if your garden is bigger than a courtyard, but smaller than an acre
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What do you imagine to be the essence of a 'March garden'? January and February stand for frosts, snowdrops, the brilliant colours of cornus stems and even the last remaining seedheads. By April, there are…
I first heard the term 're-wilding' at Glee 2017, the horticultural trades show. It's one of the big new trends in gardening. It means appreciating, re-introducing or conserving the wild plants, animals and bugs that…
Yasmin Hossain makes natural dye from garden plants. She uses it to dye beautiful silk and wool fabrics. And I believe that grow-your-own dyes from garden plants is a trend that will grow enormously in…
Is it my imagination or are we seeing more 'weeds' in gardens now? I don't mean gardens that look unkempt. Some of the prettiest gardens now unashamedly seem to have weeds sprouting alongside the bedding.…
Until 100 years ago, we used medicinal plants to treat most illnesses. And, according to a new book, The Gardener's Companion to Medicinal Plants, they still do in Africa, Asia and South America. Even the chemical…
What do you consider to be a 'wildlife garden'? Do you think it means weeds and untidiness? Or a great deal of hard work? In fact, a wildlife garden can be smart or scruffy. It…
Christmas garden decorations. Do you love them, or do you worry about light pollution? Decorating your garden at Christmas is a trend that has crept over from the US. When we went to Virginia in…
When did you last wash out the bird bath? I keep walking past mine, thinking 'must do something about that.' It's so easy to forget. Time goes by. So this weekend is my 'wildlife friendly audit'.…
Did you know that you can make literally hundreds of dyes from your garden plants? As you harvest your first rhubarb of the year, don't throw the leaves into the compost. Boil them up to…
You may be surprised to discover than gardening is not the same as 'green' gardening. Do you - as an 'ordinary gardener' - feel guilty about spraying your plants with chemicals or buying a peat-based…
A mini wildlife pond will help wildlife in your garden. Water is essential for all creatures. And helping wildlife is part of being an environmentally responsible gardener. But how big does a pond have to…
What is a beach garden? And would you like a bit more beach in your back yard? If you've even got a strip of shingle or gravel, a few yards of decking or a stone…