Cider apples are deeply embedded in west country gardens and culinary culture. They offer a distinct range of flavours not typically found in eating apples and for gardeners seeking a rewarding, sustainable, and creative pursuit, planting cider apple trees is a fruitful choice. Growing cider apples can be highly rewarding for gardeners, combining the pleasures of growing with the satisfaction …

Dorset gardener Amy Bolton has been drying herbs from her small garden for over 20 years and in recent years has managed to get a wonderful harvest. I wish everyone knew just how easy it is to gather herbs from your garden, dry them, and save them for use all year. It’s simple good fun and has lots and lots …

Sweet, succulent figs may sound like exotic treats for warmer climes, but if you choose the right variety, you can enjoy home-grown figs in a mild, sunny site. Who’d have thought that figs would be one of the easiest fruits to grow?  They’re undemanding, hardy and productive, and as they grow best in pots, a fig is the ideal patio …

All types of basil are members of the mint family and some basil varieties have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years and there’s more opportunities these days to experiment with growing different varieties. Basil is an incredible herb, a must-have for any edible garden. Garden-fresh basil is, after all, one of the quintessential tastes of summer. You might think …

Not only prized for their edible yields, globe artichokes are also attractive, ornamental plants, that can add stature and drama to a vegetable plot or to another part of a garden. Growing a globe artichoke plant (Cynara scolymus) may be a slow process but it is one of the most rewarding things you can tend for in your garden. It’s …

Apple days are here again with extravagant, and fun filled apple themed events taking place throughout the Cotswolds and the south-west – at National Trust properties and community orchards and more. Each year, to celebrate apples and orchards, Apple Days are held all over the country to demonstrate the richness and diversity of apple varieties, orchards, soil ecology and culture. …

Emma Flood raves about the underrated, but reliable damson which doesn’t seem actively sought after but still has a passionate following from those who love the fruit. Why are damsons the forgotten fruit?  What fruit tree, asked a friend recently, would I recommend that wasn’t too big, looked good, didn’t demand a lot of work but produced a large, reliable …

There’s still time – just, to get another crop in the ground to enjoy. Potatoes are the most generous of all crops and will pay you back many times over. In fact, there is still time to plant them with the seed potatoes able to catch up during the summer and provide a wonderful late harvest.  If those harvests do …

Late autumn planting is the secret to get the best of a garlic crop which will have a head start when the weather warms up in spring. Autumn-to-spring is the best season for growing garlic.  Garlic cloves planted in the autumn quickly develop roots, so the plants are established when cold weather stops their growth. Then they start growing again …

The walnut tree is both a beautiful and practical tree for gardens and if you are patient will provide a rich harvest of delicious nuts The traditional English walnut tree, which is native to central Asia, is a beautiful and useful tree for its aesthetics and food-growing abilities alike.  It is a great tree to grow if you have the …