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We love February

“Into each life a little rain must fall” is a quote from the American poet Henry Wadsworth Long fellow. This is particularly appropriate for gardeners. It cannot always be balmy days and summer roses. The exultations of spring are brief and the freworks of autumn fleeting. There have to be struggles and there have to be downs, so that we can properly appreciate the ups. February, to be honest, is a bit of a rubbish month for the most part. It is cold, dank, dreary and disheartening, but there are always little sparkles of hope around the corner: here are a few of them…

Expert’s choice

Recent hellebores

FREE* 30 bedding plug plants for every reader

WORTH £29.95 *Just pay £5.95 postage Busy Lizzie

The Full Monty

Our temperate climate means we can grow almost anything, but maybe there’s a lesson for us all in the hard choices imposed by the Spanish landscape, says Monty

Have your say

The view from your side of the fence

Over the fence

Have heated greenhouses had their day?

Digging deeper

Allotment wait reaches all-time high

PLAN AHEAD FOR A YEAR OF COLOUR AND SAVE 15%*

Subscribers, start planning ahead to achieve your best-ever

2 for 1 Gardens

Walk on the wild side

Container of the month

Colourful witch hazel, primulas and euonymus all offer cheerfulness at this chilly time of year

Onions from seed

This month’s suggestion for growing something different is…

The great pollinator fight-back

Declining insect populations are of serious concern, but there’s so much we can do – and it all starts in our gardens, says Monty

Bare-root roses for beginners

There’s no better way to plant roses than as bare-root plants – they’re cheap, easy and extremely forgiving, says Alan Titchmarsh

Sweet peas ON TRIAL

It’s time to sow sweet peas for a rush of summer fragrance… but which ones? Here, Graham Rice selects his favourites from the recent RHS trial

Save 10% on sweet peas

If you have been inspired to grow your

The happy house plant guide

Part 3: Feeding your plants

Give your home a boost with easy-care popular house plants

Easy to grow and very low maintenance, house

YOUR PRUNING MONTH

Make the right cuts on your climbing roses with Frances Tophill’s easy guide

COLOURFUL SUMMER-LONG DISPLAYS

GAZANIA FIRECRACKER MIX Exotic flowers with vivid stripes,

WHAT TO DO NOW

FLOWERS

See historic Bath and save up to 43% on a luxury two-night stay

EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER

COMPLETE PATIO POTATO KIT

Grow your own spuds for the dinner

PLAN FOR A SEASON OF COLOUR

Look forward to another successful growing year and

Grow your FREE seeds

This month subscribers received FREE sweet basil and

FRAGRANT PHLOX COLLECTION

P. paniculata ‘Laura’ Phlox × arendsii ‘Pink

FINALIST INSPIRATION

“If you have a pond, put a seat by it. You can lose hours observing what goes on”

Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN

Part 2 Harmonious colour combinations

Gardens of France, Spain and Portugal

14 September 2024 – 12-night cruise from only £1,699pp

Bouquets on board

Hop off the towpath onto Stuart Fenwick’s floating floristry studio and learn how to grow cut flowers in any tiny space

The science of soil

Without thriving soil life, plants can’t access vital elements – and our crops are less nutritious, too. Becky Searle explores what we can all do to help

Your wildlife month

PHOTOS: ALAMY/ED BROWN WILDLIFE; PAUL DEBOIS; GETTY/JACKY

Make a difference for wildlife

Our annual review shows we’re all doing our bit for garden wildlife – giving them food, water and habitat. GW Wildlife Editor Kate Bradbury shares her insights into the results, the winners, and the species that need even more support

9 FREE* TASTY TOMATO PLANTS

Tomato ‘Alicante’ WORTH £26.97 Tomato ‘Sweet

Hassle-free harvests

It’s just a few weeks until spring truly arrives – so now’s the time to get everything ready for the year ahead, says Jack Wallington

Our tomato picks

Looking forward to growing delicious homegrown tomatoes this summer? The GW team share their favourites, from sweet cherries to super-sized beef tomatoes bursting with flavour

Growing guide

It’s time to start sowing crops under cover for early harvests and a productive growing season

Save £5 on Rose ‘Abracadabra’

◼ 1 bare root £14.99 (530316) yougarden.com/RGW259

Q&A

This month 134 Gardeners’ Question Time The BBC

Gardeners’ Question Time

Our experts tackle your queries, including a two-headed orchid, encouraging flowers to bloom and growing plants in toxic soil

Crossword

Put down your trowel, pick up a pen and exercise those brain muscles instead…

Marketplace

Travel Directory

The season starts here!

at Beaulieu, Hampshire 3-5 May 2024 EARLY

NEXT month

March issue on sale 15 February

Tales from Titchmarsh

With one winter storm following another, it’s hard to tell them apart. But, asks Alan, does naming them ‘Hilda’ really help?