Tips for the tastiest toms! If you’re looking to take a step into the world of grow-your-own, it’s the perfect time of year to sow tomatoes! Whilst our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine are on hand with tips to make the most of your tomato crop, we’ve got the perfect recipe from the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022, as seen on the Italian Kitchen with Alex Hollywood; a delicious tomato and olive bread stick recipe to bring the fresh Italian summer flavour to your kitchen table.   The time for sowing tomatoes is between late January and late March, with harvests to come between July and October. This easy to grow crop does best when grown in full sun and there is a wealth of varieties to choose from, including cherry, plum, and beefsteak, with each of them having their own distinctive shape, flavour and culinary use.  Whilst it’s possible to buy young plants from garden centres, it’s also easy to grow from seed – especially for some of the more unusual varieties. There are two growing types to choose from – determinate (bush) or indeterminate (cordon) – with bush types being planted in pots or hanging baskets and cordons growing tall, supported by a cane or stake.  Once your crop is flourishing, bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your kitchen with a delicious tomato and olive bread stick recipe – a perfect accompaniment to hazy summer days.  Find out more about the recipe below…  How to grow Growing from seed Sow seeds in 7.5cm pots of moist peat free compost, then water and cover with cling film. Stand on a warm, bright windowsill or in a propagator. Once germinated, remove the cling film (or take them out of the propagator) and keep the compost damp. Transplant seedlings when they reach about 2-3cm tall into 5cm pots filled with moist multi-purpose compost and return them to the windowsill. Keep potting on as necessary as they grow. Planting tomatoes outside Your tomatoes can be moved outside once the last frost in May disappears. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot, where you can plant them into a border (into soil that has had plenty of well-rotted garden compost added), or into 30cm pots, or put two or three plants in a growing bag. Growing in a greenhouse Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse gives you a longer growing season. Shade your plants from excessive heat, which could cause tough skins and blotchy ripening, by fitting some blinds, use shade paint, or hang woven shading fabric. Caring for tomatoes Beginner gardeners will find it easier to work with bush tomatoes, as they require slightly less maintenance.  Cordon tomatoes will need a stake for support and will need to have side-shoots pinched out to keep the plant fruiting on a central stem.  Water regularly – irregular watering can cause fruit to split or develop hard black patches known as blossom-end rot. Once flowers appear, feed your plants weekly with a liquid tomato food or a high-potash fertiliser. If your fruits are hidden beneath leaves, thin out the foliage to give them a little more sun to ripen in.  It’s harvest time! Leave tomatoes to ripen on the vine to improve their flavour and pick once flush with the colour of their variety.  Best eaten straight from the vine, they can be stored for a week or so at room temperature. Avoid storing in the fridge as this causes a mealy texture.  For more information on tomato varieties, growing tips and guides on cordon training, head to the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine site. /*! 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Makes 3-4 sticks. Ingredients400g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting1 tsp sugar1 tsp fast-acting dried yeastOlive oil, for drizzlingHandful of stoned olivesHandful of cherry tomatoes, halved1tbsp pesto mixed with 2tbsp olive oilMethodTip the flour, sugar and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Combine the yeast with 350ml warm (not hot) water and slowly pour into the flour mix, bringing the wet dough together gently with your hands or a spatula. Cover and place in a warm, draught-free area until the dough doubles in size (around 2 hours).Tip the dough onto a floured surface – it will be wet and gooey, so gently fold it into itself 5-6 times to make a wobbly rectangle shape. Place back in the mixing bowl, drizzle with some olive oil and a little sea salt, cover with a floured tea towel and leave to rise again in a warm place for at least 2 hours, until doubled in size.Line two non-stick baking trays with silicone paper. Press the dough with your gingers to see if it leaves an indent – if it does, it’s ready. Tip out onto a floured surface, cut the dought into quarters or thirds (depending on how chunky you want your sticks to be) and gently stretch each one out to a stick shape the length of a tray, leaving room between sticks.Heat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas mark 8. Brush each stick with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, add a final dusting of flour, then press the olives and tomato halves into the dough. Allow to rise for another 10-15 mins, then drizzle with a little pesto and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the sticks.Leave to cool and then enjoy! Sign up to the BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair newsletter Find garden inspiration from BBC Gardeners' World Autumn Fair 2022

Sow seeds of love this Valentines Day If you’re unsure what to give your most beloved gardener this Valentine’s Day, we’ve done the digging for you!We’ve curated a green-fingered wish-list of gifts available online, from exhibitors you’ll be able to meet and buy from, across our events this year.Will you be shopping at BBC Gardeners’ World Live or the BBC Gardeners’ World Fairs in 2023?Please note that all gifts are subject to availability and delivery times of independent suppliers may vary. The gift of a great day out Tickets make a great gift for anyone with green fingers, a day to look forward to!  With the flagship BBC Gardeners’ World Live at Birmingham’s NEC, 15-18 June, and the boutique  BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair in the stunning setting of Beaulieu in Hampshire, 28-30 April, there are plenty of days to choose from. Plus, save the date for the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair at Audley End House & Garden in Essex, 1-3 September – tickets on sale in March. Stand G198: Spring Fair A Blackbird Sang – ‘If I had a flower every time I thought of you’ Leaf Decoration – £12.95 Give the gift that gives twice the joy this Valentine’s Day, with this delightfully thoughtful decoration – 10% of the proceeds will be donated to Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture and their families when times get tough.   BUY NOW Stand E406: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Enchanted Earth – Heart decorations – £19.95-£24.95 Add a touch of love to any garden with charming decorations, from planters to bird feeders:  Heart Bird Feeder Stake – Stylish and weatherproof, this whitewashed metal feeder stands on a 105cm long stake.   