Amateur Gardening

Every week, Amateur Gardening is the first choice for both beginners and knowledgeable gardeners looking for advice and easy-to-follow practical features on growing flowers, trees, shrubs as well as fruit and vegetables. Be inspired, by our beautifully illustrated features covering plant and flower groups, both home grown and exotic, and take a sneak peek into some of the most beautiful private gardens around the country. Plus, every week we feature expert opinion and tips from some of gardening’s most influential exponents including Toby Buckland, Bob Flowerdew, Anne Swithinbank, Peter Seabrook and Jo Whittingham.

Editor’s Note

Where the wild things are • Wildlife-friendly gardens benefit us and nature, says Ruth

Give garden nature a hand • Offer food, water and shelter as we move towards winter

Cutting back on chemicals

Hedgehog care and hibernation

Compost bags recycling scheme • UK garden centres are helping to reduce plastic waste

Big Garden Birdwatch is back in ‘23

What’s On

Forced bulbs and tulips • Bulb season continues, inside and out, says Ruth

It’s time to make leaf mould • Ruth extols the value of this precious free commodity

Winter crops undercover • Make the most of your growing space all year, says Ruth

Training exercise • Espaliers, cordons and other training methods rely on the best supports. Bob explains how to train your fruits

Native versus non-native • Should we stick to native plants in gardens? Val thinks not

Focus on…Rhubarb • Lucy explains how to give your ’barb a lift

New shrubs and climbers • Want to buy a new variety of shrub or climber to brighten up your garden? Graham Rice has been checking out the latest newcomers and reveals his pick of the best on offer

Tulips for containers • Late autumn is when we empty our summer containers, so why not replant yours with tulips, says Anne Swithinbank, as she looks at the best tall, medium and short cultivars

Amateur Gardening TRAVEL OFFERS

This week… Birches • With beautiful bark, attractive foliage and distinctive catkins, birches have a lot to offer

Ask JOHN NEGUS • John will reply personally to all your gardening questions

Garden sieves and riddles • With the use of peat free, sieves are back in use. Steve and Val Bradley test six types

A gardener’s MISCELLANY • Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke

AG’s Garden Wall

Word search

Crossword…just for fun!

Get Christmas wrapped up

Ask ANNE SWITHINBANK • Masterclass on: Composting weeds

The Perfect Christmas Gift

Your LETTERS TO WENDY

Cuckoo Cuckoo Where are you?

The front garden winner • Mel Hurd’s 19 years of hard work paid off recently when she won the best front garden award at Wales in Bloom – and it was well deserved, says Sue Bradley

Health service • A sickly mistletoe cactus brings out the inner doctor in Toby so he reaches for his medical kit in search of a cure