Gardens

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Garden Visits

Rating: 2

January 14th 2008

Inspirational visits to gardens across the county feature in Somerset Life every month and here we give you a taste of just six of them, most of which are open to the public and guaranteed to enlighten and enthral.

The proposed Severn Barrage

Rating: 3

January 1st 2008

An environmentalist's dream or environmental nightmare? Mark Child and Katie Jarvis examine the pros and cons of the proposed Severn Barrage.

Ragley Hall

Rating: 3

January 1st 2008

Wildlife and beauty can go hand-in-hand as Ragley Hall demonstrates. Words and pictures by Mandy Bradshaw

Winter Colour

Rating: 2

December 30th 2007

Keeping your patch looking good for as much of the year as possible is never easy, and not surprisingly the winter months are the trickiest to fill, with the chilly days of January being the hardest of all. Inspiration can come from visiting other...

Farming For Townies - Christmas

Rating: 2

December 29th 2007

Hilary Chester-Master has kept us up to date on the farming year throughout 2007. Now she signs off with home-produced birds on sale in the shop and a locally-grown Christmas dinner to look forward to.

Ivy

Rating: 3

December 29th 2007

Ignored and misunderstood, ivy deserves better, says one Cotswold nursery. Words and pictures by Mandy Bradshaw

RHS Garden Wisley - a spectacular glasshouse, stunning seasonal colour and gardening inspiration

December 6th 2007

Opened by Her Majesty The Queen in June of this year, the spectacular new glasshouse at Wisley marks a fresh chapter in horticultural excellence with life-long learning at its heart. Liz Phillips paid a visit to find out more

Somerset Gardens

Rating: 2

December 4th 2007

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Gardens - Restoring a Great Estate

Rating: 2

November 30th 2007

Terry Underhill traces the Trevarno Estate's fascinating history and looks at what is planned for the future in this December / January issue. Garden historians have traced this famous estate at Crowntown, near Helston as far back as 1245. It has ...

Farming for Townies - Winter

Rating: 3

November 29th 2007

It's time to put the cows to bed for the winter, but grain shortages and rising prices will make life difficult for some Gloucestershire farmers says Hilary Chester-Master

Water Gardens

Rating: 3

November 29th 2007

When it comes to water gardens the only limit is your imagination, as Mandy Bradshaw discovered

The Royal Forestry Society

Rating: 3

November 29th 2007

The Royal Forestry society in the Cotswolds is celebrating an illustrious history, says Wendy Necar.

Gardeners' Christmas presents

Rating: 3

November 27th 2007

Finding the perfect present for a gardening enthusiast that is different, unusual and interesting needn't be a challenge. Philippa Pearson seeks out gifts that are ideal for gardeners of all ages this Christmas

High Voltage gardening in Borehamwood

Rating: 3

November 20th 2007

A derelict electricity site has been transformed into a state-of-the art plant nursery at Borehamwood. Philippa Pearson finds out about the hard work involved and takes a tour around the site

Clipped to perfection

Rating: 0

November 14th 2007

Topiary, a craft with an ancient heritage, can add magic to the garden. Words and photography by Leigh Clapp...

The Nations Favourite

Rating: 2

November 12th 2007

The robin is one of our most enthusiastic garden birds and one with which we must all be familiar. Its habit of following us wherever we dig, looking for grubs, is particularly appealing and has led to its strong association with gardeners, and th...

Westbury Court Garden

Rating: 3

October 28th 2007

From red and white carrots to 300-year-old cabbages, the recreation of this historic plot has depended on painstaking detail, says Chris Newton

The Woodlanders

Rating: 3

October 22nd 2007

As the Royal Forestry Society celebrates its 125th anniversary this year, 'Somerset Life' finds out more about the organisation. Founded by working foresters and nurserymen at Hexham in Northumberland in 1882, the RFS remains an organisation dedic...

Mix it up

Rating: 3

October 10th 2007

Green-fingered guru Kate Kenyon explains how to create the perfect kitchen garden

The Colours of Autumn

Rating: 3

October 4th 2007

What better time of year the October and November to visit a garden in search of plants that are great for seasonal colour? We look at the science behind autumn colour in plants offer advise on which Cornish gardens to visit for a real burst of se...