Teapot Heart Planter – Bring a unique style of planter to your garden with a colourful large 38cm teapot planter. Decorated with white love hearts and weather resistant. Perfect for plants or succulents, this can be used in your home or garden.  Large Solar Firefly Garden Heart – Brighten up any part of your garden with this decorative hanging, complete with 30 warm white solar lights and a 4m cable and hanging loop on the back.  BUY NOW Stand G19: Spring Fair A Blackbird Sang – Pot Stems: Everlasting Wildflower Cluster – £12.95Looking for something that’ll bloom whatever the season? Give a sustainable and ever-lasting bunch of wildflowers – a lovely year-round enhancement to indoor plants.   BUY NOW Stand FM12: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants – Perennial flowers – £9.50-13.50 With so many blooms to choose from, Hardy’s has a selection of romantic and heart-shaped perennial flowers to choose from: Lamprocapnos spectabilis – Flowering year after year in late spring, this provides delicate pink heart shaped flowers on arching stems.  Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ – These pure white heart-shaped flowers are held on arching stems above divided light green foliage, blooming in late spring.  Anemone ‘Frilly Knickers’ – an anemone with a name that’ll be sure to be noticed! With semi-double blooms, each pure white petal is suffused with pale lilac and finely frilled, brushed with deep violet from beneath and surrounding a boss of deep golden yellow stamens. Unsure what to choose? Treat someone to a gift voucher! Hardy’s has exhibited at Gardeners’ World Live every single year since our show opened over 30 years ago and 2023 is no different! BUY NOW Stands E400 & E408: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Home and Garden Extras – Decorative Rusty Roses – £19.99  Give a rose that will never wilt this Valentine’s Day, with this decorative rusty flower stake that’ll add function and style to flower beds, window boxes and plant pots. Add a cluster of stakes and watch as they rust over time to create a charming aesthetic and provide support for an array of blooms.   BUY NOW Stand G140: Spring FairStand G198: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Ecosure – Ecosure Midi Metropolitan Water Butt Planter – £192  Doubling up as a stylish planter, this water butt can create a great focal point in any garden. With two outlets, the front can be attached to a garden tap and is at the right height for a watering can, and the back is designed to drain the water butt completely. Available in a variety of colours and effects, there’s a choice for every garden and style. BUY NOW Stand G178: Spring Fair Hand Made Mosaics – Mosaic Heart – £25 Show your love with a touch of mosaic made by your own hands! The kit that includes everything you need, from base to tiles and grout. Available in a variety of colours, including pink and blue.   BUY NOW Stand G48: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Hydria Life – Hydria Fountain Kit Bundle – £199.99 The latest bundle from Hydria Life comes with the Fountain Kit, Premium Planter and the Mindfulness Pebbles Collectible. Easy to set up and harnessing new battery technology, this remote-controlled water feature with lights can run for a 2-month period between charges and can be set up in minutes. Fitting in any planter wider than 30cm, bring the relaxing sound of water to any garden or balcony.   BUY NOW Stand F25: BBC Gardeners’ World Spring FairStand FM3: BBC Gardeners’ World Live John Cullen Gardens – Herb Collection – £15Perfect for those who equally enjoy the garden and the kitchen, this selection of organically grown herbs will be the perfect accompaniment for many meals to come. Perfect for a sunny windowsill and ready to plant out once Spring warmth arrives, the set includes Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Chive and Oregano in 9cm pots.  BUY NOW Stand G2 at Spring Fair Elly Harvey Silver – Garden Inspired Jewellery – £55 – £165 Whether you’re a fan of growing your own or wonderful wildlife, add it to your jewellery collection with these hand-made pieces from Dorset Peapod Pendant – With a choice of 2, 3, or 4 peas, this charming pendant is also available with 9ct yellow gold peas to order.  Bumble Bee Pendant and Earrings – Give a charming matching set, with a solid cast 9ct yellow gold bee pendant and matching earrings in either drop or stud style. Also available in sterling silver.   BUY NOW Stand G98: Spring Fair STIHL – Cordless Gardening Equipment – £119 – £169 Tackle your garden with some new gardening tech! GTA 26 Cordless Garden Pruner – A multifaceted tool, able to prune trees and shrubs, cut up garden waste and assist in building with wood thanks to its ¼” PM3 saw chain for powerful cutting. Designed for use with both hands, with comfortable rubberised handles for accuracy and ease. HSA 26 Cordless Garden Shears – These battery-powered handheld shrub shears are perfect for gardens of any size, making pruning small-leaved trees and shrubs easy. Coming with an easily interchangeable grass trimming blade, it allows you to maintain topiary, hedges and lawn edges.  BUY NOW Stand F25: the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair Stand FM3: BBC Gardeners’ World Live John Cullen Gardens – Achillea Love Collection – £29.99 Give a gift that will last for years with a drought tolerant collection of Achillea that benefits the all-important pollinators and make a great cut flower. Containing 4 of the most popular red and pink Achillea, they can be planted right away as long as the ground is not frozen.   BUY NOW Stand G460: BBC Gardeners’ World Live SeeHow – £47.99 A garden design tool for everybody, SeeHow is developed to help gardening see when plants will flower through Plantsticks. Each Plantstick shows the colours of individual plants, as well as how and when they grow and flower throughout the calendar year. Look ahead into how your garden could bloom in 2023.  BUY NOW Stand G32: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Allet – Grooved Front Rollers – £199 – £219If you’re looking to up your lawncare, this innovative grooved roller is a great addition to your kit. With 23% of its surface area in contact with the ground, the remaining 77% is ready to be presented to a the bottom blade, leaving you with a cleaner cut and less stragglers. With 2 sizes available (17”/20”), improve your straight lining with a more manoeuvrable mover and achieve most perfectly straight stripes.  BUY NOW Stand G130: BBC Gardeners’ World Live Traditional Garden Growers – Natural Wool Pellets – £9.99 Improve your produce in a sustainable way by using wool pellets. Only needing a single application each year, they enhance the soil as they degrade and feed plants naturally. Easy to store and apply, this environmentally friendly option is made from 100% British wool and boast many benefits, including moisture retention, increased soil porosity, long acting fertiliser and slug deterrant.  