Page 134 - News

Person planting a vibrant orange flowering shrub with a watering can nearby in a backyard garden.

Tecomaria ‘Cape Town Orange’: the compact flowering shrub for small gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Many amateur gardeners get fed up with small plots: a few perennials, a bit of seasonal planting, and by high...

Woman in denim jacket picking ripe oranges from a tree in a garden with baskets of fruit nearby

How to Create a Productive Home Orchard in the Back Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Having a productive orchard at home is a goal for many people who want to enjoy fresh food picked straight...

Young man tending to a hanging houseplant beside a wooden bench with potted plants and a watering can by a window.

Easy Indoor Plants for Beginners: Pothos, ZZ Plant and Snake Plant

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Setting up a little green corner at home often leaves beginners unsure which species to start with. The good news...

Person gently holding a ladybird on a tomato plant in a garden with potted plants and a spray bottle nearby.

How Ladybirds Support Biological Control in Your Home Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Spotting tiny, brightly coloured insects in your balcony pots or among flowering beds can bring a real sense of closeness...

Person planting with a sponge in a terracotta pot on a wooden table with gardening tools nearby.

Spring trick: turn a kitchen sponge into a water store for pots and balcony boxes

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

As the gardening season gets going, beds, pots and balcony boxes can quickly be pushed to their limits: young roots,...

Person kneeling to tend to plants at the base of a flowering tree along a city sidewalk on a sunny day.

Ant tree (Triplaris americana): a low-maintenance choice for urban areas and home gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Among the most sought-after ornamental species, one in particular often tops the list for anyone wanting a fuss-free tree: the...

Hands cutting lavender with garden shears in a sunny garden with potted plants and a white bench background.

How to Grow Lavender and Turn Your Outdoor Space into a Scented Retreat

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Turning your outdoor area into a scented retreat becomes a genuinely rewarding project when you grow lavender with patience, care...

Woman in a white dress tending blue hydrangeas on a sunlit balcony with various potted flowers and gardening tools.

Low-maintenance French garden with durable perennial flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Having a flower-filled back garden without exhausting upkeep is the big ambition for anyone with a hectic routine these days....

Person tending to flowering potted plant on balcony decorated with string lights and watering can at dusk.

Night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) for a scented balcony at dusk

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Night-blooming jasmine is the right flower for anyone who wants to fragrance a balcony at the end of the day....

Person in a straw hat tending to tomato plants under a protective mesh in a sunny garden patio.

Partial Shade: A Heatwave Survival Strategy for Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

The first proper heatwave of the year arrived on a Tuesday. By 10 a.m., the roses in the front border...

Person tending to a young plant with spray bottle in a garden bed surrounded by gardening tools.

Plants That Attract Ants in the Garden: Why They Keep Coming Back

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

People scatter powders, put up barriers, pour on specialist treatments - and still the ants return. The real trigger is...

Person pruning lavender plants in terracotta pots on a sunny balcony with gardening tools nearby

How to Grow Lavender on a Sunny Balcony in Pots for Flats

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Growing fragrant plants in flats can completely change the feel of a home, adding everyday wellbeing. Lavender stands out as...

Person watering green tomatoes in a raised garden bed with rhubarb stalks and a bottle of liquid nearby.

Rhubarb Leaf Liquid for Tomatoes: The Forgotten Summer Defence

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

In back gardens and on balconies alike, tomato growers face the same quiet threats each summer - and the results...

Hands planting soil on a balcony with a large terracotta pot of pink and red bougainvillea flowers nearby.

The common Bougainvillea watering mistake that stops flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Many Bougainvillea owners keep making the same easy-to-miss mistake. Bougainvillea is often seen as the queen of Mediterranean-style patios -...

Woman in a hat gardening, examining yellow flowers with bees and butterflies in a sunny garden.

Fennel, the “Boring” Plant That Turns Your Garden Into an Airport for Pollinators

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

The first time it struck me, the garden felt oddly hushed. My dahlias were immaculate, the roses were laden with...

Garden bed with thorny and berry plants, gardening tools, watering can, and pink rose bush near a house.

How the front garden can deter burglars with the right planting

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Plenty of people head off on holiday - but the uneasy question remains: what happens to your house and garden...

A person hanging CDs on a tomato plant in a garden to protect it from birds.

A Simple Guide: Hanging Old CDs on a Tomato Plant to Protect Ripe Tomatoes from Birds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Hanging old CDs on a tomato plant is a straightforward way to guard nearly ripe fruit without using chemical products....

Hands tending to a terracotta pot of blooming pink azalea on a balcony with gardening tools nearby

Japanese Azalea: A Practical Guide for a Flowering Balcony in Pots

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Having a flower-filled balcony that feels lively is a common wish for people living in modern flats. The Japanese azalea...

Person pouring green liquid from a glass watering can into a jar on a wooden table with garden plants.

Chlorophyll-Rich Leaf Extract: A Simple Liquid Feed for Home Gardeners

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

More and more home gardeners are trying a low-tech remedy: a chlorophyll-rich green leaf extract that encourages growth without relying...

Person wearing gloves kneeling in garden, adding peel scraps to soil near large leafy green plant.

Agapanthus: the March P–K trick for gigantic flower stems

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

If you pick up a hand fork for a quick tidy-up in March, you can enjoy spectacularly tall flower heads...

Hands stringing colourful bottle caps on a line outdoors with birds and lettuce plants in the background

Hanging Bottle Caps in the Garden: Shine, Movement and a Simple Bird Deterrent

Harriet M. Ashford • August 11, 2026

Hanging bottle caps around the garden repurposes a common bit of waste to create shine, movement and gentle rattling sounds...