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Charles Quest-Riston: Why everyone needs to plant an arboretum
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
More than 3,000 different trees–in particular, the fine collections of oaks and maples–are put on a striking autumn show at Thenford Arboretum at Thenford House, Northamptonshire, the home of Lord and Lady Heseltine. Charles Quest-Ritson tells more, with photographs by Clive Nichols.
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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.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: In praise of climate change
'Scorn the batty arguments of those who deny that changes have happened and are happening,' says our columnist. And while we'll all strive to prevent things getting worse, we might as well enjoy in our gardens the fruits — quite literally — of the change that is already upon us.
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Gladioli: Why we should 'drop our prejudices and see their qualities'
Charles Quest-Ritson explains why we shouldn't be so quick to judge Gladioli.
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The 12 best flowering shrubs to plant for year-round colour in your garden
For year-round structure, intrinsic beauty and sheer usefulness, shrubs–the original low-maintenance plant–are hard to beat. Charles Quest-Ritson applauds their return and picks out a dozen to ensure interest in your garden all year round.
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The greatest rhododendron garden in Britain? A visit to Ramster, the 'woodland garden that looks as if it's existed since time began'
In its centenary year, Ramster’s reputation continues to grow, together with its magnificent woodland garden, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: Why nothing matches the colour or beauty of the simple primrose
Sometimes the simplest flowers are the best, says Charles Quest-Ritson, as he looks at primroses, cowslips and their wonderful hybrids.
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Planting big trees: What you need to know
The old advice always used to be to plant small and wait, but recent innovations mean that gardeners can plant outsize trees with confidence, says Charles Quest-Ritson.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: The secret to enjoying gardens in beastly cold, deepest winter
Our columnist has a suggestion for enjoying January, albeit one that doesn't involve staying put in England.
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How letting invasive plants jump the garden fence could land you in court
Charles Quest-Ritson looks at invasive plants and what to watch out (or look for) in our gardens.
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What you need to know about privet hedges: The good, the brilliant, the quirky... and the one that all my visitors ask me about
Privet can be dull, admits Charles Quest-Ritson — but it needn't be, if you plant the right varieties. Our expert shares his knowledge of a plant so ubiquitous that we rarely stop to think about it.
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Charles Quest-Ritson: 'Our beautiful lawns are the envy of the world... and the idea of rewilding your garden is nonsense'
The neat stripes of British gardens, such as Rockcliffe Garden in Gloucestershire, are an art form that is admired across the world and weeds have no place there.