BUY NOW Stand G26: BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair Distinctive Iron Work – 4ft & 6ft “Loopies” – Multi Use Looped Planting Stakes – Set of 3 – £30 – £40 Suitable for both gardens and the allotment, grow either plants or vegetables against this planting system which can be formed into a variety of structures – from in line to arches, obelisks, fans and more!  BUY NOW Stand G156 at Spring Fair A Great Escape Art – 100% Silk Scarves – £50 – £75 Bring a splash of horticulture to the wardrobe with a colourful silk scarf. Designed from original paintings, this collection of 100% silk twill and chiffon scarves reflect the changing seasons and all come with a matching care card and presentation box.   BUY NOW Related news See who’s on when at the Spring Fair! 17 Apr 2024 Read More » Top 10 must-have house plants 12 Apr 2024 Read More » Rosy Hardy: Perfecting Propagation 05 Apr 2024 Read More » Rosy Hardy: Perfecting Propagation 05 Apr 2024 Read More » Duck egg custard with forced rhubarb 05 Apr 2024 Read More » Duck egg custard with forced rhubarb 05 Apr 2024 Read More »

Add the colour of 2023 to your garden - Viva Magenta! As we bloom into the year 2023 with new resolutions, we’re looking to Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Viva Magenta, to inspire you to blossom in your gardens in 2023.Pantone has named its highly anticipated Colour of the Year for 2023. This is an annual trend forecast by the colour giant that determines which colour is set to appear all over our homes and gardens in the following year. Viva Magenta is a fabulous pop of colour to add to your border, windowsill or outdoor space, bringing a brave, joyous and vibrant splash of warmth to your garden.What’s more, this empowering colour appeared across many gardens at BBC Gardeners’ World Events in 2022, so we’ve got the perfect inspiration to help you pick out plants for your garden in 2023’s trendiest hue… EchinaeceasGrow ‘Satisfy’, ‘Delicious Candy’ or ‘Magnus’ for a pop of Viva Magenta. These flamboyant echinaceas featured on English Heritage’s Formal Bedding in a Dry Future Beautiful Border by Emma Peirce and Felicity Gray at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair in 2022.Easy to grow, echinaceas are a striking plant to plot in any garden and will bring many buzzy visitors to your patch, including bees and other pollinators. Their seeds also offer something for the birds. Grow at the front of your border or in containers in full sun.  Sow in March or April, or plant in May and June for brilliant flowers all the way through to late summer in September. AstilbeTry growing: ‘Spotlight’ You may have spotted this pop of magenta on the Where the Wild Things Are Beautiful Border at BBC Gardeners’ World Live in 2022 by Zoe Cook, Trellis Designed Limited.Astilbe is a perennial with showy plumes of dramatic flowers atop fern-like foliage, perfect for a shady corner to add height and colour. These flowers will bring pollinators, especially hoverflies to your plot. Dianthus Grow ‘Sugar Plum’ or ‘Sweet William’ varieties for a warm pink pop of colour. Did you spot these in the Floral Marquee at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022? A traditional cottage plant, dianthus come in all sorts of colours and fragrant scents. Plot these in your garden beds or at the front of sunny borders and in containers. What’s more, these flowers make great cuttings to bring indoors, so you’ll be able to bring Viva Magenta into your home space.Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering and trim back in autumn to promote new growth. Bergamot monarda didyma At BBC Gardeners’ World Live, you may have seen these fiery pops of colour peeping out in Frances Tophill’s Show Garden. Why not try growing it at home?These plants are another popular plant for bees, with a long flowering season, an aromatic foliage.Grow plants in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Mulch around the roots with garden compost annually, and divide congested clumps in spring. FoxglovesWhy not try: ‘Ruby Slippers’ Foxgloves come in a range of colours you can add to your garden. Featured in the photo are some foxgloves you may have come across at BBC Gardeners’ World Live on Alexandra Froggatt’s floral feature inspired by the Peaky Blinders to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the BBC.Find out more about how to create your own foxglove haven at home from our previous blog here. LupinsGrow: ‘My Castle’  A cottage garden favourite, lupin offers both height and colour to your garden plot. Their flowers are loved by bumblebees and they make a fantastic cut flower to bring indoors.Plant in full sun and make sure to protect your plants from slugs and snails.  PenstemonsGrow: ‘Raven’, ‘Garnet’, ‘Geoff Hamilton’ or ‘Flamingo’ Get growing Penstemons for a flourish of late summer flowers. Plant in groups of three or five for impact. Grow in moist, well drained soil in full sun and mulch annually.  Roses Try: Rosa ‘Munstead Wood’ or Rosa ‘Charles de Mills’ Roses are some of the most beautiful garden plants and make lovely cut flowers. They come in a variety of forms, from patio roses to shrub roses, ramblers and climbers. Most roses need sun and heavy soils to thrive. Mulch your roses annually with organic matter for the best results and make sure to also prune to promote healthy growth and encourage flowering. You can plant bare-root roses from November to March. Are you a garden designer interested in bringing a Beautiful Border in 2023? Beautiful Borders are an annual visitor favourite at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair as they display a variety of excellent designs, space savvy ideas, planting combinations and creative features that can be packed into a small garden. At just a few square metres, creating a Beautiful Border is a fantastic way to showcase your skills to a large audience of keen gardeners, press and experts.This year, we invite you, garden designers and creators, to encapsulate the essence of your ideal garden escape, by designing a Beautiful Border at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair 2023. Your interpretation of the ‘My Garden Escape’ theme might be a quiet oasis or refuge, a place of mindfulness or an area shaped around it’s mental health benefits and sensory aspects. Or is your ‘Garden Escape’ a place for friends and family to gather, to grow edibles for your table, to let your hair down in, or a firework display of exuberance and colour? Perhaps your Garden escape reflects one of your hobbies or pastimes, or maybe it embodies your ultimate happy place. Find out more here. Calling all garden designers! Find out more about designing a Beautiful Border in 2023... FIND OUT MORE Looking for even more gardening inspiration? 