Flowers to flaunt: blooms for cutting from your French garden Learn about Cutting Patches and growing flowers to harvest solely for display
The culinary delights of dandelions in France Laura Washburn Hutton shares her top tips for using seasonal tender leaves in the kitchen
news Photos: forget Amsterdam - stunning images of France鈥檚 tulip fields in bloom These spots in south-east France are showcasing a rainbow of bright spring flowers
Follow your nose on a scent-sational tour of France鈥檚 spring flowers Explore the national and regional floral specialities of France, and sniff out the best flower festivals and horticultural events taking place around the country this spring
Mimosa is pretty鈥ut 鈥榩osing threat to biodiversity鈥� in south of France The flowers are prized in the region, but not everyone is thrilled to see their spread
Gardening in France: how to overcome daffodil dilemmas Expert solutions for daffodil 'blindness' and 'lively' composting techniques to try
France's Loire Valley arboretum puts heather and magnolias in the spring spotlight 鈥楾he forest is coming awake from its winter sleep... Life is coming back again in colour, scent and sound鈥�
Gardening in France: get set to be dazzled by dahlias March is the perfect time to plant these sun-loving tubers
Is it legal to pick flowers in forests in France? The rules depend on whether you are on private or public land, or if a species is protected
'I am a world away from my life back in the city': moving to France and becoming a botanical artist The British woman who left banking behind to pursue her passion for plants and art
Girl, 11, decorates tombstones in France with unsold flowers The bright idea spread quickly on social media
Best plants to add a pop of winter colour to your French garden We share the winter-flowering plants that can brighten up your garden on the greyest days
Why the French wear cornflower pins to commemorate their WW1 soldiers This Remembrance Day we look at the origins of the bleuet
French garden diary: Sweet William the superpower We look at the origins and aesthetics of these trouble-free perennials
Why chrysanthemums are the French 鈥榝lower of the dead鈥� As the festival of Toussaint and honouring the dead approaches, the chrysanthemum flower spikes in popularity. But why is this flower the French symbol of the dead?
France鈥檚 top florist is just 24 but has been learning since age four After scooping gold in the French Cup, Benoit Barbin intends to continue mastering the art of floristry but has his sights set on the Coupe du Monde des Fleuristes
Gardening in France: Dianthus or pinks are a classic passalong cutting Cathy Thompson looks at the history of gillyflowers and how to take cuttings to keep up the 鈥榩assalong鈥� tradition
French lavender overproduction puts iconic crop in danger Farmers of the plant say the crop is no longer profitable due to rising production costs, overproduction and prices that have dropped 60% in three years
Your French garden - growing clematis in containers and pots Growing climbers in pots is becoming more popular. Our gardening writer Cathy Thompson shares tips for thriving clematis, which variety to choose and where to buy in France
French producers struggle to slow lily of valley bloom ahead of May 1 The white flower, which is traditionally sold and given on the May public holiday, has been blooming too early this year, and a lack of seasonal workers has also affected the harvest
Green city Poitiers says 鈥榥on鈥� to French Ville Fleurie competition The previous winners cite water use, staff time and high entry fee as reasons for withdrawing from the popular 鈥業n Bloom鈥� contest
Gardening in France: Dahlias stir poetry and emotion Growing these bright flowers may be challenging but some tricks can make the process much easier, explains gardening writer Cathy Thompson
Gardening in France: The history of Toulouse鈥檚 Parma violets The legacy of these flowers stretches back to Jos茅phine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Emperor Napoleon I
Winter flowers: The 鈥榚xtraordinary鈥� history of France鈥檚 camellias The story of how these evergreen shrubs arrived in Europe is as colourful and fascinating and the flowers themselves
Gardening in France: Autumn camellias and composting tips How to make the most out of your composting bins and autumn-flowering camellias are back as the garden focal point
Edible flowers in France: Pansies for the plate is a growing market Marius Auda is a family farm, which specialises in growing 25 varieties of flowers at Gatti猫res near Nice on the C么te d鈥橝zur
Gardening in France: The skin deep power of the marigold This month Cathy Thompson discusses the multi-faceted Calendula, more than just a good looker
Gardening in France: Permaculture tips Cathy Thompson discusses the method of enabling the soil in your French garden to mobilise its own resources rather than adding nutrients yourself
Surprise flowers for healthcare workers at French hospital Local florist leaves bunches of flowers on workers' cars after her shop was forced to close due to the new lockdown
Bacteria deadly to olive trees found in southern France The bacteria, xylella fastidiosa, was identified in a lavender sample in the southern Occitanie region in August.
