Page 14 - News

Blackbird perched on stone birdbath with a hand holding a bowl of mixed berries nearby in a garden.

Why Does the Blackbird Keep Returning to the Garden?

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

A blackbird in the garden returning regularly often sparks people's curiosity. This elegant, watchful bird does not select a place...

Man trimming bushes in a sunny garden with gardening tools and plans on a wooden table nearby

Why Thuja hedges are crumbling - and an old garden model is fading

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

They are starting to crumble - and with them, a garden ideal from another era. Many owners are left staring...

Person pruning a bush with small pink flowers in a sunny garden next to a flowerpot and gardening supplies.

Japanese spirea: a hardy flowering shrub for low-maintenance gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

Japanese spirea has become increasingly popular in residential and urban garden designs because it combines hardiness, showy flowers and low...

Young man misting a vibrant vertical garden on a wall inside a sunlit room next to a wooden cabinet.

Seville experiment: how plant walls can transform indoor air

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

An experiment has now demonstrated just how strongly plant walls can alter the air indoors. When people think about air...

Hands harvesting freshly picked radishes in a garden bed with gardening tools and seed packets nearby.

Growing Radishes: The Simple Trick for Crisp, Mild Roots

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

Radishes are often seen as the classic beginner’s veg: fast to grow, low-fuss, and nicely red. Yet in reality, they...

Person kneeling on grass using a tool to remove spiky weed roots, with gardening tools and tray nearby.

The Spring Verticutting Mistake That Ruins Your Lawn in Days

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

A single, all-too-common spring mistake can destroy a lawn in just a few days. In March or April, many people...

Four great tits flying around a flowering elderberry bush in a backyard garden with bird feeders.

Why Great Tits Return: Black Elder (Sambucus nigra) for Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 7, 2026

Many people diligently keep their bird feeders topped up through winter, mow the lawn into a neat carpet and then...

Man measuring garden bed near orange flowers with gardening tools and lemon slices on wooden patio

How to Repel Skunks from Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Skunks are far less common in Central Europe than in North America, but dealing with “smelly intruders” has become a...

Person wearing a hat standing under a large lilac tree in full bloom in a residential garden on a sunny day.

Paulownia (Kaiserbaum/Blauglockenbaum): a fast-growing privacy screen with spectacular blossom

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Many keen gardeners want privacy quickly, abundant flowers and, ideally, none of the hassle that comes with rampant roots. That...

Hands using a wooden scoop to dig soil in a raised garden bed with lettuce and gardening tools nearby.

The Wooden Spoon Test for Vegetable Patch Soil

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Between tomato vines, rows of lettuce and courgettes, a simple kitchen utensil is turning up in the soil more and...

Woman smelling purple heliotropium flowers in garden with watering can and gloves nearby on sunny day

Heliotrope: the vanilla flower making balconies and patios smell like summer

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Many hobby gardeners are after a plant that offers more than something that’s simply “nice to look at”. They want...

Person wearing gloves carefully handling a snake coiled on plants in a garden bed bordered with stones.

Adders in the garden: which plants attract them and what to change before mid-March

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

From around mid-March, adders and other snakes begin to leave their winter hideaways and may move closer to our homes....

Person trimming a potted rosemary plant with scissors using a ruler for measurement on a wooden table outdoors.

Rosemary pruning in March: how to keep it compact and flowering

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Many hobby gardeners are surprised every year: the rosemary has certainly grown, yet the flowers now sit only right at...

Bare feet standing on a lush green clover lawn with white flowers, a watering can, and a lawnmower nearby.

Low White Clover (Micro-Clover): The Quiet Alternative to a Traditional Lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

As lawns scorch in the height of summer and the lawnmower is out non-stop, an unassuming plant is emerging as...

Hands arranging a red tulip in a bouquet of yellow and red tulips in a glass vase on a kitchen table.

Needle Trick for Tulips: The 3‑Second Method to Fix Drooping Stems in a Vase

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Many people reach for home remedies such as copper coins or a splash of alcohol in the vase water. A...

Woman pruning white flowering shrubs in a well-maintained garden with red-leaved plants nearby on a sunny day.

Photinia vs Pittosporum: the evergreen hedge alternative to ‘Red Robin’ and Thuja

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Anyone wanting to shield their garden from prying eyes often turns to fast-growing hedge plants. First, Thuja seemed to be...

Person planting a Swiss chard seedling in a garden bed with a basket of harvested stems nearby.

Forcing Rhubarb in the Dark: Harvest Earlier with Sweeter Stalks

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

A straightforward trick from the veg patch can bring your rhubarb harvest forward by weeks - and the stalks turn...

Person placing a white orchid plant in a transparent pot into a bowl of water on a wooden kitchen countertop.

Get Orchids Blooming Again: the Five‑Minute Bath Trick and the Dark Phase

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

With a surprisingly simple tweak, that can change completely. Anyone who’s ever been given a beautifully flowering orchid will know...

Person gardening with gloves on a balcony surrounded by purple flowers and flying bees in sunlight.

Nepeta × faassenii catmint: the tougher alternative to lavender

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Anyone looking to brighten up a balcony or garden in spring often reaches for lavender almost without thinking. A touch...

Hands hanging a brown paper wasp nest trap on a wooden beam in a garden with flowers and gardening tools nearby.

Asian hornet: the paper bag trick to deter nests in your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

If you want to sit comfortably in the garden in summer, there is a new worry on many people’s minds:...

Person applying white plaster or paint to a terracotta plant pot on a wooden table outdoors

Terracotta Pots: The Ceramic Trick with Paint and Bicarbonate of Soda

Harriet M. Ashford • September 6, 2026

Plenty of hobby gardeners know the frustration: after one or two winters, beloved terracotta pots can look truly sorry for...