Page 20 - News

Hand holding a green leaf with various coloured ladybirds and small ants in a garden setting.

Ladybirds: fascinating facts about colourful garden helpers

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Ladybirds are widely regarded as the most likeable of insects. Children adore them, gardeners welcome them, and many families see...

Hand placing a small document on top of papers in a red folder on a wooden table with keys beside them and cows visible outsi

The Supreme Court ruled and there is no turning back: from now on, the permits to move and export livestock are invalidated.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Headlines suggesting that permits to move or export livestock have been “invalidated” can sound as though farmers are now free...

Worker inspecting fresh tomatoes on conveyor belt next to crate of tomatoes and open cans with tomato pieces.

We visited the factory that operates for only two months a year: how the Italian tomato giant Mutti fits its entire year into 70 days.

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A tin of chopped tomatoes or carton of passata can sit in a British cupboard for months, which makes it...

Hands planting seeds in small soil-filled containers on a wooden table with seed packets and calendar nearby.

Action’s €1.99 Mini Set That Saves Your First March Sowing

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many amateur gardeners begin their spring sowing full of anticipation, only to end up with mouldy pots and leggy seedlings....

Person tending to a potted plant on a balcony with other plants and a watering can nearby.

Why Rain Does Not Always Water Plants Enough

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

While rain drums down outside, many people sit back and relax – but for some plants, that can be a...

Woman scrubbing green moss off tiled floor with soap, brush, and bucket on sunny balcony.

Remove moss from patios and driveways with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many people spend hours scrubbing until they are exhausted, only for moss to return across the surface a few days...

Child on a ladder hanging a birdhouse on a tree in a sunny garden with a bird, flowers, and gardening tools nearby.

Hoopoe Nest Box: How to Attract a Hoopoe to Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

The hoopoe, with its orange-and-black feather crest, is among Europe’s most striking birds. Many people glimpse it only briefly in...

Person gardening barefoot in a colourful flowerbed holding a wooden basket with gardening tools nearby.

Tread-resistant ground covers: 5 alternatives to a thirsty lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many gardens struggle with parched lawns and rising water bills – but there is a greener alternative that needs less...

Person gently holding a spider web above a jar with a large spider on a table by a sunlit window.

Why Spiders in Your Home Are Helpful Housemates

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Yet the instinct to squash them often does more harm than good. Spiders can trigger disgust, fear and sometimes genuine...

Person planting a seedling in a raised garden bed with flowers, gardening tools, and seed packets nearby.

What to Plant and Sow in March for a Productive Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

The days are getting longer, the ground is thawing – and anyone who gets started now can gain months of...

Person spraying water from a bottle at pigeons on a sunny balcony with plants and lemons.

Keep Pigeons Off Your Balcony: The Simple Smell Trick

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Living in a city comes with a familiar problem: as soon as the weather gets warmer, pigeons start perching on...

Terracotta pots with blooming pink and white geraniums on a balcony railing with a watering can and garden tools nearby.

Gaura lindheimeri: The easy-care alternative to geraniums

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Summer after summer, dried-out balcony planters, bare patches in borders and the constant chore of watering cans need not be...

Person spreading soil or sand in a garden patch with a shovel, surrounded by green plants and gardening bags.

Iron Sulphate in March: The Simple Trick for a Moss-Free Lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

After a grey winter, lawns often look tired and patchy – but one simple March trick can transform everything. Many...

Person in yellow boots holding a flowerpot near a snake coiled on soil beside gardening tools.

Vipers in the Garden: How to Avoid Painful Bites

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many amateur gardeners do not realise how risky one careless movement can be. Anyone weeding, tidying a border or trying...

Woman sitting barefoot on balcony wooden bench surrounded by potted plants drinking coffee and touching hanging foliage.

IKEA NÄMMARÖ 3-in-1: The simple trick for more balcony privacy

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

A simple solution can turn even the smallest balcony into a sheltered, comfortable retreat. In countless cities, the same thing...

Hands clipping fresh lavender with pruning shears next to a basket of cut lavender on wooden decking.

Pruning lavender: the right time for long-lasting flowering

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Anyone who loves the scent of lavender knows the frustration: at first it forms a perfect purple cushion, but after...

Person holding a small potted plant and a bowl of soil over a bathroom sink with natural light.

Coffee grounds in the toilet: what really happens in the drain

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

In household groups, on TikTok and across advice blogs, a new cleaning tip is doing the rounds: rather than reaching...

Person tending to potted herbs on a windowsill with watering can, scissors, and plate of clippings nearby.

Easy Potted Herbs for Small UK Spaces

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Space is limited, time is even scarcer, and every herb you have attempted to grow appears to complain. There is...

Person refilling a bird feeder on a snowy day with birds gathering nearby on a wooden table.

Fat Balls: Why Plastic Nets Are a Deadly Trap for Garden Birds

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Many amateur gardeners want to help birds survive the winter – yet may unknowingly put their lives at risk. Frost...

Person checking pockets of jeans over a washing machine with folded clothes on a wooden countertop.

Five Laundry Habits That Keep Clothes Looking New for Longer

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Simply stuffing laundry into the machine risks more than a few creases. Fibres can suffer, colours fade sooner and buttons...

Man wearing a straw hat tending to tulips in a garden bed with a basket of dry leaves nearby.

Why Leaving Leaves in Spring Makes Your Garden Thrive

Harriet M. Ashford • October 12, 2026

Two neighbours, two gardens, and one cold spring morning. To the left sits a perfectly clipped lawn, with bare, raked...