News
Thorny Plants Against Burglars: Firethorn, Barberry, Rosa rugosa and Cherry Laurel
Harriet M. Ashford
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Alarm system, smart home camera, reinforced front door - these are the usual first thoughts. Yet many homeowners overlook a...
News
Berries in Pots: A Mini Fruit Garden for Balcony and Terrace
Harriet M. Ashford
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If you don’t have a garden, you still don’t need to miss out on growing your own fruit. Berries, in...
News
White Distilled Vinegar: A Simple Way to Remove Moss and Algae From Your Patio
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many homeowners face the same frustrating sight each spring: a green haze across the paving, moss packed into the joints,...
News
March planting: fast-blooming annuals for a colourful garden, balcony and terrace
Harriet M. Ashford
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With the right varieties, dull corners can turn into a sea of flowers in next to no time. If you...
News
Ticks in the Garden: Plants That Attract Them and How to Keep Them Away
Harriet M. Ashford
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Between tall grasses, dense shrubs and shaded corners, tiny bloodsuckers lie in wait for their next host. Ticks favour certain...
News
Easter cactus: why buds drop in March and how to prevent it
Harriet M. Ashford
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In many living rooms the scene is the same: a pot full of fresh green segments, covered in fat buds...
News
Rocky Mountain Juniper ‘Skyrocket’: A Slim, Evergreen Privacy Screen for Full Sun
Harriet M. Ashford
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There’s a much more attractive option. An evergreen shrub that copes with full sun can block prying eyes, improve the...
News
Plant these four summer bulbs in March to avoid a flowerless gap after daffodils and tulips
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many home gardeners enjoy daffodils and tulips in spring - and then wonder why the garden suddenly looks dull for...
News
Tomato Seed in the Serre: How to Sow in a Greenhouse at the Right Time
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many hobby gardeners reach late winter itching to open their seed packets, but the cold nights still make the garden...
News
How to Get Your Spider Plant to Make Babies (Chlorophytum comosum)
Harriet M. Ashford
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A few targeted tweaks are often enough to turn things around surprisingly quickly. Plenty of houseplant lovers picture a lush...
News
Why the Thuja Hedge Era Is Over
Harriet M. Ashford
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What used to be the ultimate privacy screen has increasingly become a headache. For decades, dark green walls of thuja...
News
February Nest Boxes: A Practical Guide for Garden Birds
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many amateur gardeners assume February is a quiet month outdoors. In reality, these weeks quietly determine how rich in wildlife...
News
Washing soda and washing-up liquid: the two-product trick to clean your terrace without vinegar
Harriet M. Ashford
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When you finally want to drink your first coffee outdoors after winter, the patio often brings you back down to...
News
Late-February soil trick for hydrangeas: how to control blue or pink blooms
Harriet M. Ashford
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The garden may still look bare and the beds can seem as though they are asleep for winter. Yet right...
News
Plant a winter-hardy Trachycarpus fortunei (Hemp Palm) in late summer for instant holiday feeling
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many hobby gardeners quietly throw in the towel in late summer: borders finish flowering, the lawn looks tired, and the...
News
Hedge cutting during the breeding season: what France bans and what applies in the German-speaking region
Harriet M. Ashford
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In many gardens, spring brings an itch to tidy up: clear away the wild growth and make the hedge look...
News
Emergency lemon tree rescue protocol: how to save a dried-out lemon tree after a holiday
Harriet M. Ashford
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Many amateur gardeners know the post-holiday shock: a lemon tree that was lush and green before you left is suddenly...
News
The Cup Method for Raspberries: Coffee Grounds for a Bigger Harvest
Harriet M. Ashford
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Anyone who has picked raspberries straight from the cane on a warm summer day rarely wants to go back. Yet...
News
Late-winter perennial cut-back: when to prune properly
Harriet M. Ashford
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The border looks bleak, last year’s perennial stems are slumped and sorry, and the urge to tidy up grows stronger...
News
Wood Ash in the Garden: How to Use It Like a Professional Fertiliser
Harriet M. Ashford
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It’s a sharp morning, and your breath hangs over the gardens like mist. Next door, someone is tipping ash from...
News
Lemon-scented geranium: the anti-tick-and-mosquito plant for your garden
Harriet M. Ashford
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As soon as the weather warms up, mosquitoes start whining around the patio while ticks sit quietly in the grass....
