Page 21 - News

Woman arranging a potted peace lily on a wooden shelf next to a lit candle in a cosy, well-lit home.

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum): The Houseplant That Reduces Odours and Improves Indoor Air

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

A particular houseplant can noticeably soften all of that. Anyone who spends a lot of time indoors often ends up...

Person carefully removing a bird nest with eggs from hedge using electric hedge trimmer extension.

Spring Hedge Cutting: How to Avoid a €150,000 Fine During the Nesting and Breeding Season

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Wanting to tidy up a hedge in spring usually brings to mind kerb appeal, the neighbours and the pavement -...

Child arranging herb plants in coloured tin pots on a wooden balcony garden shelf on a sunny day

Tin Cans as Herb Pots: A Simple Balcony Gardening Hack

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Gardeners across the UK - both amateurs and professionals - are currently urging people not to chuck a familiar household...

Woman planting colourful flowers in a sunlit garden with gardening tools and plans nearby.

15 Perennials for a Fast Garden Makeover

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Act now and you can avoid costly replanting schemes and years of waiting. Perennials return from the ground year after...

Great tit bird holding a bee perched on a wooden beehive with bees flying around in a garden.

Tits vs the Invasive Hornet: a Simple March Plan to Protect Honey Bees

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

For several years now, many gardens have been facing the same new threat: an invasive hornet introduced from Asia that...

Person watering a small lemon tree seedling placed in a clear water-filled bowl on a wooden table.

Dried-Out Lemon Tree Rescue: Pruning, Water Bath and Plastic Cover

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Many keen gardeners throw out a lemon tree too quickly when it’s dropped every leaf and looks completely dried out....

Person holding a garden fork and paper, turning a smoking compost pile in a backyard garden on a sunny day.

Burning Garden Waste: 31 March Deadline, Saxony-Anhalt Fines and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Ban from 2029

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Across many local authorities, 31 March has become an unofficial deadline for a practice that used to be routine: pile...

Woman in a straw hat tending to blooming lavender plants in a sunlit garden path with watering can and trowel.

Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii): the tougher, longer-flowering alternative to lavender

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners reach for lavender out of habit when they want to give a balcony or garden a...

Hands pruning fresh mint leaves with scissors in a sunlit indoor garden planter box.

How to Harvest Mint Like a Pro

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

The air already carries a hint of summer before the sun clears the garden fence. You step outside barefoot onto...

Girl in a white dress crouching in a garden full of pink flowers and butterflies on a sunny day.

Mimosa strigillosa: Sunshine Mimosa as a Low-Water Lawn Replacement

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

More and more home gardeners are swapping a closely mown, thirsty grass lawn for a low carpet of flowers that...

Person holding a halved papaya near a bird perched on a bowl with banana slices and water.

How to Keep a Robin in Your Garden with Wild Mulch

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Many garden owners put up feeders, hang suet balls in the trees and then wait in vain for that bright...

Person planting a young tree in soil with gardening tools and a metal watering can nearby.

Planting fruit trees in March: keep the graft union above the soil

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Spring arrives, garden centres fill up, and before long an apple, cherry or peach tree ends up in the boot....

Person potting a green plant with visible roots on a wooden table near a window with other plants.

Spider Plant Bonsai: Turn a Spider Plant into a Living Mini Sculpture

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Many people dream of having their own bonsai, but the perceived effort and long waiting times put them off. In...

Person sprinkling white powder on garden moss with a green watering can nearby in a backyard setting.

The 75p Natron trick for removing moss from your lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

When you first step on the lawn in spring, it can feel spongy underfoot. Instead of fresh blades of grass,...

Man hanging a birdhouse on a tree in a lush garden with birds flying and plants surrounding him at sunset.

Why Tits Avoid Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Something not adding up? Plenty of keen gardeners pour time, money and care into their plot, expecting a little haven...

Woman wearing a hat sitting in a colourful flower garden, holding gardening gloves with watering can nearby.

The 8 Toughest Low-Maintenance Perennials for Lazy Gardeners

Harriet M. Ashford • September 2, 2026

Many hobby gardeners go all-in in spring, only to shove the watering can into a corner in high summer in...

Hand placing a pine cone in a terracotta pot with a green plant on a windowsill with a copper watering can.

The Fir Cone Trick for Watering Houseplants in Winter

Harriet M. Ashford • September 1, 2026

Many keen home gardeners reach for the watering can on autopilot in winter the moment the compost looks dry. That’s...

Person hanging a white pot with a tomato plant bearing ripe tomatoes on a balcony hook during daylight.

Hanging Tomatoes Upside Down in a Bucket: Safe Setup and Weight Guide

Harriet M. Ashford • September 1, 2026

Growing tomatoes upside down in a bucket can look like another internet garden hack at first glance. In reality, it’s...

Gloved hands pruning rosebuds with garden shears in a sunny garden with potted plants.

Pruning Roses in March: Why the Eyes Rule Matters

Harriet M. Ashford • September 1, 2026

The bed looks bare, winter still clings to the branches, and your gaze lands on the secateurs: cut everything back...

A robin in mid-flight carrying nesting material near a hanging rusted kettle on a tree branch.

Robin nest box: turn an old clay teapot into a natural nesting site

Harriet M. Ashford • September 1, 2026

Robins are among the most likeable garden birds of all. Plenty of people are delighted whenever this small songbird drops...

Person gardening with soil, surrounded by flowers, lettuce, watering can, and eggshells in a sunny backyard.

Chemical‑Free Garden Beds: How They Really Work

Harriet M. Ashford • September 1, 2026

The morning smells of damp soil as the sun slowly climbs over the fence. An older couple stands between their...