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I sometimes wonder if I have worrying tendencies towards pyromania. I love bonfires, adore fireworks and find nothing more soothing than a log fire. And when it comes to the garden, my pyromania continues in a horticultural fashion.I adore the stems

Aaargh! Blight has struck my spuds! And I bet it's appearing in gardens everywhere too.I'd been rather proud of the fact that, despite it having hit a friend's plot the other side of the village a week ago, my potatoes (including the varieties I

I always get a real thrill when I find the telltale marks of the leafcutter bee on the leaves of my roses and wisteria. Sometimes I catch them in action, cutting out a circle of leaf, or flying around carrying it. It doesn't bother me to find plants

plants that'll go in to several containers...and then could end up as full-sized gorgeous plants in my garden...all for just over £1.00 each. Crazily good value; I just hope whoever propagated them got a decent cut. But how could they have at that price

I hope you had a good Christmas and a break from your normal routine - maybe a little extra sleep and a lot of extra time in the garden or greenhouse. I’m enjoying the post-Christmas peace and quiet, and the chance to spot some winter birdlife

Like many gardeners at this time of year, I can normally be found in the garden with my head in a bag of compost. I'm not hiding from the taxman, or even two noisy kids - I'm just trying to get some seeds sown. Sowing seeds is a task that should

This week at the Chelsea Flower Show there are thousands of gardeners admiring out of season daffodil blooms in the show gardens and floral exhibits.In order to get their daffodils blooming at this time of year, growers force the bulbs to grow using

I love the delicate flowers of prunus, although I'm not so keen on the blowsier, pink varieties I sometimes see in other gardens. The smaller, more delicate spring blossom hits the spot for me.Like most gardeners, I also have a nose for a bargain

and watering the birds. Recent visitors include 32 sparrows, three robins, masses of assorted tits and hordes of blackbirds, all happily feasting on the hedge in front of our house.Before light the blackbirds are feasting on the cut apples, bird seed and fat

and would regard being sat in front of the TV for hours on end as a very unkind punishment. Give them fresh air every time; as long as the weather is not too vile they'll be out 'doing' at every opportunity.Gardening is high on the list, and they're great