There can be few things more pleasant than harvesting your own freshly-grown raspberries in summer. The juicy, sweet fruits are packed full of flavour and goodness, and go well with all manner of different puddings. But if you want to enjoy your own raspberries as soon as possible then you’ll need to plant your raspberries … Read more
Despite their name, elephant garlic isn’t actually a member of the garlic family at all; in fact, they’re actually more closely-related to leeks than they are to your standard culinary garlic. However don’t let this put you off; with their giant bulbs, offering individual cloves up to 5cm across, filled with subtle garlic flavours, elephant … Read more
Most gardeners view vegetables and flowers as two clearly-defined groups of plants. Vegetables go in the vegetable patch, well out of sight of your house. The flowers go in the main garden, where their colourful blooms can be admired by everyone. But not all vegetables lack aesthetic appeal. When you choose the right varieties, it’s … Read more
Capsicums are one of my very favourite vegetables to grow. The plants themselves are quite attractive, but this is multiplied many times when the fruits themselves start to form. Whats more, not all capsicums look just like the standard “bell peppers” that are typically available from shops; you’ll find there are a whole range of … Read more
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere you may find that your garden season is far shorter than that of other regions, take heart, even if you are in a cooler area or the far north, you can still grow plenty of great vegetables in your garden by taking a cue from what grows in … Read more
If you’re looking for something a little bit different to grow on your vegetable plot then the tayberry is well worth considering. Tayberries are a “hybrid” fruit – they were originally made by crossing a blackberry and a raspberry plant. Quite why someone might want to do that becomes clear when you lay eyes on … Read more
Watercress is one of the so-called “superfoods”, rich in vitamins and minerals. For example, studies have found that it offers one of the highest levels of calcium found in any cultivated plant, making it a welcome addition to any diet. If you’ve ever seen watercress being grown you’ll no doubt have seen it flourishing in … Read more
Butternut squash is one of my very favourite vegetables of all. Whether it’s gently roasted in the oven, or turned into a delicious warming soup on a winter’s day, the richness and flavour really is unrivalled. Even better, over the last few years of experimentation I’ve found that it’s surprisingly easy to grow your own … Read more