Page 30 - News

Person wearing green gloves planting a small green plant in soil with purple and pink flowers in the background.

Aubrietia turns a bare retaining wall into a violet flower curtain

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A grey, bare retaining wall can spoil the whole feel of a garden - but one unassuming plant can completely...

Hands harvesting fresh radishes from a raised garden bed with lettuce and gardening tools nearby.

Sow in March: 4 Vegetables You Can Harvest in 30 Days

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Winter has barely loosened its grip, yet you can already get properly stuck into the garden - and enjoy fresh...

Gloved hands pruning a young rose plant with red garden shears in a raised wooden garden bed.

The best time for rose pruning: when to prune roses in spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Many amateur gardeners find themselves staring at their roses each year, unsure what to do - and the wrong pruning...

Blue tit bird flying near a wooden bird feeder on a table with a berry bush and gardening tools nearby.

Black Elder (Sambucus nigra): the shrub that brings Great Tits back to your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A seemingly ordinary shrub can transform the whole picture overnight. If, in spring, you’re waiting in vain for the chatter...

Person tending colourful lantana flowers in a garden with a butterfly flying nearby and gardening tools nearby

Lantana camara: the underestimated ever-blooming shrub for your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

When you plan a flower bed, you usually picture roses, hydrangeas or lavender. Hardly anyone thinks of Lantana camara. Yet...

Person repotting a monstera plant with visible roots at a wooden table with potting soil and tools.

Repotting a Monstera: when to do it and how

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Missing the right moment can leave this trend plant under unnecessary stress. The Monstera has long since become a fixture...

Person pruning lavender plants in a garden bed with gardening tools and gloves on a tiled patio.

How to Prune Lavender at the Right Time to Make It Last Longer

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

If you grow lavender in the garden, you will recognise the pattern: first it glows a vivid violet, then-almost overnight-it...

Person wearing gloves planting greenery in a garden bed while a dog sniffs nearby on a sunny day.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plants Increase the Risk and How to Reduce It

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

As soon as the weather warms up, tick season gets going too. Most people associate ticks with woodland paths or...

Man harvesting morel mushrooms in garden with basket of apples nearby on sunny day

How to Grow Morels in Your Garden with Fireplace Ash and Apple Leftovers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Morels are treated as a luxury ingredient: scarce in the wild and pricey to buy. Every spring, plenty of mushroom...

Hands planting orange flowers in a garden bed with bees flying nearby and gardening tools on the soil.

Why Nasturtium Sown in March Protects Your Vegetable Garden from Aphids

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

When you get your beds ready in spring, you usually start by thinking about carrots, tomatoes, courgettes or beans. Yet...

Person examining a leaf in a garden with gardening gloves, scissors, and spray bottle on a wooden board nearby.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plants Attract Them and What Helps

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Anyone who enjoys a lush, slightly untamed garden often creates-without realising it-ideal conditions for ticks. Certain plants and garden features...

Hands potting fresh herbs in repurposed tin cans on a sunny windowsill with gardening tools nearby.

Empty Tins as Herb Pots for Balconies and Small Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A basic, everyday item from the kitchen is currently causing a stir in garden groups and on balconies. Instead of...

Woman enjoying the scent of pink and white flowers on a balcony with various potted plants in sunlight.

Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’: A Fragrant Winter Shrub for Garden and Balcony

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many balconies end up with the same trusty geraniums in their boxes year after year. Yet more and more keen...

Birds feed on peanuts and seeds on a snowy bird feeder as a person holds a fat ball in winter garden.

The Clever Old Broom Trick for Garden Birds in Winter

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

As we turn the heating up and shut the windows, blackbirds, tits and sparrows are quite literally fighting to get...

Hoopoe bird on soil near gardening tools including a trowel, gloves, and watering can in a garden bed.

What It Means When a Hoopoe Visits Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many amateur gardeners do a double take when a slim bird with black-and-white barred wings and a raisable crest suddenly...

Hands planting seeds in a small soil tray on a wooden table with seed packets and pots around.

7 Flowers to Sow in March for a Summer Full of Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

As the days stretch out, you can feel it in your fingers: it’s time to get back into the soil....

Woman harvesting root vegetables in a sunny garden with sunflowers and leafy greens in the background.

Topinambur: How the forgotten tuber is making a strong comeback

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Wander through today’s modern self-sufficient gardens and, alongside tomatoes, courgettes and herbs, you’ll increasingly spot a slightly odd-looking tuber with...

Hands planting seeds in soil next to vibrant orange and yellow flowers in a raised garden bed outdoors.

Nasturtium in March: Natural protection from aphids and a magnet for bees

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many amateur gardeners kick off spring full of enthusiasm with tomatoes, courgettes and beans, but overlook a quiet star: an...

Person planting seeds with one hand and holding a metal watering can in a garden bed with leafy green plants.

The small watering mistake in rain that can cost your plants dearly

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

A small lapse in judgement that can end up costing your plants dearly. When you look out of the window...

Person tending to a garden bed with colourful hydrangeas and pink astilbe flowers on a sunny day.

Hydrangeas: The Best Companion Plants for a Cooler, Moister Border

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many keen gardeners will recognise the pattern: in the catalogue, hydrangeas look like lavish, perfectly rounded flower heads, yet in...

Person kneeling in a garden adding fertiliser to soil near blooming lavender plants on a sunny day.

Lavender feeding in spring: compost, bone meal and garden lime for more flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many people tend lavender with care-sunlight, watering can and all-yet still end up with only a few flowers. The real...