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Grow your own garlic tips for flavoursome fritters Calling all garlic lovers! Have you ever tried growing your own? We’ve paired some helpful tips from our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, with a tantalising fritter recipe, as seen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022, to bring fantastic flavours to your winter table. This December, why not try sowing garlic for a crop that makes a delicious seasoning to your cooking all year round. Plus, garlic takes up very little space and is an easy crop to grow. Make sure you always buy bulbs at the garden centre or order them from a seed supplier – don’t use bulbs from the supermarket. Ready to use your freshly grown garlic gloves in a delicious recipe? If you’re bored of roast and mash potatoes this winter, why not try making sweet potato and saltfish fritters to put a kick back into your dinner time. Find out more about the recipe below… How to growPlot garlic in a warm, sunny spot in well-drained soil that doesn’t get too wet in winter – dig in some home-made compost or well-rotted manure for best resultsSow in small pots, a large container or directly in the ground 15cm apart, leaving 30cm between rowsBreak the bulbs into separate cloves and plant the large ones with the fat end downwards and the pointy end 2.5cm below the soil.TIP! Lay bird netting or fleece over new plants until the shoots are 5cm tall to keep the birds at bay whilst your garlic grows. Caring for garlic Water regularly in spring and early summer Reduce watering once you see the foliage turning yellow – this is a sign that the bulbs are reaching maturity.  Weed between the plants to reduce the competition for water and nutrients.  Remove any flowers, or ‘scapes’ the plants produce – you can eat these in stir-fries. Time to harvest!When the leaves have turned yellow, gently lift out bulbs with a fork or trowel, taking care not to damage them. Leave the garlic to dry out for a couple of days, by laying it out on a table or tray, in full sun.Once the bulbs are dry and feel papery to touch, you can either store them loose or plait their foliage to make a traditional string of bulbs. Store in a cool, dry place. Take care not to bruise the bulbs, as any damage can make them deteriorate in storage.  White sweet potato and saltfish fritters, ackee cream and green seasoning oilThis recipe is from the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022, as seen on the Big Kitchen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer with chef Andi Oliver. Serves 6-8.IngredientsFor the ackee cream:165g canned sweetcorn180g canned ackee200ml oat cream For the green seasoning oil:1 handful of mixed herbs (such as sorrel leaves, chervil and tarragon)2 thyme sprigs10g Christmas bush or bay leaf1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley1 small bunch of coriander4 spring onions10 garlic gloves1 green chilli or 1 scotch bonnet chilli (depending on how hot you’d like it)6 little Caribbean seasoning peppers, or a mix of red, yellow and green mini sweet peppers1/2 white onion400ml cold pressed rapeseed oil For the fritters:250g white sweet potato, grated120g skinless and boneless saltfish, twice oiled, drained and rinsed110g grated white onions4 garlic cloves, finely grated15g finely grated ginger 1sp turmeric1tsp cumin seeds1tsp chilli flakes40g self-raising flour30g fine cornmeal1 thyme sprig, leaves only8g finely chopped chives500ml oil (vegetable/rapeseed/sunflower) Method 1.To make the seasoning oil, blend all the ingredients together, add seasoning, and blend until smooth. Sieve the mixture to create a green oil.2.In a bowl, combine the fritter ingredients (minus the oil) plus a big pinch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly using your hands, squeezing the mixture so it all sticks together. Cover and set aside.3.Heat the oil in a wide pan to 150-170C. Test the heat of the oil by dropping a pinch of the potato mixture into it – if it rises and starts to golden quickly, it’s ready to fry. Slip 1 tbsp of mixture at a time into the hot oil until golden. Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate or bowl lined with kitchen paper to get rid of any excess oil.4.To make the ackee cream, gently toast sweetcorn until it’s slightly charred. Add the ackee and cook for 1-2mins and mix. Blitz the mixture with the oat cream in a blender until smooth and season.5.To serve, divide the ackee cream between six-eight shallow bowls or plates, top with two or three fritters and drizzle the seasoning oil over the top. Looking for garden inspiration? Find out what was on at the Autumn Fair Find out more about the BBC Good Food Market

Make someone's day merry & bright this Christmas! It’s time to write up that list of names and start the hunt for the perfect gift! Whether treating a veteran horticulturalist or someone who’s only just taking root in the gardening world, there’s something for anyone with a green-thumb below. Featuring products from exhibitors who will be attending BBC Gardeners’ World Live Events in 2023, get ready to tick names off your list and ease your festive shopping worries.  Please note that all gifts are subject to availability and delivery times of independent suppliers may vary.  The gift of a day out  Tickets make a great gift for anyone with green fingers, a day to look forward to!  With BBC Gardeners World Live at Birmingham’s NEC, 15-18 June, and the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair in the stunning grounds of Beaulieu in Hampshire, 28-30 April, there are plenty of days to choose from. Plus, save the date for the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair at Audley End House & Garden in Essex, 1 – 3 September (on sale Feb).  BOOK TICKETS Luxury Gardening Gifts Hydria Life – Hydria Christmas Bundle £179.99 Hydria is the latest in garden tech, having won the prestigious Glee New Product Award and their brilliant bundle comes with the Fountain Kit, Premium Planter and a Christmas Collectible. Harnessing new battery technology, this remote-controlled water feature with lights can run for a 2-month period between charges. Assembled in minutes in any planter wider than 30cm, it will bring the relaxing sound of water to gardens and balconies.   Buy Now Ecosure – 180 Litre City Water Butt Planter£215 Doubling up as an elegant planter, this water butt is one that won’t be hidden away in any garden – it could even become a focal point! With extra-large capacity, collect naturally soft rainwater to sate any garden’s thirst. With brass outlets moulded into the front and back, this water butt planter works for both watering cans and hoses.  Buy Now STIHL – iMOW®£1,100 – £2,000Cultivate the perfect lawn without the effort using the STIHL iMOW® robotic mower. By cutting grass clippings finely before dropping them back to the ground to act as a fertiliser, iMOW will help your lawn to look lusher over time without you needing to lift a finger.  