Page 11 - News

Three pigeons and a small owl on a balcony railing next to potted plants and a person’s hand on a wooden table.

Keep Pigeons Away from Your Balcony: Simple Tricks That Work

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Weeks of wiping, scrubbing and swearing – yet every morning the balcony was covered in pigeon droppings again. Then one...

Person holding a potted spider plant by a window with several small potted plants on a wooden table nearby.

How to get your spider plant to produce offshoots

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Many people dream of a spider plant draped in offshoots – yet look in frustration at their own plant, which...

Person planting seeds in a garden bed with straw mulch, watering nearby grass with a garden hose and tools around.

How to revive a yellow lawn: watering, mowing and clover

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Spring has arrived, yet your lawn looks more like a bale of straw than something from a gardening magazine? A...

Woman organising cushions and toys inside a wooden outdoor storage bench on a sunny patio.

Keter Eden 2-in-1 Bench Storage: Garden Bench Review

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Toys, cushions, watering can – and nowhere to put them? A simple garden bench promises to hide it all away...

Hands planting orange flowers in a raised wooden garden bed with lettuce, bees, seeds, and a watering can nearby.

Plant Nasturtiums in March for a Healthier Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

The very first month of spring can determine whether your vegetable garden thrives with life or is ravaged by pests....

Young man installing a wooden birdhouse on a tree in a garden with an owl perched nearby.

How a Simple Owl Nesting Box Can Help Owls

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Anyone with a garden can make a difference with one simple step. Owls seem like creatures from another world: silent...

Person raking gravel in a garden with flowering plants and gardening tools nearby on a sunny day.

Keep Your Gravel Path Clear: Three Natural Strategies Against Weeds

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Before summer arrives, many gravel paths in the garden risk becoming a weed nightmare – but acting in good time...

Lavender plants with bees flying around and gardening gloves with a small spade on a wooden surface.

Perennial Sage: The Drought-Tolerant Garden Plant for Bees

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Heat, drought and hardly any time for maintenance – yet still a garden teeming with life? One modest-looking perennial makes...

Woman planting flowers in a garden bed surrounded by small evergreen trees and a wheelbarrow.

Thuja hedges: why they are now failing in gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

For decades, they have been a familiar feature of many terraced-house gardens and suburbs: perfectly straight, dark-green Thuja hedges used...

Person rinsing a white orchid flower over a glass bowl on a wooden windowsill with potted orchids.

Orchid Care: The Simple Trick for New Flowers Almost All Year

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Many orchids remain stuck on the windowsill after their first flowering – but an easy, little-known technique can prevent this....

Person adjusting a red lawn mower on grass with three children playing with a football in the background

The right mowing height for a healthy lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

A small lever on the lawnmower is often the real reason. When a lawn is patchy rather than thick and...

Person planting colourful crocus flowers in terracotta pots on a sunlit balcony with gardening tools nearby.

Freesias for a Fragrant Balcony and Patio

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

No plant jungle required. Many city dwellers want exactly that: a compact outdoor space that is not crowded with pots...

Person raking dry leaves and twigs into a pile in a sunny garden with compost bin and wheelbarrow.

Garden waste burning: 31 March deadline and new rules

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

In many local authorities, the transitional period for burning leaves and garden cuttings ends on 31 March. After that date,...

Person picking ripe red fruits from a tree in a dry orchard with a basket and watering can nearby.

Jujube Tree: The Fruit Tree of the Future for Dry Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

While apples, cherries and similar fruits are suffering from water shortages, scorched soils and heatwaves, a hardy exotic tree is...

Woman planting flower bulbs in a garden bed surrounded by gardening tools and blooming flowers.

Plant Summer Bulbs in March: Alan Titchmarsh’s Guide to Huge Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

While many amateur gardeners are still staring helplessly at empty beds in March, professionals such as TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh...

Man kneeling and gardening among colourful plants and flowers in a sunny residential garden.

Thorny plants that deter burglars: a natural line of defence

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

A simple trick may be closer than you think. Empty homes attract opportunistic burglars. In France, the Interior Ministry recorded...

Person tending ripe tomatoes in a garden bed with a wooden bowl of seeds and banana peel on the soil.

Tomatoes: Banana Peels and Wood Ash for More Fruit

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Many amateur gardeners know the frustration: lush tomato plants covered in foliage, yet only a handful of meagre fruits hanging...

Tabby cat with collar playing with feather toy in sunny garden near birdhouses and butterflies.

How to Protect Garden Birds from Cats in Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Spring brings a burst of life to the garden – and often awakens the hunting instincts of the household cat...

Person scrubbing moss off patio stones with a brush, vinegar spray bottle, water bucket, and clear bottle nearby.

Household vinegar patio trick: from winter ice rink to usable again in one hour

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

After winter, the patio looked like an ice rink, but a simple kitchen trick made it usable again in just...

Person planting a young sapling in a garden bed with gardening tools and a watering can nearby.

Monty Don: Why You Should Plant a Shrub Instead of Seeds in March

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Spring is knocking at the door and seed racks are overflowing – but a famous TV gardener advises choosing something...

Young man repotting a green plant indoors with soil and gardening tools on a wooden table.

Repotting Plants: The Mistakes That Quietly Kill Your Houseplants

Harriet M. Ashford • October 16, 2026

Soil beneath your fingernails, the scent of fresh potting compost across the kitchen table, a half-finished mug of coffee beside...