How to prepare for and cultivate top tulips in France Tulip lover Cathy Thompson on planning ahead and finding a cultivar to suit.
The story behind artist Monet's great passion: water lilies How to mimic Monet鈥檚 pond life: Cathy Thompson on a chance encounter and the artist鈥檚 passion for water lilies.
New map: France on red alert for pollen allergies The grass pollen count is high throughout France with many departments in the east and southwest on red alert.
Boost care homes with Lily of Valley gift An initiative to give Lily of the Valley flowers to staff and residents of retirement homes in France and at the same time support flower producers who cannot sell the traditional May 1 gift due to home confinement has been launched.
French garden diary: Lilac love has roots in Lorraine Cathy Thompson has some serious horticultural heritage right on her doorstep
French garden diary - primrose primula perfection Cathy Thompson explains her enduring passion for the humble primrose
French garden diary 鈥� Orchids Science behind orchids鈥� triumph. Cathy Thompson on micro-propagation plus how to care for indoor beauties
The future of natural weed killers Cathy Thompson on working without Roundup, plus a recipe for courgette gluts
Open Gardens: dedicated to a Mayenne attraction The Connexion meets a former doctor who has worked tirelessly to create her dream garden in Pays de la Loire
French garden diary - September 2019 Mrs Bean and autumn planting - Cathy Thompson on her correspondence from Connexion-reading gardeners
Bypass must not harm flowers Work on a bypass road has resumed after being forced to stop for three months due to the discovery of some rare purple flowers along the route.
French garden diary - June 2019 A female rose by any other name - Cathy Thompson on variety names and flowers that flourish in her own garden
French garden diary - May 2019 鈥橳is the season for tender loving. Cathy Thompson reveals her choice of May veg, and gives seasonal flower tips
May 1: Origins of the springtime day for worker rights France is marking the traditional F锚te du Travail today (May 1), which has held a symbolic space in the calendar for centuries, and been an official working holiday since 1947.
Green news in France - April 2019 An update on environmental events and occurrences in France: flora under threat, supermarket advertising leaflets and action on agriculture
French garden diary - March 2019 Zinnias put zing into your garden - Cathy Thompson revels her flower bulb likes and dislikes for April planting
French garden diary - December 2018 Hellebore, a fine festive flower - They are picky but Christmas roses are great inside and out, says Cathy Thompson
Memory of war lives on in forest flowers The Argonne forest near the Belgian border is home to certain colourful little flowers usually only found in America 鈥� they were brought over accidentally by troops in the First World War.
Full-time art of running a thriving florist鈥檚 shop Crafts in focus: Florist Eric D茅libie tells Jane Hanks about the work involved building a thriving business
Co-working: it鈥檚 a money maker They have names such as atelier de fabrication (fablab) , bricoth猫que , caf茅 associatif or relais Amap but these makerspaces or co-working places could create thousands of jobs - many in hard-hit rural areas.
French garden diary - Hooray for the helenium in July From her Vosges garden, Cathy Thompson reveals her seasonal plant tips
Love and other drugs: Police alert to Valentine roses Police across Europe are on the alert for roses containing more than simple amorous intentions this Valentine鈥檚 Day (today, February 14), as cocaine smugglers jump on the annual opportunity.
Bretons go Dutch for early tulips A colourful corner of Finist猫re is perennially Dutch thanks to a passionate family of growers, writes Jane Hanks
This is why 鈥渇lowers of dead鈥� are popular at Toussaint Have you ever wondered why chrysanthemum flowers are the traditional symbol of the November Toussaint holiday in France, despite also being known as the 鈥渇lowers of the dead鈥�?
Primulas catch the eye in more French gardens One of Europe鈥檚 largest primula collections is held by a British couple in Brittany whose 1,040 varieties sell all over the world.
Without Rochefort, we would not have begonias... Historic naval port Rochefort in Charente-Maritime is not a native habitat for begonias, but there would be no begonias were it not for Rochefort, which now houses Europe鈥檚 most important collection of the genus.
Nantes welcomes spring with free flowers Residents encouraged to pick up packs and plant seeds to brighten streets
