News
Spider plant not producing babies? Two simple care mistakes to avoid
Harriet M. Ashford
•
Spider plant not producing babies? Two simple care mistakes are often to blame. Many houseplant enthusiasts know the situation: their...
News
How to Attract a Robin to Your Garden with Wild Mulch
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The real key lies somewhere else. Anyone hoping to see a robin in the garden in spring will usually think...
News
How to Create Garden Balance by Doing Less
Harriet M. Ashford
•
On a late Sunday evening, with the light softening every rough edge, many gardeners become restless. You can sense it...
News
How Random Herb and Flower Mixes Reduce Garden Pests
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The year aphids nearly took over, I was close to abandoning everything except my resentment. My kale was shredded like...
News
How Soil Life Creates a Thriving Garden
Harriet M. Ashford
•
On a crisp April morning, before lawnmowers and leaf blowers begin their racket, there is something else to hear: a...
News
How Letting Go of a Perfect Garden Changed Everything
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The day I abandoned the idea of a “perfect” garden, I was in my pyjamas with a hose in my...
News
Why Identical Plants Grow Differently: The Hidden Root Story
Harriet M. Ashford
•
On a grey Saturday morning, two plastic trays stood side by side on the narrow windowsill of a flat. They...
News
Why Shade Helps Your Garden Survive July Heatwaves
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The first time I saw a July heatwave bake my garden, I took it rather personally. Leaves turned crisp around...
News
Winter bird feeders: how to help robins and finches safely
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The first snowfall had scarcely settled on the grass before the robins arrived, fluffed up like little russet balloons along...
News
Citronella Geranium: The Balcony Plant That Became a Springtime Nightmare
Harriet M. Ashford
•
On the balcony of a small city flat on the third floor, spring is already in full force. There are...
News
How Ending the Gardening Season in Autumn Changed My Spring
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The season’s final tomato was small and slightly split, still clinging to the vine as though autumn had neglected to...
News
Why Your Garden’s Predictability Attracts Pests
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The first aphids appear on a Tuesday. As you rinse your coffee mug at the kitchen sink, your gaze wanders,...
News
How planting for insects made my garden tougher and more beautiful
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The summer my lawn became as hard as cardboard, I stood holding a hose and watched the water run pointlessly...
News
How Soil Cover Makes Gardening Easier
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The first sign is never glamorous. You are stooping to pull yet another dandelion from a cracked patch of bare...
News
Why a Resilient Garden Beats a Perfect Lawn
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The lawn appeared flawless, almost artificial. An even green carpet, cut to the same height throughout, in one consistent colour,...
News
When to Stop Feeding Garden Birds at 5°C
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The feeders that helped blue tits and robins survive freezing weather can become a problem only weeks later. Recognising when...
News
Why Flowerbeds Suddenly Lose Their Shine
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The rosebed in the corner had been the garden’s showpiece for years. Each June, it burst into layered petals and...
News
The Quiet Secret of Low-Effort Productive Gardens
Harriet M. Ashford
•
By late afternoon, with the sun hanging low, your neighbour is at the fence again. His tomatoes shine like red...
News
How Plants Read Day Length: The Quiet Power of Photoperiod
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The road below is still noisy with late-running buses and podcasts bleeding from someone’s headphones, while the basil on the...
News
How to Bring Great Tits and Blue Tits Back Every Morning
Harriet M. Ashford
•
Many people look out at empty feeders and still hedgerows, while others see a reliably timed morning flurry of great...
News
Why I Gave Up Perfect Symmetry in My Garden
Harriet M. Ashford
•
The day I abandoned perfect symmetry began with a snapped string line and a wonky tomato cane. Standing in muddy...
