April 2020

Mmm... delicious strawberries grace the cover of the latest issue, which indicates that summer is well and truly on the way!

We've had some wet and windy weather to contend with but at last we're into March, and the days are getting noticeably longer.

To celebrate the approach of the spring equinox, Kitchen Garden is attempting to banish the winter blues by showing you all the sumptuous treats you can grow in your own garden this year. 

Spring is just around the corner and we can finally get the new season under way,.

The next few months mark the time when most of us will be sowing the crops that will see us through the summer and beyond. To help you, as well as our usual jobs for the month pages, we have a nine-page special feature covering everything you need to know.

In it you’ll find barrow loads of 
great advice to help you to get your soil in tip-top condition for sowing and planting, as well as growing guides for some favourite crops from salads to kale and carrots.

Of course, we have a lot more for you besides – learn about some quirky yet delicious crops which are well worth considering, such as perilla and Malabar spinach, and for those of you who prefer to stick with something a little more familiar, there's news of the latest award-winning outdoor cucumber varieties.

Strawberries are among our most popular summer fruits, yet expensive to buy and often disappointing from the shops. Growing your own is the answer and we have some essential top tips for you whether you are growing on an allotment, a window box or a hanging basket. Inside the April issue you have the opportunity to take advantage of some great offers on strawberry plants and when you order from our regular offers pages you’ll be able to claim three rhubarb ‘Timperley Early’ crowns, worth £15.95, absolutely free!

Join Rob Smith on the plot as he explains how to grow the most luscious leeks. They're not everyone's cup of tea, but if you love them, you can learn how to grow them with Rob's expert help!


Some gardens are part of a fascinating story, none more so than Douneside in the quiet village of Tarland, Aberdeenshire. Freelance journalist Janice Hopper finds out more, and enjoys a closer look at the kitchens where produce grown on the estate features prominently on the menu.

As an RHS Garden, Douneside is open 
to RHS members and their guests 
(who pay £5). It’s also open to hotel guests, and it holds a Gardens Open day every year in June when the gardens are fully open to the public. Douneside House, Tarland, Aberdeenshire AB34 4UL. www.dounesidehouse.co.uk