Page 35 - News

Person examining dandelion plants in garden bed with gardening tools and open notebook with botanical sketches nearby.

Weeds as Indicator Plants: Reading Wild Weeds to Understand Your Soil

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many amateur gardeners head into spring determined to eradicate every last seedling popping up between the beds. Yet the low,...

Father and daughter planting seedlings in a wooden raised garden bed on a sunny patio.

Lidl Parkside Planter With Trellis for £29.99: The Small-Space Garden Upgrade

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

With its new planter with trellis, Lidl is bringing into stores a garden piece that tackles several common small-space headaches...

Person harvesting fresh asparagus from a raised garden bed with other vegetables and a wicker basket nearby

Perennial vegetables: 15 favourites for an almost self-running bed

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

There is another way: vegetables that stay in the bed for good. If you raise the same varieties every spring,...

Person pruning rose stems with secateurs on a wooden table in a sunny garden.

Rose Pruning: The Best Time to Cut for a Spring Display

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners find themselves staring at their roses each year, unsure what to do: by February, your hand...

Woman planting seedlings in a garden bed surrounded by potted flowers on a sunny day.

31 March: Drought-Tolerant Perennials for a Summer Border with Hardly Any Watering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many hobby gardeners only realise in July that their border won’t make it through high summer without heavy watering. The...

Woman in green apron examining a lemon tree in a pot on a balcony during daylight.

Potted Lemon Tree on the Balcony in March: Avoid Frost and Overwatering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Decisions you make now can have consequences you’ll notice later. Many hobby gardeners put their container plant outside too early,...

Person using a hand cultivator to till soil in a garden lawn with watering can and soil bag nearby.

Soil Compaction and Core Aeration: Why Your Lawn Won’t Stay Green

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The sprinkler ticked on and off in a steady rhythm, beads of water catching the late-afternoon sun. Your garden ought...

Child planting a young seedling in a garden bed with gardening tools and a watering can nearby.

The hidden plant childhood: hardening off and establishment for seedlings

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

I can pinpoint the first time I properly noticed a plant growing. I was marooned on the sofa with a...

Man kneeling and mulching plants in a garden bed on a sunny day with gardening tools nearby.

The “Lazy” Mulch Tweak That Saves Litres of Water in Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

At 6.30 am the street is still, yet the gardens have already started their morning conversation. You catch it in...

Person watering pink flowers on a balcony garden with sunlight and gardening tools nearby.

Diascia: the secret weapon for balcony boxes

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many balcony boxes look spectacular in June, only to turn into a miserable patch of green by August. The good...

Red squirrel eating nuts with a bowl of sliced apples on a snowy garden table in winter.

Helping Squirrels Through Winter Frost: What Your Garden Can Do

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plenty of people think squirrels are set for the cold months because they’ve tucked away piles of nuts. In reality,...

Woman gardening in a lush backyard, tending plants with a spade and a bucket of garden waste nearby.

I Stopped Fighting Weeds and My Garden Fixed Itself

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The day I decided to stop treating every weed like an invader, my garden looked-at first glance-like a small catastrophe....

Young woman tending to a blooming cactus plant by a window in a cosy room at sunset.

Why Your Easter Cactus Won’t Flower Every Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Does your Easter cactus look perfectly healthy, yet stubbornly refuse to flower every spring? The cause is almost always a...

Person tending to small plants next to a hedge on a wooden deck outside a house.

Pittosporum as the New Modern Privacy Hedge

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

In residential areas from Hamburg to Innsbruck, the same scene has been playing out for several years: hedges that were...

Person planting blue flowers in a terracotta pot on a wooden table with other flowering plants nearby.

Plant in mid-April: Petunias, Fuchsias and Geranium Rozanne for flowers from May to November

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Early spring can make borders look bare, yet this is exactly when you can shape how vibrant your garden will...

Person repotting a colourful houseplant on a wooden surface next to glass jars with ivy cuttings in water.

June cuttings in water: propagate ivy, coleus and busy lizzie for free

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Anyone who takes cuttings wisely in June can save a lot of money at the garden centre - and still...

Person adding soil to a raised wooden garden bed with young tomato plants and colourful flowers in background.

Coffee grounds in the garden: how to use them for plants and pests

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

It’s about coffee grounds. What ends up in your filter or portafilter after breakfast doesn’t belong only in the food-waste...

Person filling green bird feeder near stone birdbath with five birds on blossoming branch in garden.

When to Stop Feeding Birds: March or April in Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

As winter starts to ease, many of us keep the bird feeders topped up, the garden stays lively, and an...

Person sprinkling soil over bananas next to a lavender plant and a jug on a wooden table in a garden.

Lavender: Feed It with Kitchen Scraps (Coffee Grounds, Banana Peels and Compost)

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Rather than spending money on pricey fertilisers, more and more home gardeners are turning to things that would otherwise end...

Young man planting colourful flowers on a wooden deck with gardening book open besides him.

How to Plan a Four-Season Yard That Never Really Shuts Off

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The photos were flawless: hydrangeas bursting in blue, a lawn smooth as cake icing, and not a single dandelion daring...

Hand sowing seeds in soil of a raised garden bed with orange flowers and green lettuce leaves nearby.

Sow Nasturtium in March: Natural Protection and Pollinator Power for Your Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

When you sow lettuce, beans or tomatoes in spring with plenty of enthusiasm, one thing rarely crosses your mind: the...