News
The 5-minute habit that quietly saves every plant
Oliver Grant
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There is a distinct sort of embarrassment in putting a dead plant in the bin. Not the brittle supermarket basil...
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Why Overcrowded Plants Get Sick Despite Careful Watering
Oliver Grant
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The leaves had looked flawless that morning: green, shiny and without a single dry edge. Nearby stood the watering can,...
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Why Soil Temperature, Not the Calendar, Changed My Garden
Oliver Grant
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The year my garden finally stopped sulking, the calendar was no longer in charge. I can still picture myself in...
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How to Attract Tits to Your Garden
Oliver Grant
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In spring, anyone sitting in the garden and listening to birdsong will soon notice small songbirds busily searching for suitable...
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The Quiet Habit That Builds Resilient Gardens
Oliver Grant
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The hose slid out of my grip and drenched my shoes – again. The late-afternoon sun hung low, casting the...
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Photinia replacement: why Pittosporum is the better hedge choice
Oliver Grant
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For years, Photinia – often sold for gardens as a “red-leaved glossy shrub” – was seen as a dependable choice:...
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Why Wind Dries Out Your Garden Plants Faster Than the Sun
Oliver Grant
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The first time I properly noticed it was on a Tuesday afternoon during one of those deceptively sunny spring days....
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How to Save a Money Tree: Jade Tree and Jade Plant Care
Oliver Grant
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Many money trees (also known as jade trees or jade plants) do not die because of some mysterious plant virus,...
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How Soil Cover and Mulch Make Gardening Easier
Oliver Grant
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The first sign is rarely glamorous. You are crouched down again, pulling another dandelion from a cracked patch of empty...
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Why Identical Plants Grow at Different Speeds
Oliver Grant
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On a gloomy Saturday morning, two plastic trays stood side by side on the narrow windowsill of a flat. They...
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How to Feed Winter Birds Without Harming Robins and Finches
Oliver Grant
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The season’s first snow had only just settled lightly on the grass when the robins arrived, rounded out like little...
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The surprising sign your garden is getting healthier
Oliver Grant
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The first time I spotted it, I nearly called an apology across to my neighbour. “Sorry about the mess,” I...
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Why Your Flowers Become a Pest Magnet: Rebuild Ecological Balance
Oliver Grant
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For the third consecutive summer, Emma saw her roses become an all-you-can-eat buffet for aphids. The same bed, the same...
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Why Root Competition Creates Uneven Growth in Shared Garden Beds
Oliver Grant
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One July evening, shortly before the sun disappeared behind the neighbour’s roof, I looked at two tomato plants growing in...
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Japanese Maples in March: The Simple Mulching Step Experts Recommend
Oliver Grant
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Burnt leaf margins, dried-out shoot tips and barely any fresh growth: this is, unfortunately, how Japanese maples often look in...
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How Planting for Insects Made My Garden More Resilient
Oliver Grant
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The summer my lawn became as hard as cardboard, I stood holding a hose and watched the water run pointlessly...
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Why Put a Pine Cone on Houseplant Soil in Winter?
Oliver Grant
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The first time you spot one, you may wonder whether your eyes are playing tricks on you. A perfectly brown...
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Why Leaving Plant Roots in the Ground After Harvest Improves Your Soil
Oliver Grant
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The first time I left a row of dead bean plants in place, my neighbour assumed I had abandoned the...
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The Mindset Shift That Transforms Your Garden
Oliver Grant
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On a wet April morning, I called on a friend who insisted she had a “black thumb”. Her compact back...
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Aluminium Foil Against Pigeons in the Garden
Oliver Grant
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Anyone getting their garden ready at this time of year soon notices that spring affects more than flowers and vegetables....
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How to divide perennials in late January
Oliver Grant
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Most gardeners have put their tools away until spring, but professional growers are already reshaping their borders - and turning...
