My purple patch! Plants with plum-coloured leaves may need more pampering but they’re worth it for the splash of colour they serve up, says Monty Don Monty Don says purple-leaved plants need more pampering than green-leaved British gardening expert claims purple-leaved plants add more depth to a border He reveals purple-leaved plants in his Jewel … Read more
This spring has been exceptionally cold and dry so far, but lovely for all that, with frosty mornings dissolving into bright, clear days. Normally late frosts – any time in April or May – are a disaster for the gardener as the tender new growth is the first to be damaged and blossom is reduced … Read more
Three years ago I sowed a packet of seed of the beautiful, ethereal feather grass, Stipa tenuissima. At first they appeared as hair-like seedlings but by that autumn the small plants were growing in individual pots and the following spring I planted them out into what was then the new Paradise Garden. These were the … Read more
As she walked down the aisle of Westminster Abbey ten years ago this month, Kate Middleton held a bouquet of white flowers in her hands. It was relatively modest in size but exquisitely pretty, and the component plants were carefully chosen for their significance and seasonal beauty. The smallest white flowers were from lily of … Read more
John Cleese has apologised for making fun of ‘white English people’ in a mocking snipe at The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria. Mr Azaria, who is white but had played the Indian-American character Apu since 1989, was the subject of controversy in 2017 following the release of a documentary. He recently apologised to ‘every single Indian person’ … Read more
John Cleese has apologised for making fun of ‘white English people’ in a mocking snipe at The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria. Mr Azaria, who is white but had played the Indian-American character Apu since 1989, was the subject of controversy in 2017 following the release of a documentary. He recently apologised to ‘every single Indian person’ … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. Euphorbias have an astonishing green intensity that adds an electric charge to the garden as they emerge, energising everything – including me – around them. The first to come into flower at Longmeadow is Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, which is in … Read more
Back in the 80s, and even the 90s, there were only a few dahlias that were at all acceptable to self-appointed arbiters of horticultural good taste, but thankfully we have moved beyond all that nonsense and I’d recommend that every garden should grow as many dahlias as they have room for. I certainly do. Dahlias … Read more
Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series. British gardening expert Monty Don shares his advice for growing primrose. Pictured: Monty with his primroses People ask me often what my favourite flower is. The truth is that it depends on the season, the situation, on what I am doing – … Read more
Pass the parsley: There’s no question in Monty Don’s mind that parsley is his favourite herb – and here he tells you how to grow your own Monty Don says parsley is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals British gardening expert explains parsley thrives in well-drained but fertile soil He also answers a selection … Read more