Search - Articles

if you are hoping for at least a few peck-free fruits then netting is essential. I'm not convinced that other supposed deterrents, such as cats or compact discs, are very effective.No, it's strawberries in pots for me; large pots filled with a loam

I don't believe it. I am incandescent with spluttering indignation. For the first time ever a molehill has appeared on my lawn.We've lived here for about 15 years. Before that the garden was a concrete farmyard, so this particular mole

to prevent other suitors taking advantage until the eggs are laid. At present there are approximately no cow pats in my garden, but we have two well-fed cats, and the regular procession of foxes leave more than their fair share of strong-smelling faeces. Even

be good to state that I am not anti-wildlife, just pro gardens. I welcome all creatures great and small. Except rabbits. And maybe the next door neighbour's cat.

up and down the lawn where migratory herds appear to have trampled. As far as I can make out, these are the combined footprints of our two cats, that fox, and several squirrels. They must have made the journey dozens of times.The fox prints

Scott's tree planting habits).- The Merry Hall Trilogy. I adore these books: beautifully written, light and fluffy sagas about a new garden taken on in the 1950s by novelist Beverley Nichols. He writes very amusingly about people, places, plants and cats

to chalk up 15 of my 124 target actions. These are mostly by the simple expedient of not cutting the grass, not winter deadheading, clearing out the pond when I repaired it and by having more than my fair share of thickets.The thickets are obviously paying

the garden, but our resident south London foxes liked to play with them and many have been damaged or gone missing. Those that remain are nailed to the shed and the flagpole. The sheep jawbone eventually also fell apart because of their meddling, but the cat

queen wasp making a nest in the shed. Much as I like wasps, and no matter how long I bang on about them being 'the gardener's friends' - helpful, interesting and attractive - I can't have a nest of 10 thousand of them guarding the rakes and spades

) and cat wrangling (definitely) have their enthusiasts, but there's something about plants that makes people bubble and froth with excitement. This can be lost on a great deal of the population who can't understand what all the fuss is about. To those of us