Page 101 - News

Great tit bird flying near purple coneflowers in a sunlit garden with a bird feeder in the background.

Echinacea (Purple Coneflower): The Perennial That Feeds Garden Birds All Winter

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plant it now and, next winter, you could be watching a real bird spectacle right outside your window. Plenty of...

Person watering tomato plant in a terracotta pot on a balcony with gardening tools and other plants nearby

A simple bottle trick can save your plants

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

A simple bottle trick can save them. Anyone with houseplants, balcony pots or veg growing knows the issue: go away...

Person harvesting a root vegetable in a garden with sunflowers and a basket in the background.

Jerusalem artichoke is back: a comeback in gardens and kitchens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

For years it was dismissed as a granny’s vegetable: plain, forgettable and a little old-fashioned. Now the knobbly tuber with...

Person kneeling in a garden trimming a small plant with pruning shears near blooming hydrangeas.

Monty Don’s March Hydrangea Pruning and Mulch Trick for Bigger Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

On British television, Monty Don can look almost offhand as he walks his beds in early spring and snips away...

Man pointing at bees near a green lawn mower in a garden with beehives and a child wearing a beekeeper suit nearby

Asian hornet: the growing risk of underground nests in gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

For a long time, this dangerous wasp species was treated as an issue high up in tree canopies or tucked...

Person trimming fresh basil in a sunlit kitchen with potted herbs and chopping board of vegetables.

A Kitchen Herb Garden That Actually Thrives

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The basil is leaning at an angle. A few leaves have already started to turn slightly yellow, the compost looks...

Person planting a young tree in soil in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby.

Planting Fruit Trees in March: Keep the Graft Union Above Soil Level

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Spring is just around the corner, garden centres are busy, and the idea of growing your own apple, cherry or...

Woman arranging chair in a sunlit garden with blooming roses, potted plants, a wicker rocking chair, and a table set outdoors

Vintage-Look Garden: Why the Flea Market Is the Better Place to Shop

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Strolling through flea markets at the moment, one thing becomes obvious: it is no longer just vases and pictures that...

Woman in green gloves placing pink fish eggs into a garden pond beside a white bucket and tongs.

Pink Eggs in the Garden: Why the Golden Apple Snail Is a Serious Threat

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

What looks almost pretty at first glance can turn into a serious issue for your garden, the wider environment and...

Young man adjusting a red lawn mower on a grassy backyard with a football and two children in the background.

The Right Mowing Height: How Your Lawn Becomes a Green Carpet

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The correct mowing height is what decides whether your garden struggles or your lawn turns into a true green carpet....

Person sprinkling fertiliser on young lettuce plants in a raised garden bed outdoors on a sunny day.

How Coffee Grounds Loosen Soil in the Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

In the early morning, when the vegetable garden is still damp with dew, every footfall sounds oddly muted. Soil clings...

Two men standing by a wooden gate, one holding papers, the other using an asthma inhaler under yellow flowering bushes.

Hedges, Pollen and Allergies: When a Neighbour Dispute Turns Legal

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

If you’ve planted a tall hedge to screen off your patio, you’re probably thinking about peace and privacy - not...

Person tending to a tall flowering plant in a raised garden bed with leafy greens and a watering can nearby.

Why Your Lettuce Bolts: Causes and How to Stop It

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The lettuce is looking at you as if you’ve let it down. The day before yesterday it was still a...

Person examining dandelion plants in garden bed with gardening tools and open notebook with botanical sketches nearby.

Weeds as Indicator Plants: Reading Wild Weeds to Understand Your Soil

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many amateur gardeners head into spring determined to eradicate every last seedling popping up between the beds. Yet the low,...

Father and daughter planting seedlings in a wooden raised garden bed on a sunny patio.

Lidl Parkside Planter With Trellis for £29.99: The Small-Space Garden Upgrade

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

With its new planter with trellis, Lidl is bringing into stores a garden piece that tackles several common small-space headaches...

Person harvesting fresh asparagus from a raised garden bed with other vegetables and a wicker basket nearby

Perennial vegetables: 15 favourites for an almost self-running bed

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

There is another way: vegetables that stay in the bed for good. If you raise the same varieties every spring,...

Person pruning rose stems with secateurs on a wooden table in a sunny garden.

Rose Pruning: The Best Time to Cut for a Spring Display

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners find themselves staring at their roses each year, unsure what to do: by February, your hand...

Woman planting seedlings in a garden bed surrounded by potted flowers on a sunny day.

31 March: Drought-Tolerant Perennials for a Summer Border with Hardly Any Watering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many hobby gardeners only realise in July that their border won’t make it through high summer without heavy watering. The...

Woman in green apron examining a lemon tree in a pot on a balcony during daylight.

Potted Lemon Tree on the Balcony in March: Avoid Frost and Overwatering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Decisions you make now can have consequences you’ll notice later. Many hobby gardeners put their container plant outside too early,...

Person using a hand cultivator to till soil in a garden lawn with watering can and soil bag nearby.

Soil Compaction and Core Aeration: Why Your Lawn Won’t Stay Green

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The sprinkler ticked on and off in a steady rhythm, beads of water catching the late-afternoon sun. Your garden ought...

Child planting a young seedling in a garden bed with gardening tools and a watering can nearby.

The hidden plant childhood: hardening off and establishment for seedlings

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

I can pinpoint the first time I properly noticed a plant growing. I was marooned on the sofa with a...