Page 43 - News

Man in casual clothes inspecting a garden with red-berried bush and pink roses beside a house.

Burglary protection with plants: Four thorny shrubs for your home

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

During summer holidays, long weekends and weekends away, homes are often left empty for longer - and concerns about unwanted...

Person pouring water from a jug into a cup near a window with potted plants and a steaming pot on the stove.

Orchids and the Special Kitchen Leftover for Winter Care

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Across Germany, and increasingly throughout the UK and US, hobby gardeners are reconsidering what should actually be thrown away –...

Person tending colourful flower bed in sunlit garden holding a mug while sitting on a bench

Why a Messy Garden Is a Sign of Balance

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

The first clue was the sound. It was not loud, merely unbroken: bees tracing unhurried circles around lavender stems, a...

Couple gardening together in a backyard while two children play nearby on a sunny day.

5 Foot-Traffic-Tolerant Ground Covers to Replace Your Lawn

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

More and more homeowners are looking for an alternative that can be walked on normally yet needs less maintenance, barely...

Father and son planting flowers together in a wooden raised garden bed on a sunny balcony.

Lidl Planter with Trellis: More Privacy for Small Gardens

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

From March, discount retailer Lidl is adding a new item to its garden range that should particularly appeal to owners...

Person pruning pink roses in a sunlit garden with lavender and hydrangea flowers near a brick wall

Pruning in March: How to Cut Roses, Shrubs and Trees Properly

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Picking up the secateurs now can give shrubs, roses and trees a real boost in growth. Many popular garden plants...

Great tit perched on a wooden birdhouse attached to a tree in a colourful garden with a birdbath nearby.

Why Tits Avoid Your Garden and How to Make It Tit-Friendly

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

The reason is rarely chance; it is usually found in the details. A pristine lawn, a designer nest box and...

Hands nurturing a small green plant in a terracotta pot with glowing roots indoors by a window.

How Natural Root Signals Slow Plant Growth

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

The greenhouse carried the gentle noise that only a space full of plants seems to make: fans droning, water droplets...

A man and woman examine a tree in a garden, with the man holding house plans.

Hedges and Trees at the Property Boundary: Rules, Distances and Neighbours’ Rights

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Anyone intending to plant trees or shrubs along a property boundary needs to consider more than appearance and the price...

Person mulching young tomato plants in a raised wooden garden bed with a watering can nearby

Watering Tomatoes Properly: Why Tomato Mulch Matters Before Summer

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Growing tomatoes in the garden or on a balcony means reaching for the watering can almost every day in summer....

Person wearing yellow gloves scrubbing an outdoor tiled floor stain with brush, detergent, and cleaning pellets nearby

Clean Patio Slabs With Soda Crystals and Washing-Up Liquid Without Vinegar or Bleach

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Many keen gardeners get an unwelcome surprise when spring arrives: patio slabs look dull, joints have turned dark and rusty...

Young girl planting a seedling outdoors surrounded by colourful flowers, gardening tools, and seed packets.

9 fast-growing flowers for colourful beds and containers

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Between the final frosty nights and the first genuinely warm days, many flower beds can look rather bleak. However, with...

Green peace lily plant in white pot on wooden table with candle in bright living room background

The Peace Lily: One Houseplant for Fresher Indoor Air

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

We spend almost all our lives indoors, surrounded by carpets, paint, furniture and electronic equipment that quietly release gases. This...

Man planting Pittosporum shrubs in a garden bed with gardening gloves and soil bags nearby.

Photinia hedges: why Pittosporum is the robust replacement

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

In many gardens, the shine has come off the once hugely popular Photinia hedges. Marked leaves, bare patches and continual...

Tabby cat wearing a reflective vest sits on a garden path looking at birds near a wooden birdhouse on a tree.

Cats and Birds in the Garden: How Both Can Coexist

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Many owners know the uneasy feeling: their beloved cat strolls through the patio door with a bird in its mouth....

Hands holding soil with dried leaves over a vegetable garden bed on a sunny day

The Simple Soil Squeeze Test for Tired, Dead-Feeling Soil

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Push a fork into the ground and it scarcely penetrates. Its tines rasp against a layer that seems closer to...

Person installing string lights on a wooden fence in a garden with potted plants and a small table.

Home Bargains £17 Solar String Lights Transform Your Garden

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

As the days begin to lengthen again, attention naturally turns to the balcony, patio and garden. Many people then notice...

Hands planting seeds in a wooden garden bed with autumn leaves and labelled plant markers nearby.

What to Sow in October for an Early Harvest

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Tomatoes droop like weary lanterns, courgette leaves are giving way, and most people are winding in their hoses and turning...

Person spreading green grass seed over a patchy lawn in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby.

Iron(II) sulphate in March: the simple powder for stopping lawn moss and deep green grass

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

In March, a simple powder can transform your lawn. When spring arrives, many amateur gardeners first think of getting out...

Person trimming a sunlit hedge outdoors next to a potted plant and gardening supplies on a paved path.

Pittosporum 2026: The new replacement for the red standard hedge

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

In countless housing developments, the red-flushing hedge was long considered the ideal privacy screen. It grew quickly, stayed evergreen and...

Person sprinkling orange powder near colourful hydrangea flowers in a sunny garden with mortar and pestle nearby.

Orange Peel for Hydrangeas: A Free Kitchen Trick for Stronger Blooms

Oliver Grant • September 21, 2026

Many amateur gardeners are frustrated by yellow leaves and pale blooms on their hydrangeas – yet the solution is often...