Page 16 - News

Colourful bird in flight catching an insect in its beak above a garden with flowers and birdhouses.

Asian hornet: the European bee-eater as a natural garden ally

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

In many gardens across German-speaking parts of Europe, the Asian hornet has become a recurring concern every summer. These insects...

Person planting a young fig tree cutting in a small terracotta pot on a wooden table outdoors.

Propagate a Fig Tree from Hardwood Cuttings in Late Winter

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

One well-timed cut is all it takes to turn one fig tree into two. You need no gardening qualification and...

Hand holding a glass of lemon water near a window with two mosquitoes and small potted plants on the sill.

Mosquitoes: The Glass Trick at the Window for Peaceful Summer Evenings

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Many people want to air their home or sit on the balcony without being bitten all the time. Chemical sprays...

Person harvesting fresh radishes in a raised garden bed with watering can and trowel nearby

Four Fast March Vegetables for a Harvest in Under 30 Days

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Winter is slowly loosening its grip, and your hands are itching to feel soil again – but you do not...

Adult and child hanging a wooden birdhouse on a tree in a sunlit garden with flowers and bird sketches nearby.

Nest Boxes in the Garden: A Quiet Guardian of Biodiversity

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

A wooden box in the garden is often all it takes: suddenly, you can see just how much life exists...

Woman wearing gloves planting flowers along a roadside flowerbed on a sunny day.

Lantana camara ‘Hot Blooded’: The fiery-red shrub for hot driveways

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

A small shrub with vivid red flowers offers the answer – and it actually thrives on heat and asphalt. Most...

Person watering flower bed in garden with jar of garlic and grater on wooden table in foreground

Sprouting garlic: a natural snake deterrent for patios and beds

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

An overlooked kitchen leftover could now become one of the most useful ways to protect your patio and flowerbeds. When...

Hands tending to a large pot of blue, white, and purple flowers on a sunny balcony railing.

Fan flowers challenge geraniums on balconies in 2026

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

For decades, geraniums have been regarded as the undisputed number one choice for balconies and window boxes. Now, however, a...

A hand spraying pink roses with water from a spray bottle outdoors on a sunny day.

Bicarbonate of Soda Against Aphids: A Gentle Garden Remedy

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Many amateur gardeners instinctively reach for chemical sprays from the garden centre, only to later find their plants weakened, fewer...

Person watering vibrant pink and blue hydrangeas in a garden with gardening supplies nearby on a wooden crate.

Turn Pink Hydrangeas Blue with Vinegar Water

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

If you bought your hydrangea at the garden centre in vivid blue but discover only candy-pink flowers on the shrub...

Small bird perched on a wooden fence post in a sunlit rural field with wildflowers and flying birds in the background.

Neonicotinoids and Birds: France’s Cautious Recovery After the Imidacloprid Ban

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Yet the situation remains fragile. For several years, researchers in France have observed a tentative recovery among some insect-eating bird...

Woman kneeling in a colourful garden tending to flowers with gardening tools and a watering can nearby.

Long-flowering plants: plant once, marvel for months

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Plant once, marvel for months: choose the right varieties and your garden can flower almost continuously, from spring until the...

Person in winter clothing sowing seeds in a garden bed with green plants and a seed packet nearby.

White Mustard Green Manure: The February Trick for Tomatoes and Courgettes

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

In February, the vegetable garden can appear frozen in time, with seemingly nothing happening. Many gardeners wait for warmer days...

Person planting vibrant purple, red, white, and yellow flowers in a raised garden bed on a sunny day.

10 fast-growing perennials for quickly filled beds

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Many amateur gardeners will recognise the sight of bare soil between newly planted specimens. The wait can feel endless, weeds...

Man in checked shirt feeding three brown chickens inside a fenced chicken coop on a sunny day

How to Keep Rats Out of Your Chicken Coop

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Anyone building their first small chicken haven tends to picture fresh eggs, not rats. That changes when the sounds beneath...

Woman pruning a pink flowering plant on a balcony table with gardening tools and pots nearby.

Bougainvillea: three simple ways to encourage faster flowering

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

With three straightforward adjustments, this can be changed surprisingly quickly. Anyone who has sat beneath cascading pink bougainvillea while holidaying...

Person mounting a wooden birdhouse on a tree branch with a great tit bird nearby in a garden.

Tit Nest Boxes: Why They Stay Empty

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Often, an apparently minor detail is what causes it to fail. Spring is becoming warmer, the breeding season is beginning...

Person planting flowers in pots on a wooden table on a balcony at sunset.

Gaura: the drought-tolerant alternative to balcony geraniums

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

Many amateur gardeners remain loyal to their traditional balcony geraniums, yet resent the daily watering, dried-out planters at the height...

Man kneeling on grass planting a seedling near a hole, with gardening gloves, tools, and a phone nearby.

Asian Hornet Pest: Ground Nests Raise a New Warning

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

The Asian hornet pest, often dismissed as merely an exotic wasp, is quietly changing its behaviour. Rather than nesting only...

Man planting blue flowers in a garden bed with compost and a gardening book beside him.

Fertilise hydrangeas before March for huge flower heads in July

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

If you want enormous, colourful flower heads in the garden in July, you need to tend to your hydrangeas in...

Tabby cat with rainbow collar walking in garden near birdhouse and bird on shrub in golden hour sunlight.

Cats and birds in the garden: a simple trick for peaceful coexistence

Harriet M. Ashford • October 13, 2026

A simple approach can ensure cats and birds coexist peacefully. As soon as the weather turns warmer, the garden bursts...