Page 39 - News

Person wearing gloves cleaning a wooden box with a brush on a weathered outdoor table with fruit nearby.

The December job that keeps robins choosing your garden every year

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Every winter, robins quietly begin organising the next generation, well before most of us have packed away the fairy lights....

Hands lifting a protective cover from a raised bed of lush green lettuce in a sunlit garden.

Buttercrunch Lettuce Sunlight: How Much Sun Does Buttercrunch Need?

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Buttercrunch is a much-loved lettuce variety with soft, buttery leaves. It thrives on light - but only when you get...

Woman planting a young palm tree in a garden on a sunny day with gardening tools nearby.

Winter-hardy palm tree Trachycarpus fortunei: make your garden feel like a holiday resort

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

While plenty of people are already thinking about autumn leaves, there’s a simple trick that can make an ordinary garden...

Person spraying plants with liquid from a spray bottle in a garden with flowers in the background.

Vinegar and Washing‑Up Liquid: Simple Mix for Weeds in Joints and Gravel Paths

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Stubborn weeds in paving joints and gravel paths drive many amateur gardeners up the wall - but an unassuming kitchen...

Person inspecting wilted tomato seedlings in a raised garden bed inside a greenhouse.

Hardening off tomatoes: a nine-day plan to prevent sunburn and transplant shock

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many hobby gardeners wait for the first properly mild day in April or May and then move their carefully raised...

Couple smiling and cooking vegetable and meat skewers on a grill in a modern kitchen with wooden island.

Lidl’s indoor grill that could replace your barbecue

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

A cough burst out behind a window left ajar; a baby began to wail; and a man in flip-flops looked...

Person gardening with colourful flowers while a hoopoe bird stands nearby in a backyard garden.

Why a Hoopoe in Your Garden Is More Than a Coincidence

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

More lies behind this visit than mere chance. Spotting a hoopoe in your own garden for the first time can...

Woman kneeling in garden holding soil above raised bed with seedlings and gardening supplies nearby.

The Soil Mistake Most Beginner Gardeners Make (and How to Fix It)

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

A woman at the garden centre looked genuinely sheepish. In one arm she balanced a tray of drooping petunias; in...

Woman holding a halved papaya next to a papaya tree in a garden with gardening tools on a wooden table.

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba): the cold-hardy “mango of the north” for UK gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many gardeners across Europe and much of North America assume that fruit trees with a truly exotic look belong in...

Woman planting seeds in a garden bed with an open gardening book and seed packets beside her.

Why the last 4 weeks of your garden year quietly decide the next one

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

On a crisp October evening, just as the daylight started slipping behind the garden fences, I saw my neighbour doing...

Man tending to a vegetable garden in raised beds with a steaming cup of tea and open book nearby.

The Seasonal Pause Your Soil Is Begging For

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The beds looked oddly bare. Only a few weeks earlier they’d been overflowing with tomato thickets and bean wigwams; now...

Hands tending to a raised garden bed with lavender, basil, garlic, and yellow flowers in sunlight.

Anti-Ant Plants: Herbs and Perennials to Keep Ants Out of the Garden and Home

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many hobby gardeners know the pattern: a handful of ants appear, and a few days later they seem to be...

Person kneeling in a garden tying plant stems with gardening tools and a basket nearby in the sunlight.

Why Messy Winter Gardens and Plant Residue Boost Spring Growth

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first frost had already dusted the rooftops with silver when my neighbour hauled three swollen bags of dead plants...

Person spreading mulch over soil in a garden bed with young plants and watering cans in background

A Year-round Soil “Blanket” to Stop Temperature Shocks in Roots

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first time the temperature dropped from a gentle 12°C afternoon to a biting –4°C overnight, I noticed it by...

Person wearing gloves pruning a leafless shrub in a garden during late afternoon.

January winter pruning and clean-up to stop black spot and powdery mildew on roses

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Those dark speckles and chalky white films on rose leaves almost never arrive without warning. The decisive fight is usually...

Woman kneeling in a garden planting a young shrub surrounded by lavender, clay pots, and a watering can.

How to Keep Your Garden Green During Drought With Less Water

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The lawn crackles under your flip-flops, brittle as straw. The garden hose that used to sweep across the beds in...

Small bird perched on purple coneflowers near gardening gloves and a bird feeder at sunset.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): the winter fuel station for garden birds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Thinking only in terms of a traditional bird feeder means missing a huge opportunity. There is one particular, almost forgotten...

Hands mulching soil around a young green plant in a raised garden bed with gardening tools nearby.

Autumn garden care: soil, mulch, drainage and houseplants

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

As daylight fades and the air turns crisper, your garden is quietly preparing for what comes next beneath fallen leaves...

Young man tending seedlings on a wooden table with open plant guide and desk lamp by a window.

Why Slow Growth Helps Plants Live Longer

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The grow light above the seed tray on the kitchen worktop gave off a quiet hum, washing the whole scene...

Person mulching soil around tomato plants in a garden with wheelbarrow and watering can nearby.

The Small Seasonal Mulching Habit That Protects Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first rumble of thunder sounded just as she set down her empty mug. A sharp gust skimmed across the...

Two great tits near a wooden tray filled with sunflower seeds on a garden table with a birdhouse and flowers in background.

Sunflower Seeds: The Simple Way to Attract Tits to Your Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many amateur gardeners have no idea that it all comes down to one simple seed. Anyone who has watched a...