Page 19 - News

Person pruning a potted rosemary plant indoors with scissors, surrounded by other potted plants and gardening tools.

Rosemary turns brown after winter: what to do now

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

When rosemary suddenly turns brown after winter, it can look alarming – but it is often a manageable care issue...

A nuthatch clings to a tree near a wooden birdhouse held by a child's hand with sunflower seeds on top.

Eurasian Nuthatch in the Garden: The Tiny Bird That Climbs Upside Down

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A seemingly unremarkable garden visitor can suddenly become a source of amazement in spring: tiny, colourful, cheeky – and capable...

Hands planting a small seedling in a terracotta pot beside a hanging purple flowering plant on a wooden table.

Plectranthus ‘Magic Mona Purple’: The Easy-Care Purple Perennial for Shaded Balconies

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many keen gardeners will recognise the pattern: hanging baskets and pots are bursting with life in spring, only to contain...

Person rolling up brown paper with seeds laid in a line on a wooden table next to seed packets and a spray bottle.

Snail sowing: the simple household trick for amateur gardeners

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

More and more amateur gardeners are turning to a remarkably simple household trick. Anyone hoping to start their first seeds...

Hands spraying liquid over garlic cloves in a bowl by a garden with flowers on a sunny patio.

Garlic Snake Barrier for Patios in March

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many homeowners only realise how appealing their patio is to snakes when one suddenly glides across the paving. These spots...

Hands adding banana peels to a worm compost bin in a garden with plants and a watering can nearby.

Banana Skins in the Garden: The Big Mistake to Avoid

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

That is precisely where the big gardening mistake begins. For many people, banana skins are nothing more than ordinary kitchen...

Person standing on a ladder attaching a wooden birdhouse to the side of a house at sunset with bats flying nearby.

How to Get Bats Out of Your House Safely

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

When fluttering sounds suddenly come from the loft in the evening, the cause is often more than simply a lost...

Child in shorts picking ripe strawberries on a sunny balcony with pots and crates of fresh berries.

Growing Berries in Pots: Fruit for Your Balcony

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

You do not need a garden to grow your own fruit. Just a few pots can turn a drab balcony...

Person planting flowers in a garden bed beside a green lawn on a sunny day with a watering can nearby.

Perfect Lawns: Why Councils Are Tightening Front-Garden Rules

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Freshly laid turf stretches like a green carpet from one carport to the next: not a blade too tall, not...

Person watering a white orchid with a jar of water on a table next to steaming corn and corn kernels.

The Sweetcorn Trick for Phalaenopsis and Indoor Orchids

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

If you own a Phalaenopsis or another indoor orchid, you will know the situation: the flowers have long since dried...

Person vacuuming a mattress in a bright, neatly arranged bedroom with folded linens nearby.

Getting Rid of Bed Bugs: Effective Home Remedies

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Unexplained bites, tiny spots on the sheets and one sleepless night after another – this is exactly the scenario many...

Person mulching around a young red maple tree in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby.

Japanese maples: the simple March step for a healthier season

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many Japanese maples languish for years – yet one unobtrusive task in March can lay the foundations for a far...

Man in a straw hat picking flowers in a garden, holding a basket with grapes and a jar of honey.

Why Black Elder Is Making a Strong Return to UK Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Once found on every corner of many cottage gardens, it is now making a remarkably strong comeback – bringing several...

Woman planting seedlings in garden bed with watering can, garden fork, and bucket of soil nearby on a sunny day

Hydrangeas: Fertilise Before March for More Flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many hydrangeas look like green balls with no colour in summer – yet the crucial mistake is made quietly in...

Woman gardening in her backyard next to a green compost bin with flowers and plants nearby

Rats in the Garden: How to Keep Them Out of Your House

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Anyone who fails to act may soon have rats in the house. Many keen gardeners know the situation: after dark,...

Three sheep standing inside a metal shelter on grassy farmland with a red umbrella nearby.

Residents who care about sheep: red parasol is popular with sheep on the dyke.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A red parasol beside a flock can make a striking picture on a sunny day. The useful lesson, though, is...

Hands planting a root vegetable with green leaves in a wooden garden bed surrounded by flowering plants.

What Are Perennials? Identifying Garden Perennials and Why They Fail to Return

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

This is precisely where the appeal of perennials begins: plants that return year after year, without needing to be replanted...

Shepherd holding a wooden staff and flute, watching sheep grazing near a rustic stone hut with mountains behind.

Juanito, the shepherd who works isolated at 4,000 meters above sea level: "Here, not even diseases reach us. We are happy with the tranquility."

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

For most sheep farmers, the working day is shaped by gates, weather, feed, lambing and the need to notice quickly...

A person holding a remote controls grazing sheep in a green grassy field bordered by dry reeds and a wooden post fence.

A herd of sheep, goats, or cows cleans much more than 100 people.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

An overgrown bank or scrubby field can make people reach for a strimmer, a contractor and a weekend of hard...

Sheep wearing a metallic protective mesh on its back with a person’s gloved hand nearby in a grassy field.

An Austrian inventor creates armor for sheep to protect them from wolves.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A sheep attacked by a large predator has little chance to escape, especially on open pasture. That is the everyday...

Hands in gloves holding cloth bags with soil samples above a garden bed with a shovel and notebook nearby.

A farmer buries two identical cotton underpants on his farm and demonstrates that healthy soil is not the one that preserves them, but the one that consumes them, which is more positive for ecosystems.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A pair of cotton pants disappearing underground is an eye-catching way to illustrate a familiar farming problem: soil condition is...