Buy Now Enchanted Earth – Dancing Leaves Kinetic Garden Wind Spinner£79Make a real statement with this stylish wind spinner that would look stunning nestled amongst beds and borders. Covered with durable copper powder coated finish to make sure the brushed copper is scratch resistant and won’t weather, it will bring movement and style to any garden.   Buy Now Plant Gifts Top Five Christmas Plants – Hillier£12.99-19.99From the stunning sweet box to the winter-flowering hellebore, give a living gift this year. All available to purchase on the Hillier online shop or in their Garden Centres, subject to availability.Helleborus ericsmithii HGC Frosty: enjoy dazzling white flowers with a delightful yellow centre blooming above this evergreen perennial with dark green leaves.Sarcococca confuse: bring sweetly scented flowers to your woodland borders, followed by blackberries with this bushy, evergreen shrub.Viburnum globosum ‘Jermyns Globe’: whether standing alone or part of a mixed border, this rounded, evergreen shrub will bring deep green leathery foliage all year round, as well as white flowers followed by small black fruits in spring.Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum Group: if you prefer deciduous shrubs of open growth, this one boasts oval leaves with 4-petalled pale pink flowers borne in racemes in the leaf axils in late winter and early spring.Sarcococca hookerania ‘Winter Gem’: bring a highly scented evergreen shrub to a shady corner or woodland border, with white flowers opening from red buds in winter, followed by red-black fruits.Can’t choose? Let them decide with a Hillier gift card. Buy Now Winter Flowering Cherry – Hedges Direct£44.99Add a splash of colour in the colder months with the pretty pink and white flowers of a deciduous flowering cherry tree, perfect for smaller spaces. Blooming periodically during milder weather spells between November and March, this specimen also provides deep-green foliage and small fruits that will be popular with local birds.   Buy Now Agapanthus ‘Sweet Surprise’ – Fairweather’s Plant Shop£9-17 Let this gift live up to its name – a pale blue evergreen agapanthus that opens into a beautiful star-shape.  BUY NOW Floyd’s Climbers – Clematis Christmas Surprise£12Bring a new burst of colour to the garden with an evergreen Clematis. 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With 6 colours to choose from, you’ll find a style to suit.   Buy Now Carbon Gold – 1L Biochar Houseplant Booster£9.99 Help them nurture their houseplants with an organic Soil Association Approved booster designed to support healthier growth by preventing drying out, supporting healthy soil and giving better airflow to protect the roots. Perfect for any indoor plant, including cacti!  Buy Now Jasell Home and Gifts – Wrendale Designs Hydrangea and Bee Garden Pocket Tool Bag£21.99 Have their tools at the ready with a handy bag, finished in the ‘hydrangea and bee’ Wrendale Designs print! A great addition to any gardener’s collection, with plenty of pockets for everything you need and finished with durable handles, a waterproof lining and an antique brass wren detail.  Buy Now Edible Gardening Gifts Robinson Seeds and Plants – Seed Collections£8-£12 Whether they’re craving leeks, radishes or kale, there’s a seed collection for any green fingered friend who’d like to grow their own. 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You can get access to ALL of them in 2023 with the Do What You Love Annual Pass. With 17 events to choose from across the year, they’ll be spoilt for choice! Quote DWYL15 for 15% off the annual pass – that’s entry to 17 events for just £68 (worth over £320).*Offer valid for a limited time only. Buy Now Caley Brothers – The world is your oyster mushroom tote bag £12  Show the world your loved one is the champion of growing their own! With this tote bag, the world is truly your oyster (mushroom).  Ever tried growing your own mushrooms? At the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair, the Caley Brothers will be running a workshop to show you the ropes. Find out more here… Buy Now BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine special edition guidesFrom £7.99The BBC Gardeners’ World special edition guides are the perfect treat for every gardener. 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How your garden can help wildlife this winter With the colder months just around the corner, find out what you can do in your garden to help wildlife. With some garden inspiration from our past Shows, you’re sure to have plenty of ideas for your plot.  We’d like to thanks our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine for help with the useful tips and advice below! Habitat piles Use logs, twigs, pots, leaves and other garden debris to create a habitat pile for wildlife looking for somewhere to bed down for the winter. Choose somewhere out of the way that will be undisturbed. Dry areas make great places for insects and mammals, while damp areas will attract amphibians. Time to put away the bee hotel If you put up a bee hotel in the spring or summer, make sure to take it down in the winter months and pop it in a shed or dry place, to avoid damp conditions which could put any bees nesting inside at risk of fungal infections. Don’t bring your bee hotel into the house as the warmth may wake up your nesting bees early! You can put the bee hotel back up in March when the weather is warmer. Mulch, mulch, mulch! Here at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, we love a Beautiful Border. Make sure to mulch your borders – collect leaves each autumn to use as mulch the following year. This replicates the natural cycles of a woodland floor, increases worm activity in the soil, and provides shelter for centipedes and beetles.  Help the birds As well as stocking up bird feeders with fat balls, peanuts, seeds and more, you could also try making your own helpful nesting supply. Using a bird feeder, stuff nesting wool, cones, twigs, leaves, grass clippings, straw, moss and more.  Create your own water feature Having a source of water in the garden is a great way to encourage all sorts of wildlife to your garden, throughout the year. You can find out how to create your own naturalistic pond here. Or, why not try creating a smaller water feature, using a large ceramic bowl or perhaps an upcycled basin to create a small area for wildlife to flourish, or for birds to bathe.  Feeling inspired? 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Top tips for homegrown onions and a tasty home-made tart Sink your teeth into some grow your own inspiration and try growing your own onions. With some gardening advice from our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, you’ll be able to make a delicious tart, using Nadiya Hussain’s recipe as seen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022. From soups and salads, to warming onion gravies, curries, tarts and much more, onions find their way into a huge variety of dishes, giving you all the more reason to get them into your plot this November. Read below for some great growing tips, and for a tasty tart recipe, perfect for your homegrown produce.  