn work to bulb planting and sowing seeds.

Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion

Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”

WORLD OF POSSIBILITY

This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset

THE FEMININE TOUCH?

Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes

'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'

Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next

FRIENDLY ADVICE

When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool

Passing the baton

The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting

My sweet gourd

Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks

ANDY JASPER

The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall

Bedding in

In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials

Late summer dreams

From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

Inspired by the historic house and setting at Park House in Cambridgeshire, landscape architect Robert Myers has woven together traditional and contemporary design elements to create a haven for people, plants and wildlife

JAPANESE ANEMONES

These elegant blooms are perfect for brightening up late-summer and autumn borders, which makes it easier to forgive their slightly thuggish tendencies

IRYNA BOBOSHKO

A former lecturer from Ukraine, Iryna currently looks after the flower gardens at Malverleys in Hampshire

PLANTING MEMORIES

Many of the plants in Nigel Slater's garden hold deeper meaning - some joyful, others more poignant - but all add another layer of pleasure when they bloom

September plants

As summer slowly eases into autumn, head gardener Andrea Brunsendorf chooses ten plants to keep the show going in the garden

STEPS TO SUCCESS

Enclosed within a rustic barn conversion, this courtyard garden contrasts riotous Mediterranean-inspired gravel planting with clean lines and a reflective pool

ANNIE GUILFOYLE

The garden polymath on the pleasures of passing on knowledge, the rewards of close observation and the circuitous route towards grounding her itchy feet

HEAVEN SCENT

As summer adds a new dimension to his garden, Nigel Slater reflects on the rewards of planting for perfume

Colour therapy

Ann-Maree Winter's joyful Australian garden became a place of solace and nurture in hard times

30 plants with interest all year

These hard-working plants provide several seasons of interest in your garden through flowers, fruit, foliage, bark and even spring shoots