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in flower all year round. I've never seen a frog there but I know they're about as last year the pond was full of frogspawn and tadpoles. That was, until the pond was drained in spring.I never found out why the pond was drained. It was filled in again

later.My mum finally let me dig her a pond two years ago, and it's teeming with frogs, newts, damsel and dragonflies. But what happens when you fill in a pond? Sadly, I found out a few weeks ago, when I discovered seven baby frogs living in the drain

I need some exercise to counter the effects of too many chocolate fancies and all that smoked cheese.On Friday I drained the pond. Or rather I bailed several hundreds of gallons of smelly, gloopy water using whatever came to hand - plastic planters

surround my beds with timber edges so the soil surface can be raised by the action of digging and adding organic matter. These raised beds drain more quickly after heavy rain and keep plant roots above the water-saturated ground below. Raised beds also warm

Tidy up piles of flowerpots and debris that could harbour snailsRaise patio containers on feet or bricks, to ensure their compost drains properlyAvoid walking on lawns covered with heavy frost, as you'll kill the grassProvide birds with fresh water

. The ideal soil (loam) has equal amounts of all three, which make a fertile, free-draining soil that's easy to dig. There are six main types of soil: chalky, clay, loamy, peaty, sandy and silty. To test your soil, the first thing to do is take a look

, Armeria maritima x3Large container, we used one made from recycled tyresFree-draining compost with extra grit added (see Adam's tip)CrocksCover the bottom of the container with crocks, then fill it two-thirds full with compost.Knock the plants out

Take cuttings from delphiniums using strong young shoots, and root them in free-draining compostWash off greenfly from shoot tips with soapy waterFeed rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris and camellias with ericaceous (acidic) plant foodSeveral shrubs

-year-old is still enthralled by insects, and was amazed by the bellowing buzz coming from the drain outside our back door recently. Suddenly, a black and yellow insect, large enough to make the rest of the family wince, floated out through the cast iron grill cover

Creeping buttercup, Ranunculus repens, is easily recognisable by its glossy yellow flowers. It can grow practically anywhere, but particularly likes poorly drained soil. It spreads quickly via strong runners that root along the way. This makes it a