TIP! In autumn, common onion planting varieties include ‘Autumn Champion’ and ‘Electric’ – these are more tolerant to the colder conditions.  How to growPlant a small onion set 10-15cm apart in moist, fertile soil in a sunny spot, with the tips showing out of the soil surface. Allow 30cm between rowsKeep the area weed freeGrowing onions from sets is usually a little easier and quicker, but you can also grow from seed. Sow these indoors 1cm apart in moist compost in January. When the seedlings are a few inches tall, transplant them into multi-purpose compost. You’ll be able to plant them into the garden come spring. Help with problemsStop birds from pulling up your onions by covering them with horticultural fleeceWatch out for drooping yellow foliage – this could be a sign of fly larvae. Planting parsley with your onions can help prevent thisBe careful of neck rot – this can be prevented through not overcrowding when planting When the leaves droop over and turn brown, it’s time to harvest your onions! Loosen the soil with a fork and lift out your produce. To store, leave your onions on a drying rack or on newspaper. Their outer skins will rustle when they’re dry, and you can then hang them in a cool, dark, dry place to store. Feeling hungry? Why not try making a delicious tart with your home-grown produce, as seen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer at the 2022 Show. Find out more below… French onion and blue cheese tartThis recipe is from the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022, as seen on the Big Kitchen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer with chef Nadiya Hussain. The recipe is from Nadiya Bakes by Nadiya Hussain.Ingredients2 tbsp butter2 large lemon thyme sprigs, leaves picked1 garlic clove, grated5 onions, thinly sliced (about 1kg)2 tsp caster sugar1 sheet ready rolled pastry1 egg, lightly beaten150g blue cheesesmall handful of chipped chives, to serve Method 1.Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, and add the onions, garlic and lemon thyme leaves, mixing everything together. Mix in the sugar, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Stirring occasionally, leave to cook for 30 minutes on a medium heat.2.Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray using parchment. Roll out the pastry onto the tray.3.Score a smaller rectangle 1cm inside the pastry rectangle gently with a knife. Make sure you don’t cut the pastry all the way through. Next pierce the inner rectangle with a fork, to allow steam to escape. Brush the edges with the egg, and bake for 20 minutes.4.With the back of a spoon, push down the puffed-up pastry of the inner rectangle to leave you a neat border.5.Crumble the blue cheese and onions into the pastry and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before eating and sprinkle your chives on top. Looking for garden inspiration? Find out what was on at the Autumn Fair Find out more about the BBC Good Food Market

Grow your own pears and tuck into a delicious tarte tatin Pears make for a lovely addition to any garden, bearing delicious fruit, and an attractive ornamental look. We’ve paired some growing tips from BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and a tantalising tarte recipe as seen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer. If you’ve already got pear trees, you are probably enjoying the reaps of your harvest already. With some help from our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, we’ve put together some top growing tips for pear trees to inspire you to get growing at home. What’s more, we’ve also got a delicious recipe in store for your pear produce as seen on the Big Kitchen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022. Find out more below about how to make your own homegrown pear tarte tatin from John Torode and Lisa Faulkner. How to growPear trees like moist but well-drained soil in full to partial shadeMulch annually with manure or compostTo protect your trees from frost, plant them against a south-facing wall or fenceWhen planting, dig a square shaped hole to allow the roots to spread out evenly. Dress the top of the soil generously with mulchSimilar to apple trees, most varieties of pear trees rely on a pollinating partner. For the best results, make sure to plant two pear trees to help them pollinate successfully.Bare-root pear trees should be planted when dormant, between November and March. Potted pear trees can be planted in other times of the year.  Caring for your pear treesWatch out for frosts and provide fleecing to protect from cold snapsMulch annually in spring and water in dry spellsPear trees can be pruned when dormant in midwinter – remove any dead, diseased or dying branchesIn summer, improve air circulation by pruning to enrich the shape and health of your tree, making sure fruits can develop and ripenYou should be able to harvest your pears from late August. Pick them when the fruit is still firm to the touch. Cup the fruit in your hand and twist off gently. Store in a cool dark place where the fruits will ripen. Feeling inspired? Why not try making a warming pear tarte tatin, as seen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer at the 2022 Show. Find out more below… Pear tarte tatinThis recipe is from the BBC Good Food Show Summer 2022, as seen on the Big Kitchen at the BBC Good Food Show Summer with John Torode and Lisa Faulkner.Ingredients100g salted butter4 pears, peeled and cut  into quarters lengthways100g caster sugar1 vanilla pod or 1 heaped teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 pack ready-rolled puff pastryice cream or crème fraiche, to serve Method 1.Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. In an ovenproof heavy-based frying pan, melt the butter and add the sugar, pears, vanilla seeds and pod. Cook for about 10-15 minutes and keep stirring so the pears don’t stick to the pan. Then, turn the heat up and cook for another 10-15 minutes. The pears and sugary butter should turn a lovely golden caramelised brown. Be careful not to let it burn – keep watching and shake the pan to prevent any sticking.2.If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, transfer the pears and sugary butter to a 20cm pie dish. Next, roll the pastry out to just slightly larger than your pan or pie dish to around 1cm thick. 3.Lay the pastry over the pears and tuck it around the edges to form an upside-down tart. Bake for 30-40 minutes in the oven.4.Once out of the oven, use a large serving dish to place over the top of the tart and turn the tart over.5.Serve warm with ice cream or a dollop of crème fraiche. Looking for garden inspiration? Find out what's on at the Autumn Fair Find out more about the BBC Good Food Market coming to the Autumn Fair

