The spice of life

When it comes to flavour, herbs pack a mighty punch. With a well-planned herb plot on the smallholding, you can enjoy a pinch of this and a sprinkling of that right through the year, writes Clare Hunt

Kay Maynard explains how her first-ever garden has become a wildlife-friendly haven with year-round interest

I’m bringing my summer stars

Shake up your harvests with dazzlingly different fruit, veg and herbs

This month, Lalage impatiently awaits the start of the growing season, busying herself sowing seeds indoors, nourishing the soil in the potager beds, and spreading gravel for pathways, as her plans begin to take shape

As days grow longer, the urge to sow seeds is almost impossible to resist. But if you dream of overflowing beds, the most important thing to do now is plan the growing year to help you meet its sowing