Page 111 - News

Woman wearing a straw hat planting colourful flowers in a vibrant garden on a sunny day.

15 Perennials to Transform Your Garden This Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Many amateur gardeners look at dull, grey patches in spring and assume an expensive redesign is the only answer. In...

Person digging soil with a garden fork in a grassy yard next to a bag and bucket of moss and dirt.

Three Simple March Steps to Reduce Moss in Your Lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

With three well-timed actions in March, the picture changes. Many amateur gardeners reach for chemicals the moment a green lawn...

Person holding steaming cup by window with four birds on a snowy branch at sunset and a bird guidebook nearby

How to Attract Tits to Your Garden in Winter with a Simple Feeding Routine

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Many gardens feel lifeless in winter, yet next door the tits seem to arrive on cue. That difference has nothing...

Person kneeling in a garden bed beside pink rose bushes planting banana peel pieces in the soil with a basket of bananas near

Banana Peels: The Simple Rose Booster for Longer Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

A humble kitchen leftover can turn your rose bushes into true flowering machines. Spring is just around the corner, borders...

Person wearing a straw hat and gloves planting seedlings in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby.

How to Get Rid of Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus) in Lawns and Beds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Many amateur gardeners end up at their wits’ end with this unassuming yet highly aggressive weed. Once Nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus)...

Young man gardening on a balcony, repotting tall green plants amid pots and gardening tools in daylight.

New Asian alternative to bamboo for city balconies

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Anyone who has tried to give a city balcony an Asian flair in recent years has almost automatically ended up...

Hands planting young seedlings with soil on a wooden table near a spray bottle and seed packets.

The Snail Method: Start Dozens of Seedlings Without Pots

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

If you sow a lot, you’ll know the familiar issue: seed packets keep piling up, but you never seem to...

Person planting a flower bulb in soil with labelled flower seed packets and a small garden trowel nearby.

Plant Summer Bulbs in March: The 7 Strongest Summer Bloomers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

While plenty of amateur gardeners are still waiting for spring to properly arrive, the real groundwork for July and August...

Man kneeling on grass pruning ivy from a tree next to a brick house in a sunny garden.

Ivy in the garden: what Hedera helix really does to trees and walls

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

In day-to-day gardening, ivy has a poor reputation: it is said to strangle trees, crack walls and do nothing but...

Person wearing a hat planting flowers in a raised garden bed with pots, watering can, and notebook nearby.

Drought-tolerant perennial border: plant by 31 March and save water all summer

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Between heatwaves, baked-dry soil and ever tighter water rules, the basics of gardening are shifting fast. If you stock your...

Bluebonnet flowers with bees collecting nectar in a garden bed beside a broken terracotta pot and trowel.

Corydalis ‘Spinners’: The blue perennial that helps bees and butterflies

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners are currently on the lookout for plants that offer more than good looks alone. One distinctive...

Person wearing blue gloves taking close-up photo of pink waterborne device in garden pond near shovel and paper document

Pink Egg Clusters by the Garden Pond: Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) Warning

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

If you come across them in your garden, it’s worth taking a very close look. Each spring, more and more...

Person planting bright orange flowers in a garden bed beside a concrete path with a watering can nearby.

Leonotis leonurus (Lion’s Ear): the dramatic firework perennial for sunny borders

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Many amateur gardeners coast from one season to the next: a new perennial here, a quick trim of the hedge...

Person holding a sprouting sweet potato over a tray with soil and sweet potatoes on a kitchen table.

Pre-sprouting sweet potatoes in winter on the windowsill

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

While there is frost and damp outside, you can already lay the groundwork for a generous sweet potato harvest in...

Person kneeling to start a green lawn mower on a grassy garden with an open notebook nearby.

March lawn mowing: the one-third rule for the first cut

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Right now is when it’s decided whether your lawn will look lush, green and dense over the coming months-or whether...

Person scrubbing moss off floor tiles with brush and spray bottle in a sunlit indoor space.

Remove Moss from Patios with Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Every spring it’s the same sight: paving stones, driveways and garden paths develop a thick green film. Moss makes surfaces...

Hands planting an orange flower in soil with gardening tools and colourful flowers in the background.

Phlox (Flame Flower): Why March Is the Perfect Time to Plant

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

As the days stretch out and the borders begin to thaw, there’s a classic cottage-garden plant that deserves a place...

Man wearing gloves and a straw hat rolling out black plastic mulch in a raised garden bed with young plants.

Why Black Plastic Membrane Ruins Raised Beds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Many keen gardeners reach, almost automatically, for the black roll from the DIY shop in spring, line their raised beds...

Person using pruning shears to trim an orange flowering plant in a terracotta pot on a garden patio.

Tecomaria ‘Cape Town Orange’: The Compact Shrub for Small Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

A surprisingly low-fuss shrub is exactly what helps here. Too many hobby gardeners abandon small plots far too quickly and...

Close-up of a hand holding a magnifying glass over clover flowers with bees and ladybirds in a garden.

Clover Lawn and Insects: What’s True and When It Becomes Critical

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

The clover lawn is having a moment: less mowing, less fertiliser, and a greener look even through hot summers. At...

Person wearing gloves and an apron pruning rose bushes in a garden during sunrise or sunset.

Rose pruning: best time and the right cut for spring blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 19, 2026

Plenty of keen gardeners find themselves staring at their roses every year, unsure when to reach for the secateurs. Cut...