Top tips for a budget friendly garden Spending quality time in your garden is a great way to extend the comfort of your living space – and make the most of your home. Whether your entertaining, relaxing, or simply enjoy gardening, your outdoor space will offer several opportunities to take pleasure in, no matter how big or small. And, what’s more – you don’t need to have a huge budget to create a garden that you want to spend time in. We’ve teamed up with Marshalls, who supply garden products to our Beautiful Borders and small space gardens at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, to give you five top tips to make the most of your garden on a budget – so you can enjoy it with friends and family all year round. Written by Marshalls Be self-sufficientConsider building your own planters or outdoor seating using waste wood from another project, or you can access timber from your local builders’ merchant. Take inspiration from social media and online guides– there are plenty of tools available online to truly “do it yourself”. You could also think about creating your very own kitchen garden – and we don’t mean a high-flying al fresco restaurant! Convert a section of your garden into a vegetable patch and “grow your own”, so you can enjoy a new past time while watching the pennies too. Create a biodiverse spacePerhaps the easiest and cheapest way to give your patio a quick boost is to add new  plants for a pop of colour, they can look especially great in a mix of different sized pots set at angles on natural coloured paving. Whether you go for pansies, or you opt for swathes of violet lobelia, good old-fashioned begonias, prolific geraniums with their distinctive scent, or sweet busy lizzies, you’ll enjoy vibrant colours which will freshen up any patio. You can also be safe in the knowledge that you’re creating a beautifully biodiverse space in your very own home. Sitting prettyThe key to spending time outdoors is to make it comfy; and the right set of furniture can do wonders when you want to update your patio on a budget. Buying your furniture second hand is a great way to save money and make it more affordable, a fresh lick of exterior paint will give it a new lease of life. Whether you buy from local shops or take a browse on Facebook marketplace, there are a range of furniture sets waiting to be the perfect addition to your garden space. Become ‘wasteless’With the ever-growing change to our climate, investing in a wasteless garden can benefit you for years to come. Think about the drainage of your garden, and perhaps consider a landscape that needs little (or a mix) of watering. Investing in a patio area may save you money in the long term when considering up-keep of large, grassy areas. Permeable paving is also a great option for your front garden, to ensure your drive has sufficient drainage when needed. Mix and matchThis energetic trend provides plenty to catch the eye. Planting at different levels and using a mix of paving sizes and colours in a clever composition with a bit of creative flair, provides an impressive and affordable outdoor space. Choose a paving that’s available in a variety of sizes and/or colours to create extra interest and contrast. Richmond Utility Paving is one affordable option that can be used to great effect in a mixed media patio, or Organa is another popular option. If you have any advice you’d like to ask our friends at Marshalls, make sure to find out more on their website here. Plus, did you see the Marshalls Sustainability Garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2022? Find out more here. With thanks to: Delve into garden inspiration and see what was at the Autumn Fair Click here to discover our latest news and top tips

The proof is in the pruning Pruning stimulates dense growth and reduces the plants natural tendency to grow as rapidly as possible, which would lead to a thin, sparse hedge. When to prune? How to prune? How often to prune? Am I cutting too much? Am I cutting too little? What are the best tools to use? …These are just some of the questions our friends at Hedges Direct get asked, so we thought we’d team up and explore the complicated world of hedging pruning.Find out more about pruning below from our friends at Hedges Direct, who supply garden products to the Small Space Gardens and Beautiful Borders at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair. Written by Hedges Direct Deciduous hedging Deciduous hedging is pruned in the summer to stop plants becoming unruly. This is considered maintenance pruning. In winter, deciduous shrubs, which shed their leaves, can be reshaped by cutting back hard. Most deciduous woody plants, including beech and hornbeam put on two flushes of growth in a year, one main flush during spring, and a second, smaller spurt, during late summer. Ideally, they should be trimmed back after each flush to keep them tidy.Beech and Hornbeam (carpinus betulus) hedging is best trimmed in August or September, as this will enhance the winter appearance and help to keep leaves on the branches for longer. Cut both hedges again in February if you want to keep them crisp. Tackle any major pruning as the plants go dormant and don’t prune in very dry weather.Deciduous flowering hedging plants such as Rosa Rugosa are pruned in spring, when you simply thin out any leggy growth. Hedges such as Hawthorn and Hazel can be trimmed between June and September. Evergreen Hedging Evergreen plants like box and privet are often grown as hedging plants for their ability to cope with close trimming to create a dense stable mass of woody stems covered in foliage.Most evergreen hedging plants are vigorous shrubs and trees, which can be pruned at least twice a year, though more frequent cutting will create a denser hedge. By trimming in late spring and early summer, the young soft growth is targeted, which us easy to cut using shears or a powered hedgetrimmer. You could also cut later in summer, though this will result in a looser hedge which needs a more time-consuming cut with secateurs.Our friends at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine have some further tips on how to trim an Evergreen hedge here. Tools of the trade Most people say it’s best to use secateurs or hand shears, so you don’t tear into the leaf, making it turn brown. Whichever tool you choose, prune back the new long shoots at an angle to two or three leaves from its base.Take a look at some of Hedges Direct’s garden shears here, from their Five Acres garden tools. Finesse your technique When you start pruning a large hedge, trim from the bottom to the top. This is very important, as it allows more sunlight to reach the bottom of the plants.You’re aiming eventually to have cut the hedge into an A shape; the slope you create is known as a ‘batter’. If you just cut upwards in a straight line, the top of the hedge, which always gets more sunlight anyway, will shade the base and you’ll have a plant that’s weaker at the bottom.If you’re cutting a formal hedge it’s worth putting up a line string to keep it level. Set the line of string by eye or by measuring from ground level on each cane, ensuring that the string is the same height all the way along. If there are any dips in the hedge that fall below the line, leave them uncut so that they can fill out.To minimise damage to individual leaves, hedging plants with large leaves, such as Hornbeam, are best cut with secateurs rather than shears or a hedge trimmer. The extra time and effort is worth it, if the hedge is in a very visible position. When using a hedge trimmer or shears you end up with a lot of cut leaves and these can turn brown and unsightly in hot weather. If you have any advice you’d like to ask our friends at Hedges Direct, make sure to find out more on their website here. You can also contact them with your questions or share your own hedge blog by email, on Facebook or on Twitter.With thanks to: Looking for garden inspiration? Find out what's on at the Autumn Fair Find out more about the BBC Good Food Market coming to the Autumn Fair

