Page 98 - News

Person preparing fresh tomato slices next to basil plants on a wooden table outdoors in sunlight.

How Basil Next to Tomatoes Improves Flavour and Harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many keen home growers look after their tomatoes with real dedication - and still end up disappointed because the fruit...

Person spraying weed killer on moss in a garden with a watering jug and product box nearby.

A simple bicarbonate trick for moss in the lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Stepping into the garden in spring often brings the same frustration: instead of thick grass, there’s a carpet-like layer that...

Woman in a straw hat gardening, tying stakes to support tall orange flowering plants in a sunlit garden bed.

Leonotis leonurus (lion’s ear): the fiery statement plant for sunny borders

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Anyone who plants it once won’t forget it. Plenty of gardens play it safe: a few perennials, some lavender, perhaps...

Person picking ripe oranges from a snow-covered tree in a winter garden, holding a basket of fruit.

Frost-hardy citrus for the garden: Poncirus trifoliata, Yuzu and more

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many home gardeners know the feeling: the tree was still laden with fruit in autumn, yet by January it’s nothing...

Hand watering tomato plants in garden with blue fertiliser and white bucket on wooden crate nearby.

Copper against brown blight: the 70s method that saves tomatoes and potatoes

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

When tomatoes and potatoes suddenly turn brown, it is often already too late - but an old method from the...

Woman wearing a hat planting flower bulbs in a garden bed with labelled sections on a sunny day.

Plant Summer Bulbs in March: Alan Titchmarsh and Sarah Raven’s Advice

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Even when the borders still look bare, the decision has already been made: will your garden erupt with flowers in...

Person kneeling in garden trimming green shrubs with gardening tools and gloves nearby in sunlight.

Pittosporum replacing the red-shooting standard hedge by 2026

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

For years, the red-shooting standard hedge was treated as the perfect privacy screen: fast to bulk up, evergreen, and readily...

Person kneeling on grass patch, planting new turf with garden hose and watering can nearby.

Yellow lawn in spring: four steps to a lush green lawn

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Spring has arrived, but your lawn looks tired, dull and slightly yellow? With a few straightforward, well-targeted measures, you can...

Hands planting seedlings in biodegradable pots filled with soil on a garden bed outdoors.

Toilet Roll Cardboard Cores: The Garden Trick That Protects Seedlings in Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many amateur gardeners spend spring watching young plants get nibbled down to nothing or knocked back by frost. While pricey...

Man in a straw hat pruning a young rose plant in a garden bed with a watering can nearby.

Rose pruning in spring: the nursery gardener’s method for more buds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

An experienced nursery gardener relies on a surprisingly simple approach instead: less rushing, more looking. If you stop cutting your...

Woman harvesting ripe strawberries in a sunny garden, holding a wooden crate filled with strawberries.

Everbearing Strawberries: Harvest from June to the First Frosts

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Plenty of keen gardeners know the pattern: June brings a brief, abundant strawberry bonanza - and then it’s suddenly over....

Hands wearing gloves pruning nettle plants in a garden with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and watering can nearby.

Nettles in the Garden: How They Boost Soil, Compost and Biodiversity

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Nettles are often dismissed as annoying, painful and “messy”. Yet removing them without thinking can be bad for your soil,...

Person watering a potted plant with a green watering can on a sunny windowsill.

The Hidden Watering Mistake That Weakens Balcony Plants in Summer

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Late summer still hangs in the air when a familiar sound starts up on the balcony above you: gurgling, splashing,...

Man pruning a young tree labelled Lagerstroemia in a garden with gardening tools and a notebook on a wooden bench nearby

Five summer-flowering trees to prune now for a high-summer display

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

If you hang about now, you’ll be giving away your high-summer display. Plenty of keen gardeners put pruning off until...

Person kneeling in garden harvesting fresh asparagus into a wicker basket beside hops plants.

Wild hop shoots: the garden 'weed' worth up to 1,000 euros per kilo

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Between hedges, along a fence or tucked away behind the compost heap, a rampant green climber can suddenly appear, annoy...

Person planting seedlings in a raised garden bed with flowers and potted herbs nearby.

Oregano in the Vegetable Garden: Best Companion Plants and Pairings

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Many home gardeners grow oregano purely to top up the spice rack. In companion planting, though, this Mediterranean perennial does...

Person using a rake to clear garden soil with watering can, gardening tools and fertiliser bag nearby.

The simple pro garden centre trick to revive your lawn after winter

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Has winter taken its toll on your lawn? A straightforward tip used by a garden centre professional can make your...

Person placing a potted poinsettia on a wooden table next to a watering can in a sunlit room.

Poinsettia: from Christmas decoration to a robust summer houseplant

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

With a few straightforward tweaks, the so‑called throwaway festive plant can become a tough summer companion. By January, a poinsettia...

Hands rolling soil discs for seedling growth on a wooden table with seedlings, seeds, scissors, and spray bottle nearby.

Snail sowing: the space-saving seed-starting trick

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

What might sound like a nuisance can be solved with a simple trick that needs nothing more than a bit...

Hands placing straw mulch around a young tomato plant in a garden with a trowel nearby.

Tomatoes Rot at the Root Collar: The Mulch Mistake

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

The cause sits surprisingly low down - and it is tiny. At first the bed looks spot on: young tomato...

Hands planting seeds in a flower bed with colourful pansies in a garden on a sunny day.

Fast-Start Flowers for March: Bright Colour by Late Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 23, 2026

Winter can still feel as though it’s clinging on: beds look bare and window boxes on the balcony seem bleak....