Page 117 - News

Person wearing yellow gloves scrubbing a wet, muddy patio floor with a blue brush beside cleaning supplies.

Washing soda and washing-up liquid: the two-product trick to clean your terrace without vinegar

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

When you finally want to drink your first coffee outdoors after winter, the patio often brings you back down to...

Woman testing soil or water pH near colourful pink, purple, and blue hydrangea flowers in a garden.

Late-February soil trick for hydrangeas: how to control blue or pink blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

The garden may still look bare and the beds can seem as though they are asleep for winter. Yet right...

Young man planting a palm tree in a garden bed surrounded by a wooden fence and urban buildings.

Plant a winter-hardy Trachycarpus fortunei (Hemp Palm) in late summer for instant holiday feeling

Harriet M. Ashford • August 17, 2026

Many hobby gardeners quietly throw in the towel in late summer: borders finish flowering, the lawn looks tired, and the...

Man carefully checking a bird's nest in a bush using garden shears in a sunny backyard.

Hedge cutting during the breeding season: what France bans and what applies in the German-speaking region

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

In many gardens, spring brings an itch to tidy up: clear away the wild growth and make the hedge look...

Person covering a potted plant with wilted leaves using a clear plastic bag inside a bathtub.

Emergency lemon tree rescue protocol: how to save a dried-out lemon tree after a holiday

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many amateur gardeners know the post-holiday shock: a lemon tree that was lush and green before you left is suddenly...

Hand pouring ground coffee into garden soil near raspberry bushes with a trowel and bowl of raspberries.

The Cup Method for Raspberries: Coffee Grounds for a Bigger Harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Anyone who has picked raspberries straight from the cane on a warm summer day rarely wants to go back. Yet...

Person kneeling in garden bed pruning young plants with red-handled shears near a terracotta pot and trowel.

Late-winter perennial cut-back: when to prune properly

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

The border looks bleak, last year’s perennial stems are slumped and sorry, and the urge to tidy up grows stronger...

Person fertilising vegetable plants with garden gloves at sunset in a raised garden bed.

Wood Ash in the Garden: How to Use It Like a Professional Fertiliser

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

It’s a sharp morning, and your breath hangs over the gardens like mist. Next door, someone is tipping ash from...

Person planting a flowering geranium in a terracotta pot on a sunny patio with a dog resting nearby.

Lemon-scented geranium: the anti-tick-and-mosquito plant for your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

As soon as the weather warms up, mosquitoes start whining around the patio while ticks sit quietly in the grass....

Person spreading fertiliser in lush garden with green wheelbarrow, child playing and dog in background.

Spring lawn fertiliser: choosing the right NPK for a greener lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

As the days draw out and the ground slowly thaws, the lawn starts to wake up too. If you simply...

Blackbird and robins perched on a rosehip bush in a snowy garden with a wooden fence and window in the background.

How Dog Rose and Potato Rose Turn Your Garden into a Winter Bird Haven

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

While plenty of hobby gardeners buy bird seed by the kilo, others create a genuine haven for blackbirds, robins and...

Woman adjusting a hanging orchid plant in a sunlit indoor garden room with various potted plants.

Phalaenopsis orchid: why a hanging basket outdoors in summer makes it bloom again

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

A simple change of location can transform things completely. In countless living rooms, you’ll find magnificent orchids that never show...

Man laying landscaping fabric along a garden path bordered by plants and two wheelbarrows.

Gravel Surfaces Without Weeds: How to Build Them Properly with a Root Barrier and Weed Membrane

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Smart gravel paths, a driveway finished with pale chippings, a cosy seating area laid with decorative gravel: surfaces like these...

Hands in gloves pruning a rose bush with red secateurs in a garden with dry soil and wooden fence.

When to Prune Roses: The Perfect Timing Window

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

The perfect window of time is surprisingly small. Every year, countless amateur gardeners find themselves staring at their rose bushes,...

Person planting seeds in soil inside a glass bowl next to a potted peace lily on a wooden table by a window.

Peace Lily: The Watering Routine That Brings Back Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

The peace lily is often seen as a low-fuss houseplant. It copes with the occasional missed watering and sits in...

Person harvesting morel mushrooms in a garden patch with a basket and gardening trowel nearby.

How to Grow Morels in Your Garden with Wood Ash and Apple Pomace

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Morels are often seen as the holy grail for mushroom lovers: uncommon, pricey and notoriously difficult to track down. Each...

Father and son gardening together in a raised wooden planter box in a sunny backyard.

Lidl launches Parkside wooden planter box with trellis for 29.99 euros

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Lidl is kicking off spring with a garden buy that promises far more than you’d expect for the money: a...

Person standing on a ladder applying sealant to a house gutter in a sunlit garden with blooming trees.

Keep Wasps Away Early: Seal Weak Points Around Your Home

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many homeowners only realise there’s a problem when the patio is already buzzing with yellow-and-black squadrons. Yet a major wasp...

Person kneeling and planting flowers in a vibrant, well-maintained garden under warm sunlight.

Eight robust, low-maintenance perennials for lazy gardeners

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many amateur gardeners end up giving up in frustration when summer heat, torrential downpours and an overpacked diary all hit...

Person placing orange peels in garden soil with a curious tabby cat nearby among colourful flowers.

How Orange Peel Keeps Cats Out of the Garden Beds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Anyone who plants tulips, crocuses and other signs of spring with a sense of anticipation will recognise the problem: the...

Person wearing gloves pruning plants with garden shears in a sunny flower bed beside a brick wall.

March pruning in the garden: what to cut back now

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Pruning the right plants and trees now sets you up for a season packed with flowers, fragrance and healthier growth....