Page 94 - Latest Articles - aucklandtrees.co.uk

Hand dropping a coin into a birdbath with a yellow and a brown bird perched on its edge in a garden.

The 1-cent copper coin trick for bird baths

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

What initially sounds like a quirky online craze has a serious side: bird baths can foul surprisingly fast, turning green,...

Woman wearing a straw hat planting flowers in a garden bed surrounded by colourful blossoms and gardening tools.

Three Ground Cover Plants for Colour All Year Round

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Many amateur gardeners will recognise the pattern: spring arrives and everything bursts into life; high summer turns patchy; autumn looks...

Person kneeling by colourful hydrangea bushes, holding orange peel pieces above a wooden bowl in a garden.

Dried Orange Peel: The Simple Citrus Boost for Hydrangeas

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Many gardeners will recognise the signs: a hydrangea shrub looking tired, leaves turning yellow, and flower heads staying smaller than...

Person in winter clothing pruning a vibrant red plant in a frosty garden at sunrise.

Prune Dogwood in February for Brilliant Winter Colour

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

If you want vivid red shrubs in the garden through winter, you need the confidence to pick up the secateurs...

Woman gardening in a small outdoor bed with potted plants, watering can, gloves, and a March calendar on the wall.

Plant by 31 March: five drought-tolerant perennials for a garden without watering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

If you hesitate in the garden now, you’ll pay for it in high summer with a watering can: five tough...

Person planting a young seedling in a garden bed surrounded by pots and garden tools on a sunny day.

Building a Nearly Plastic-Free Garden: A Practical Rebuild

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

An overgrown bed, pots everywhere, sheets of plastic, half-empty bags - and then it hits you: this is not what...

Man harvesting morel mushrooms in a garden bed with gardening tools and apples nearby on a sunny day.

Growing morels in the garden with wood ash and apple pomace

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Rare delicacy from your own bed? A seemingly insignificant bit of household waste can be exactly the kick-start morels need....

Vibrant garden with pink peonies, purple lavender, blue hydrangeas, and lush green foliage in daylight.

Peonies and the best companion plants for a stunning border

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Peonies can turn any garden into a stage - as long as their neighbouring plants are chosen wisely. With the...

Child pruning vibrant orange flowers on a balcony garden with potted plants and gardening tools.

Tecomaria ‘Cape Town Orange’: the compact orange trumpet-flowered shrub for small gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

No space, hardly any time, but craving a splash of colour? A modest little shrub with vivid orange flowers can...

Person wearing green gloves planting a small green plant in soil with purple and pink flowers in the background.

Aubrietia turns a bare retaining wall into a violet flower curtain

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A grey, bare retaining wall can spoil the whole feel of a garden - but one unassuming plant can completely...

Hands harvesting fresh radishes from a raised garden bed with lettuce and gardening tools nearby.

Sow in March: 4 Vegetables You Can Harvest in 30 Days

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Winter has barely loosened its grip, yet you can already get properly stuck into the garden - and enjoy fresh...

Gloved hands pruning a young rose plant with red garden shears in a raised wooden garden bed.

The best time for rose pruning: when to prune roses in spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Many amateur gardeners find themselves staring at their roses each year, unsure what to do - and the wrong pruning...

Blue tit bird flying near a wooden bird feeder on a table with a berry bush and gardening tools nearby.

Black Elder (Sambucus nigra): the shrub that brings Great Tits back to your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A seemingly ordinary shrub can transform the whole picture overnight. If, in spring, you’re waiting in vain for the chatter...

Person tending colourful lantana flowers in a garden with a butterfly flying nearby and gardening tools nearby

Lantana camara: the underestimated ever-blooming shrub for your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

When you plan a flower bed, you usually picture roses, hydrangeas or lavender. Hardly anyone thinks of Lantana camara. Yet...

Person repotting a monstera plant with visible roots at a wooden table with potting soil and tools.

Repotting a Monstera: when to do it and how

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Missing the right moment can leave this trend plant under unnecessary stress. The Monstera has long since become a fixture...

Person pruning lavender plants in a garden bed with gardening tools and gloves on a tiled patio.

How to Prune Lavender at the Right Time to Make It Last Longer

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

If you grow lavender in the garden, you will recognise the pattern: first it glows a vivid violet, then-almost overnight-it...

Person wearing gloves planting greenery in a garden bed while a dog sniffs nearby on a sunny day.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plants Increase the Risk and How to Reduce It

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

As soon as the weather warms up, tick season gets going too. Most people associate ticks with woodland paths or...

Man harvesting morel mushrooms in garden with basket of apples nearby on sunny day

How to Grow Morels in Your Garden with Fireplace Ash and Apple Leftovers

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Morels are treated as a luxury ingredient: scarce in the wild and pricey to buy. Every spring, plenty of mushroom...

Hands planting orange flowers in a garden bed with bees flying nearby and gardening tools on the soil.

Why Nasturtium Sown in March Protects Your Vegetable Garden from Aphids

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

When you get your beds ready in spring, you usually start by thinking about carrots, tomatoes, courgettes or beans. Yet...

Person examining a leaf in a garden with gardening gloves, scissors, and spray bottle on a wooden board nearby.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plants Attract Them and What Helps

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

Anyone who enjoys a lush, slightly untamed garden often creates-without realising it-ideal conditions for ticks. Certain plants and garden features...

Hands potting fresh herbs in repurposed tin cans on a sunny windowsill with gardening tools nearby.

Empty Tins as Herb Pots for Balconies and Small Gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 24, 2026

A basic, everyday item from the kitchen is currently causing a stir in garden groups and on balconies. Instead of...