The Garden magazine back issues

Revisit the 2021 highlights of The Garden and immerse yourself in the world of gardening with a look back at horticultural developments, fascinating gardens, news, trends and ideas from our shows, findings from plant trials, as well as a celebration of all things RHS

January 2021

  • Why grow rhodos? – David Rankin explodes some myths around rhododendrons and argues why they should be more widely grown by gardeners
  • Avon Bulbs – in his lastest Great British Nurseries series, Phillip Clayton travels to Somerset to meet specialists in snowdrops and bulbous plants
  • Indoor ferns – Christopher J Young, Glasshouse Team Leader at RHS Garden Wisley, explores the fascinating world of ferns to grow indoors

February 2021

  • Woodland perennials – with spring on its way, Colin Ward identifies shady spots below trees and shrubs that could be transformed with exciting plants
  • Constant gardener – Shane Connolly looks at material from the RHS Libraries, which helps tell the story of gifted plantswoman Constance Spry
  • Wildlife in residence at RHS Gardens – reduced visitor numbers at RHS Gardens allowed a wide range of wildlife to thrive and reclaim the gardens during the first lockdown as Kate Bradbury finds out

March 2021

  • Blurring the borders – Nicola Stocken enjoys the zigzag paths and lush planting in a South London garden that create the illusion of a larger garden
  • Hedging – look again at hedges, says Leigh Hunt, not only for garden value but also for its range of benefits to the environment and wildlife
  • Picking pockets – Lucy Chamberlain suggests six ways to grow vegetables in the tightest of spots, with a good crop choice and a little imagination

April 2021

  • Stars of spring – looking for ways to get your garden to shine this spring? Tommy Tønsberg suggests adding delightful native wood anemones
  • Breaking new ground for science – Matthew Biggs learns more about the new groundbreaking facility, RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science
  • Prairie planting in St Petersburg – in Russia’s former capital, Noel Kingsbury looks at a naturalistic style of gardening that is gaining a following

May 2021

  • Ordnance House – Naomi Slade uncovers a scene-stealing garden in Wiltshire that takes a theatrical approach with a series of interconnecting vistas
  • RHS Garden Bridgewater – take a glimpse of the fifth RHS Garden, a magnificent jewel replete with world-class horticulture, before it opens
  • Viburnum plicatum – Maurice Foster VMH looks at some handsome deciduous shrubs with pleasing shapes that are impressing in an RHS Plant Trial

June 2021

  • Little Court – in this deftly grown country garden in Hampshire, Ursula Buchan finds inspiration from seemingly effortless planting that sings of summer
  • RHS Hilltop’s three gardens – Matthew Biggs takes a look at the new gardens surrounding the RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science
  • On trial: peonies – a five-year RHS Plant Trial of 180 Paeonia identified the best of these glamorous flowering perennials for early summer borders

July 2021

  • Great British Nurseries – Philip Clayton is dazzled by the wonderful work done with Hemerocallis on a visit to Strictly Daylilies near Cambridge
  • Astilbe – with tiny flowers and finely-cut foliage, Nic Wilson looks at some of these airy perennials that are ideal for pond margins and herbaceous borders
  • Long Roof – in this beautiful and eclectic garden in Suffolk, Bunny Guinness discovers perennial meadow-style planting that captivates the eye

August 2021

  • Annual rudbeckias – see the results of a recent RHS demonstration of these summer sizzlers, plus Paul Hansord gives advice on how to grow them
  • Heritage plums – Gerry Edwards looks at some fantastic fruits with a brief history and guided tour of the heritage plums, damsons and gages of the UK
  • A hillside in Sussex – at the Blue Doors garden in West Sussex, Chris Young finds a rare example of a place and its surroundings being in total synergy

September 2021

  • Tasty shrubs – Gareth Richards asks us to try delicious edible fruit from unusual sources. Here he shares 9 shrubs that taste as good as they look
  • Courtyard in London – inspired by the landscapes of Arizona, George Hudson finds a courtyard in London that is a deftly curated plant-lover’s haven
  • Spirit of adventure – Alistair Watt looks at the life of plant collector Frank Kingdon-Ward and his maiden plant-collecting expedition crossing China

October 2021

  • Great British Nurseries – in south Derbyshire, Philip Clayton visits Bluebell Arboretum & Nursery, famed for stocking a fine range of choice plants
  • Deciduous conifers – Curator Matthew Pottage looks at conifers that are great for autumn colour and shares how not all conifers are evergreen
  • Store and preserve – explore ways to reduce your carbon footprint, with tips from Rekha Mistry on preserving and storing crops for leaner times

November 2021

  • The joy of kitchen gardening – Matthew Biggs meets Kuda Chimbudzi, the man who grows nutritious vegetables for an elite football team
  • Pittosporum – John Grimshaw looks at these versatile evergreen shrubs with glossy foliage and scented flowers that are great for a range of uses
  • Historic touches, modern ideas – Nicola Oakey finds a 21st-century garden in Northamptonshire that marries old traditions and new thinking

December 2021

  • Forest cacti – far removed from their drought-loving cousins, Sandra Ross discovers how these cacti came from rainforests and adapt to our homes
  • Dusted with snow – Vanessa Berridge finds a winter wonderland at Beckley Park in Oxfordshire, where its clipped hedges and topiary are best after a snowfall
  • The story of dates – enjoyed as a sweet treat in Britain for hundreds of years, Naomi Slade learns how date trading is now a two-way street, thanks to an innovative nursery in Somerset

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