Page 114 - News

Person pruning bright red dogwood stems in a winter garden with frost on the ground and plants nearby.

Pruning Cornus in February for Brilliant Winter Stems

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

If you pass shrubs with glowing red or golden-yellow stems in February, it often looks like magic. In reality, it’s...

Person tending to young tomato plants in seedling trays on a wooden table outdoors in sunlight.

How to Harden Off Tomatoes to Avoid Tomato Shock in the Bed

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Many hobby gardeners make exactly the same mistake during the first warm rush of spring: the lovingly raised tomato plants...

A vibrant garden bed with purple and pink flowers and several orange butterflies fluttering in sunlight.

Low-maintenance butterfly garden: five plants for a sunny corner

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Many keen gardeners would love a lively flower border filled with fluttering butterflies and buzzing bees, but they shy away...

Woman in a sunhat lighting a lantern on a table in a garden patio surrounded by flowering plants and outdoor furniture.

The Brocante Look for Garden and Balcony: 5 Vintage Finds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Anyone still filling their balcony or garden with plastic furniture from the DIY shop suddenly looks a little out of...

Man planting a young ziziphus jujuba tree in a garden with a watering can and fruit crates nearby.

Jujube Tree (Chinese Date): the Fruit Tree of the Future for Dry Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

…yet a near-indestructible fruit tree from Asia is suddenly capturing the attention of hobby gardeners. While traditional fruit trees struggle...

Person watering soil in a terracotta pot near a window with other green houseplants around.

Morning Watering for Houseplants: How to Keep Them Alive for 10 Years or More

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Houseplants that turn yellow, droop sadly and end up in the bin despite the best intentions: countless people recognise that...

Hands using scissors to harvest fresh green leaves from a plant on a wooden chopping board by a window.

Winter purslane (Claytonia perfoliata): how miner’s lettuce brings early spring greens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

When you stroll through the garden at this time of year, your eyes usually go straight to the first tulips,...

Person sprinkling white powder on moss growing between paving stones in a garden pathway.

Baking soda trick to remove moss from patio slabs without boiling water

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Many homeowners tip litres of boiling water over their patio slabs and hope for a spotless terrace in minutes. The...

Person pruning pink flowering plants on a balcony with multiple potted flowers and gardening tools.

Diascia (Twinspur) for Window Boxes: Colour from May to Autumn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Plenty of people imagine window boxes that spill over with colour from May right through to autumn. In reality, it’s...

Man kneeling in a garden bed planting a young plant with gardening tools and seed packets nearby.

Monty Don’s March focus: shrubs over seed packets

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

As garden centres stack their shelves with colourful seed packets, the well-known TV gardener Monty Don poses an awkward question:...

Person wearing gloves planting flower bulbs in soil scattered with autumn leaves in a garden.

How to Create a Dream Sea of Snowdrops Next Year

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

With a few well-chosen steps now, you can lay the groundwork for a dream sea of snowdrops next year. Many...

Hands placing a plastic bottle in soil surrounded by corks and growing lettuce in a raised garden bed outdoors.

A Simple Bottle-Cap Trick for the Vegetable Patch: Drip Irrigation and Slug Control

Harriet M. Ashford • August 18, 2026

Anyone who looks after a vegetable patch in summer knows the familiar dilemma: either you are forever lugging a watering...

Person adding worms to soil in a raised garden bed with seedlings and gardening fork nearby.

Stop Spring Digging Over: Grelinette and Mulch for Living Soil

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

For generations, thoroughly digging over the vegetable patch in spring has been treated as a non-negotiable date in the gardening...

Man kneeling and holding a blooming orange lily in a garden under a tree on a sunny day

Asiatic Lilies Under Walnut Trees: Coping with Juglone

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

Anyone with a black walnut or walnut tree in the garden will recognise the pattern: flower beds struggle near the...

Person planting a small flowering plant in garden soil beside a metal watering can and green foliage.

Epimedium in Dry Shade: How to Green Up Under Pine, Oak and Hedge

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

Many hobby gardeners know this particular frustration: beneath an old pine, at the base of an oak, or behind a...

Person wearing gloves handling a snake in a garden bed using a plastic sheet and stick.

Plastic Tarpaulin and Weed Membrane: Why Snakes Appear in the Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

Many homeowners only realise it when they hear the tell-tale hiss. Between flowerbeds, the patio and the tool shed, a...

Person pruning colourful lantana flowers in a sunny garden with butterflies and birds nearby.

Lantana camara: the shrub that flowers almost non-stop

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

While roses, perennials and summer bedding plants dutifully stick to their seasonal timetable, one plant seems to flatly refuse to...

Woman planting seeds in a raised garden bed surrounded by vegetables and flowers in a backyard garden.

Rats in the Garden: How to Spot Them Early and Keep Them Out

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

As soon as the weather turns cooler, rats start looking for warmth and food - and, unfortunately, many of them...

Person wearing gloves planting seeds in a garden bed with blooming flowers in a sunny backyard.

Fertilise These 11 Perennials in March for More Flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

Many perennials are slow to get going in spring even when the buds are clearly poised to burst. Very often,...

Person harvesting fresh spinach leaves into a wicker basket in a garden bed on a sunny day.

Giant Winter Spinach: How to Harvest Tender Leaves by Late March

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

While plenty of hobby gardeners still keep their tools in the shed and wait for settled spring warmth, others make...

Man kneeling in garden bed planting herbs surrounded by flowering plants and succulents near a house

A Simple Ground Cover Trick for a Weed-Free Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

There’s a straightforward trick that can keep your garden tidy with very little effort from you. Anyone who steps back...