Page 24 - News

Woman wearing a straw hat tending to pink and white flowers in a garden on a sunny day.

Gaura vs Roses: Why Gardeners Are Choosing the Prairie Candle (Butterfly Flower)

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners long for borders packed with flowers, but they do not have the time or patience for...

Person pruning a small tree in a sunny, neatly arranged outdoor garden with benches and plants.

How the Japanese Niwaki pruning technique makes a small garden feel bigger

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Many urban gardens and terraced-house plots start to feel overgrown after a few years. Shrubs turn into green walls, daylight...

Hands pouring water from a glass jug into a glass with a banana slice beside peeled bananas and potted plants on a windowsill

Banana Water Liquid Fertiliser for Houseplants: A Simple Routine from Late March

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

This is exactly the point at which a straightforward home method comes into play, shared by a houseplant enthusiast: a...

Two people measuring plants in a garden outside a suburban house on a sunny day.

Hedges on the boundary: distance, height and neighbour disputes explained

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Planting right up against the boundary can quickly ignite a neighbourly row. Plenty of homeowners start digging with the best...

Woman sprinkling fertiliser on ripe tomatoes growing in a garden with a banana peel placed at the plant base.

Turn Tomatoes into a High-Yield ‘Tomato Machine’ with Banana Skins and Wood Ash

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

With two free “waste” products, that can change surprisingly quickly. In the height of summer, many hobby gardeners stare at...

Person mowing overgrown grass in a sunny suburban backyard with rake and bucket nearby.

March lawn mowing: when to start the first cut

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Plenty of people wonder in March: should you bring the lawn mower out, or is it better to wait a...

A gardener's gloved hand planting a young seedling in soil near a flowerbed with blooming purple flowers.

Rock Cress for Retaining Walls: Turn Concrete into a Violet Curtain

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

In many gardens, retaining walls feel like a necessary evil: visually harsh, baking hot in summer, and in spring they...

Hands tending to green plants with white flowers in a wooden garden bed outdoors with tools nearby

Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta): the overlooked helper in April gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

All of a sudden it’s popping up all over the bed, looks unremarkable and often gets pulled out without a...

Person watering a potted plant with large green leaves on a table near a window in a bright room.

How to Care for an Avocado Tree on a Windowsill

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

A young avocado tree on the windowsill can feel like a small exotic victory at first. For weeks you watch...

Woman pruning hydrangea bush in sunny garden with gardening tools and soil bag nearby

Pruning Hydrangeas in Spring for Abundant Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Many keen gardeners know the frustration: the hydrangea shrub is packed with lush green leaves, yet the generous flowers you...

Person kneeling on patio removing weeds with garden tool, calendar and brush nearby on paving stones.

The best time to remove weed from paving joints and patio slabs

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Anyone who painstakingly clears weed from paving joints and patio slabs early in the year often gets very little reward...

Person tending to a frost-covered orange tree in a pot with a thermometer in outdoor garden area.

Frost-hardy citrus: which varieties survive winter better than a lemon tree

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

A single icy night can be enough to turn a lovingly tended lemon tree black and lifeless - and anyone...

Hands planting orange and yellow nasturtiums in a raised garden bed with lettuce and watering can nearby.

Why Nasturtium in March Can Transform Your Vegetable Harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Many keen gardeners kick off their first sowings in March full of anticipation - only to feel the frustration a...

Woman in a straw hat arranging terracotta pots on a metal garden table in a sunlit patio with flowers and plants.

Brocante in the Garden: Five Vintage Finds for Terrace and Balcony

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

If you’re picturing flimsy plastic chairs, think again. More and more garden owners are deliberately bringing furniture and accessories with...

Three sparrows perched on the edge of a birdbath as a hand drops coins into the water.

The 1-cent trick for keeping a bird bath cleaner: how copper slows algae

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

If you keep a bird bath in the garden, you will know the familiar annoyance: you top it up with...

Person holding red pruning shears near red maple leaves on a wooden table with a calendar and notebook.

Japanese fan maple pruning: why February cuts can make it bleed

Harriet M. Ashford • August 29, 2026

Japanese fan maples are among the most elegant ornamental trees you can grow in a garden. They are expensive to...

Hand holding a leaf with ants in a garden bed with flowers and gardening tools in the background.

Ants in the Garden: Which Plants Attract Them and Which Drive Them Away

Harriet M. Ashford • August 28, 2026

A few ants in the garden are perfectly normal - and can even be helpful. It only becomes unpleasant when...

Frost-covered orange tree in a garden bed with gloved hands holding a temperature gauge nearby.

Hardy Citrus: Which Citrus Trees Survive Frost When the Lemon Tree Fails

Harriet M. Ashford • August 28, 2026

Some tough citrus relatives can take frosts that would finish off a classic lemon tree. Plenty of gardeners picture bright...

Hand in gardening glove planting purple flowers in raised stone bed with watering can nearby on gravel path

Aubrieta: the violet cushion perennial that transforms a retaining wall

Harriet M. Ashford • August 28, 2026

Many homeowners run into the same eyesore: a retaining wall on a slope that sits in the garden like a...

Person measuring the height of a tree in a sunny backyard with houses in the background.

Paulownia tomentosa (Empress tree): fast privacy screening in three years

Harriet M. Ashford • August 27, 2026

Many people reach for ready‑made privacy screens made from timber, plastic or reed fencing. They can look tidy at first,...

Person trimming plants in a garden with a dog sitting nearby on a sunny day.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plant Combinations Attract Them

Harriet M. Ashford • August 27, 2026

Anyone who enjoys a garden in full bloom rarely thinks about parasites. Even so, every warm day increases the chances...