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of being inside so I occasionally have to water it in order to stop it drying out. Of course, you can build a compost bin in a much smaller area. We took advantage of the recent rainy days to turn the compost heap so it looks unbelievably beautiful

When I was a contractor fossicking around London laying slabs, building walls and digging holes we usually had a radio. Most of the time this played Radio 4 as it is the perfect way to distract the mind from occasionally very tedious and rather

"So what are these things on my lavender?" said the complete stranger, plonking down a jam jar full of beetles on the table. Ordinarily I would have been pleased, but slightly surprised, to be accosted like this, but Saturday 17th May was open

.Down on the Rye everything is starting to look very autumnal and the leaves are building up into treacherously slippery mounds. The trees still hold some secrets though. In 1767, a 9- or 10-year-old William Blake saw an oak tree full of angels here. The angel oak

I've been reminiscing. Putting together a slide show for some school children I came across a batch of photos I'd taken this time 17 years ago. Just before Christmas 1991, I was in Florida for brother-in-law's wedding. Ever seen Steel Magnolias? I

the garden. Eager to ensure that there were no smoldering buildings, or even a child enjoying a crafty cigar, I went to investigate. It was pollen, great billowing clouds of the stuff blowing off a large yew. This tree was also taking advantage of the last

on the roof of one of the shop buildings, or over the library itself. Then the air cleared and it was apparent that they had settled on top of a traffic light.Having just stopped off for some milk on my way back from Dulwich Park with the 4-year-old, I

Conifer Growers are trying to persuade us all that there's a conifer for every garden, and we should all be growing more. National Conifer Week started last Saturday 3 October and runs through to Sunday 11 October, with a message to everyone that conifers

that they should have turned it up.The bug's range expansion started long before its Atlantic crossing. Until 1950 it was confined West of the Rockies, but in 1956 had been accidentally transported to Iowa. During the 1980s and 1990s it rapidly colonized the north

It's RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week: the biggest and most famous show in the world (although Gardeners' World Live at the NEC from 16-20 June 2010 runs pretty close of course!).The tickets sold out very early but for those of you lucky enough