BBC Gardeners' World November 2021

Don’t miss… our 132-page Year Planner 2022: it’s the perfect companion to keep your garden on track – and an ideal gift. On sale in selected stores for £7.99 or at magsdirect.co.uk/yearplanner2022 Plan for… a memorable day out at Gardeners’ World Live 2022, 16-19 June. Buy your Early Bird ticket using code GWR1 – and save 25% on the regular price* at bbcgardeners worldlive.com Tune in… to our latest series of podcasts for great gardening conversations and expert tips. Discover our guest line-up at gardenersworld.com/podcast Save… on our new bumper subscriber offer – enjoy the magazine plus gifts including our new Almanac and Japanese secateurs. Find out more on p26. Keep up to date with us at FACEBOOK @GWmagazine INSTAGRAM @gardenersworldmag TWITTER @GWmag PINTEREST @GWmag Looking to get in touch? Turn to page 130…

Editor of the Year: Gardens & Country As autumn propels us on, into November, the weather crisps, days shorten and every moment in the garden is precious – and valuable. So much of next spring and summer lies in your actions this month (and if you’ve not yet ordered your tulips: STOP! Do it now. I’ll wait for you…). Rather than lament the shortening days, though, we should celebrate the longer evenings as your perfect time to down tools and to plan, plot – and dream! What do you love in a garden, how do you want to feel in yours? Make a start by listening to your ideas and focus on what matters. Of course, there’s more to it than that – but gardens are there to get creative and play…

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons”Jim Bishop STARS OF THE MONTH Cornus kousa var. chinensis People sometimes worry that this cornus (and some of the others) looks a bit thirsty with its slightly hangdog leaves. Worry not, gentle readers, this is not the case – it is all perfectly natural and anyway, one should never make personal remarks! This Asian tree is generally quite gorgeous, but it has two particular crescendoes – firstly in June when the small greenish flowers are enlivened by stunning white bracts and secondly right now as the leaves begin to turn to flaming orange and reds. If you are lucky, you will get some deep pink fruits that look fabulous, but are sadly inedible. Propagate from hard- or soft-wood cuttings. Best with a…

‘Alba Semiplena’ Greyish foliage and clusters of white, semi-double flowers, then sprays of red hips. Height x Spread 2m x 2m Rosa rubiginosa Aromatic foliage and small pink flowers are followed by a profusion of hips that last well to winter. H x S 2m x 2m ‘Francis E. Lester’ Rambler with large clouds of pink-white flowers with a fruity scent, then small orange hips. H x S 4m x 4m ‘Master Hugh’ Pink flowers, purple-tinted foliage, then bottle-shaped red-orange hips. Needs pruning to keep in check. H x S 4m x 4m ‘Geranium’ Erect, near thornless shoots carry dark, red, single flowers. August brings vermilion red hips. H x S 2m x 1.5m Roses for hips Not allowed to plant roses? What’s happening to the world? Let me explain: when thinking about growing roses for their colourful autumn and winter…

WORTH £12 Treat yourself to our vibrant alstroemeria collection and receive 15 free bulbs of Tulipa Tropical Sunset Mix. These large blooms in shades of pink, orange and peach will bring a tropical feel to your garden. Appearing on strong stems, they are perfect as cut flowers in vases and bouquets. Height x Spread 30cm x 10cm Flowers April-May hayloft rare | unusual | exciting Alstroemeria collection Liven up borders and pots with these vibrant Peruvian lilies. Exotic tubular blooms among bushy foliage give months of colour. Hardy and easy to grow, they also make excellent cut flowers, lasting up to 14 days in a vase. Supplied as bare roots from November. Height x Spread 70cm x 70cm Flowers June-September 3 plants £16 PLUS 15 free tulips 5 plants £18 SAVE £8 PLUS 15 free tulips 10 plants £22 SAVE £31…

As you read this, COP26 – the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference, held every five years – will be underway in Glasgow. But, however successful or productive it is, none of the issues of climate change will have been solved or disappeared. Climate change, and its effects on our lives, is not something we can wish away. Every person alive on this planet will have to deal with it for the rest of their days. But ‘dealing with it’ does not and should not mean just suffering the consequences. Back in September, the Chelsea Flower Show had a garden called ‘Cop 26’ that related all the issues of climate change and sustainability directly to our gardens – down to a window box. It was brilliantly designed and assembled by Marie-Louise Agius…