Page 51 - News

European robin perched on an overturned terracotta pot with gardening gloves and tools on a wooden bench outdoors

A Terracotta Pot for a Robin Nesting Site in the Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

A modest terracotta plant pot can transform everything. If you’ve got a robin visiting your garden, every appearance feels like...

Person hanging reflective ribbons and CDs between apple trees to deter birds in orchard on a sunny day.

DIY Garden Guardian: Build a Scarecrow to Protect Fruit and Berries

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Anyone with a garden - or even just a couple of fruit trees - will recognise the problem: the moment...

Person standing barefoot beside a colourful garden bed with flowering plants and rocks in a sunny backyard.

Top 5 Tread-Resistant Ground Covers to Replace Your Lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

As summers become drier and water bills climb, the traditional lush, emerald lawn is starting to look like an expensive...

Person using a garden fork near a coiled snake in a raised garden bed surrounded by plants and watering cans.

Avoid Snake Bites in the Garden When Weeding: Simple Habits

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

The trigger can seem utterly ordinary. Plenty of keen gardeners know the moment: you pull a bit of weed from...

Person watering a pink orchid at a kitchen sink next to other potted orchids on the windowsill.

How to Get Phalaenopsis Orchids to Flower Again

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Anyone who keeps a Phalaenopsis or other indoor orchids at home will recognise the pattern: for weeks they look spectacular...

Woman harvesting fresh vegetables from a lush garden with a basket and watering can nearby.

Perennial vegetables: 15 favourites for a low-maintenance permanent vegetable bed

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many keen gardeners eventually feel their enthusiasm slip away: sowing again every year, raising seedlings, digging beds over and over,...

Person sprinkling seasoning into a glass of iced drink on a balcony with plants and fairy lights at sunset.

Firefly Bright Filament String Solar Lights (£14.99): solar string lights to transform your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Coming home in the evening and seeing a pitch-dark patio is a quick way to lose enthusiasm for your outdoor...

Striped cat walking on a wooden table with tulips in a glass vase and a hand petting the cat.

Are Tulips Toxic to Cats? Risks, Symptoms and Prevention

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Bright, colourful blooms are a shorthand for spring, cheerful décor and a good mood. For cats, however, they can also...

Young woman wearing a hat harvesting fresh cabbage in a sunny garden bed with oil and shredded cabbage on table.

Pak Choi: the ultra-fast Asian star ready in 30 to 50 days

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

A lightning-quick Asian favourite can change everything. Anyone who’s prepping beds, sorting seeds and daydreaming about the first fresh green...

Man hanging a string of cherries on a blossoming tree in a sunlit garden with a ladder nearby.

Cherry Tree Pruning: Remove Water Shoots for a Bigger Harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Plenty of keen gardeners know the frustration: the cherry tree looks vigorous, throws out strong new growth, yet when harvest...

Woman adjusting a yellow-striped umbrella on a sunlit balcony with plants, drinks, and a round wooden table.

IKEA HÖGÖN parasol: retro look with clever details

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

A new parasol from IKEA is shaking up the outdoor season in a big way - with a retro vibe...

Woman in a straw hat harvesting ripe tomatoes in a garden, holding a wooden crate full of tomatoes.

Cornue des Andes, Green Zebra and Noire de Crimée: 3 Tomato Varieties for Hot Summers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many hobby gardeners know the pattern: in June the tomato plants look magnificent; in July the sun beats down, the...

Person assembling a wooden planter box with a potted green plant on a coffee table in a living room.

A simple plant pedestal from wood offcuts

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Plenty of houseplants end up sitting on the floor, tucked into a corner, or packed tightly along the windowsill. The...

Small bird with outstretched wings approaching wooden birdhouse on tree amid sunlit garden flowers.

How to Turn Your Garden into a Tit Paradise

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

A little effort right now can turn an ordinary garden into a genuine paradise for tits. An expert from a...

Person working on a laptop at a wooden desk with a peace lily plant and steaming cup of tea beside them.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum): a houseplant for cleaner indoor air in the home office

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Building materials, paints, furniture, cleaning products and electronic devices constantly release substances into the air indoors. You do not always...

Hands pouring honey from a glass jar into a spoon beside orchids on a wooden windowsill with natural light.

Molasses for orchids: the simple trick that gets Phalaenopsis flowering again

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

If you keep a Phalaenopsis or any other indoor orchid, you will recognise the pattern: year one is packed with...

Man kneeling on grass measuring a red lawn mower with a tape measure in a sunny backyard garden.

Cut Your Lawn in March: The One-Third Rule That Wins the Whole Season

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Act differently now, and you can set yourself up for the whole season. Winter has finally eased off, the sun...

Woman in a straw hat smelling yellow flowers in a sunlit garden surrounded by various plants and gardening tools.

Bidens aurea: The low-maintenance perennial with months of yellow flowers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many amateur gardeners automatically reach for geraniums, petunias and the like every spring. Yet there’s a perennial that looks like...

Man gardening, uprooting a bush next to a wheelbarrow filled with branches and greenery in a vibrant garden.

Thuja Hedge: Why Experts Are Calling for Removal

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Public opinion is turning - and specialists are now sounding the alarm about removing them. In front gardens across the...

Person planting yellow flowers in garden bed with trowel and seed packets nearby on wooden path

11 Ground Cover Plants for Wet Clay Soil Instead of Drainage Pipes

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Many plot and garden owners will recognise the pattern: clay-heavy soil, standing puddles, grass that rots away, and paths where...

Hands harvesting morel mushrooms growing in soil outdoors with a pile of firewood and apples in the background.

How to Attract Morels in Your Garden with Wood Ash and Apple Leftovers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 16, 2026

Morels are the holy grail for mushroom lovers: scarce, expensive, and notoriously hard to track down. Every spring, plenty of...