Leonardslee: The gardens that light up West Sussex
Changes are afoot at the famous rhododendron gardens of Leonardslee, which are now being planted for year-round interest. Charles Quest-Ritson reports.
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Larch Cottage, Cumbria: An immersive journey amid a wealth of architecture, ornaments and plants to find magic and tranquillity
Charles Quest-Ritson joins the legion of garden enthusiasts who make the pilgrimage to the dramatic plant nurseries at Larch Cottage in Cumbria. Photographs by Val Corbett for Country Life.
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The spectacular flowers that will thrive on chalky soils
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Charles Quest-Ritson: The 'devastating consequences' when two of Britain's greatest-ever gardeners met for afternoon tea
A single meeting between Graham Stuart Thomas and Gertrude Jekyll shaped the career and thinking of the 'greatest gardener ever', says Charles Quest-Ritson. But at what cost?
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West Lavington Manor: The gardens four centuries in the making
Originally laid out in the 1630s, the garden at West Lavington Manor in Wiltshire is today the home of Mr and Mrs Andrew Doman. And in its latest iteration, says Charles Quest-Ritson, has found a perfect balance between planting and design. Photographs by Jason Ingram.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: 'I'm always amazed by the codswallop that garden experts write'
Charles Quest-Ritson takes aim at some of the gardening advice that constantly does the rounds despite being complete nonsense.
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Why everyone needs to plant an arboretum — or at least one or two trees
Trees don’t need to be weeded, pruned, sprayed and fussed about. The only catch is that they take a while to grow — so don't wait any longer.
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The rose variety that's ridiculously easy to grow: 'Stuff some cuttings into the soil and two years later, they'll be flourishing'
Rose expert Charles Quest-Ritson on the delights of the rambling rose.
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A nursery where you'll come away having spent a lot of money — but you'll be very pleased to have done so
Charles Quest-Ritson takes a look at the incomparable hepaticas of John Massey.
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Knoyle Place: The magnificent garden in the village where Christopher Wren grew up
The more you look at Knoyle Place — the Wiltshire home of the Comtesse de La Morinière — the more there is to admire. Charles Quest-Ritson takes a look at this magnificent garden, which has been subtly and beautifully enhanced in recent decades. Photographs by Mimi Connolly.
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Borde Hill Gardens, and the glory of its incomparable magnolias
As the fifth generation takes on the care of the historic Borde Hill Garden in West Sussex, Charles Quest-Ritson rejoices in the unique legacy of its horticulturally astute owners.
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There are over 1,000 different citrus fruits out there — and you owe it to yourself to try something a little different
Once, there were just four types of wild citrus, but farmers and gardeners over the centuries have selected for wonderful variety and abundance, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
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The place you'll find the world's best roses — and it's nowhere near Britain
Charles Quest-Ritson is man who literally wrote the book on roses — several of them, actually — but he'll openly concede that his best efforts in Hampshire are as nothing compared to the best Australia has to offer.
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In search of a mutant snowdrop
Charles Quest-Ritson tells the tale of a snowdrop that proved a painfully elusive wintry delight.
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The man who was 'by far the most significant breeder of rhododendrons of the 20th century'
Charles Quest-Ritson pays tribute to the great Hans Hachmann, the most important plantsman you've probably never heard of.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: I hate almost all alliums — their colour is hideous, their smell is disgusting — but there's one I've fallen hopelessly in love with
Charles Quest-Ritson loves almost all flowers. And the emphasis this week is very much on 'almost'.
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Thenford Arboretum: 70 acres of spectacular autumn brilliance
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Charles Quest-Ritson: All gardening is habitat destruction, but gardens have a purpose — and rewilding is an absurd fantasy
The 19th century's hugely successful cultivation of plants on the once-barren Ascension Island has lessons for us today, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
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Why every garden needs an iris (and why there's an iris for every garden)
Charles Quest-Ritson on the irises to plant, the ones you'll never manage to grow in Britain, and the ones to avoid unless you're happy for them to take over half of your garden.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: The dismal mistake made by the RHS's judges with the 'best in show' award at Chelsea
'A jumble of rewilding and beaver dams' won the 2022 RHS Chelsea Flower Show best in show, and Charles despairs both of the judges and his own attempts to pick a winner.