Gift your garden goodies this Christmas If everything went to plan in your garden this season, you should now be busy reaping the rewards of all that work, harvesting an excess of courgettes, tomatoes and other goodies. So, if your freezer’s full and you’re fed up of ratatouille, why not share the bounty by making some produce-based gifts for Christmas. Rolawn, who supply garden products to the Small Space Gardens and Beautiful Borders at BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, have put together a list of what they’ll be making this autumn. Read on below to find out more! You’ll need a good collection of jam jars or preserving jars, and some fabric and ribbon! Courgettes Curried Courgette & Chilli Relish The humble courgette is one plant that seems to succeed for everyone. When you’ve made all the soup and cakes you can eat, try preserving some as a relish. It’s a great way to prevent waste and makes a very welcome Christmas gift. Rolawn’s Customer Service Manager, Emily, found a great recipe to share: IngredientsMakes approx. 5 jars.1kg grated courgette, water drained (see below)1 very large onion (white or red), finely chopped2 ½ tbsp salt250ml vinegar (any vinegar is fine)225g caster sugar½ tsp ground pepper1 tsp salt1 red chilli, finely chopped (seeds removed, unless you like it hot!)¼ tsp ground nutmeg½ tbsp wholegrain mustard½ tbsp ground turmeric½ tbsp cornflour (made up as per packet instructions)1 tsp curry powder½ tsp ground corianderThe quantity of chilli and curry powder can be varied to taste. Removing water from courgettesThere are a couple of ways to do this. Traditionally, courgettes and other watery vegetables are salted, left for a while for the water to drain out, squeezed and rinsed.Emily prefers to grate the courgette and keep it in the freezer (a great way to store it when you have a glut, it can then be added to meals as you’re cooking!). She then defrosted it in a sieve over a large bowl overnight – a really easy way to remove the water.The courgette water can be used in smoothies, for cooking veg, in stock, or even in a courgette martini!MethodMix everything – except for the courgette and onion – in a large pan and bring to the boil.Add in the courgette and onion, bring back to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.Pour into sterilised jars whilst still warm. PicklingA note on pickling. If you’re planning to pickle your produce the first thing to consider is its freshness because the fresher it is the better. If you suspect yours is past its best, then it is better to use it for jams or chutneys instead. Courgette and Mint Soup This one is useful for eating up courgettes that have been picked for a few days.Serves 3-44 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp butter1 small onion, chopped or grated2 small courgettes, chopped or gratedA pinch of salt300g peas500ml stockA generous handful of mint MethodMelt the butter in a large saucepan and add half the oil. Over a medium heat, sauté the onion until soft, but not browned. Add the courgettes, season and cook for about five minutes before adding the peas and stock. Add extra water to cover the ingredients if necessary. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Check the seasoning, blend the mixture, thinning with more water if needed. Apples Mincemeat is a great way to use apple windfalls or extras that you’re struggling to store. Bottled up in nice preserve jars it could be added to a hamper. Alternatively, it would make a useful donation to school Christmas raffles or local community fairs. Raspberries Homemade tipples are always a favourite and so easy to make. Use 500g of raspberries and 250g of sugar per litre of gin or vodka. Add the raspberries and sugar to a sterilised preserving jar, pour in half the vodka, seal and shake well before adding the remaining vodka.Store the well-sealed jar in a cool, dark place, turning the contents daily, for the first week. After 2 to 3 weeks, strain the liquid into bottles and label. Dried herbsMost herbs can be preserved easily when dried. Simply hang herbs upside down in a warm, dry and airy place, covered with paper bags to prevent dust from settling on them. Once they are crispy dry, crunch them into airtight jars and they’ll keep you going until next year’s crop.  English lavender should really be pruned in the second half of August to help the new shoots to harden before winter, but if you’ve left it for the bees and butterflies to enjoy a while longer, then now is the time to give it a hard prune. Ideally, you would use the flower buds to make scented bags as they have the strongest concentration of essential oil but, rather than waste what you chop down now, you can still dry the seeds for lavender bags. To make these really simple bags, once the seeds are dry, cut some small circles of fabric (use a saucer or side plate as a template), place about a tablespoon of seeds in the centre then gather up the fabric and tie a piece of ribbon around to secure it.With all of these relatively simple creations you can spread the joy of your garden among friends, relatives and neighbours this Christmas. Or even just relish a little reminder of the enjoyment and pleasure you got from growing it all in the first place!  Setting up your beds for next yearDon’t forget, once you’ve harvested all your produce, the soils in your beds and borders may need to be revitalised. Make sure you’re using a suitable soil, in particular for edible crops – check that it is certified as suitable for residential home-grown use. Find out more in Rolawn’s Guide to selecting the right topsoil. About Rolawn Rolawn have been producing trusted turf and topsoils for fifty years. Grown and produced in the Vale of York, their consistent, horticulturally focused products are designed so that both domestic gardeners and horticultural professionals can create beautiful landscapes that will be enjoyed for years. Find out more about Rolawn here. Looking for garden inspiration? Find out what's on at the Autumn Fair Find out more about the BBC Good Food Market coming to the Autumn Fair