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February is a blessedly short month. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you this, but 28 days of cold wet yukkiness is hardly conducive to horticultural excitement. However, we have to get through it in order to edge our way closer to spring, so

penStraight edge, or rulerHammer, drill, drill bits, saw, work benchall year roundtwo hoursUsing a tape measure, carefully mark out the pieces according to these measurements: back panel 30cm x 15cm; lid 20cm x 15cm; front 17.5cm x 15cm; base 15cm x 15

be shaded in summer but not too sheltered from the rain.Weed-smothering membraneChicken wireFour tree stakesHammerRubber malletWire or twineautumnan hourCut a piece of weed-smothering membrane to about 1m², allowing a little extra at the edges to tuck around

lawnHow to mow a lawnCutting a clean lawn edgeBrowse a selection of grass varietiesView plants by soil type

or a plank of wood to ensure the slabs are level with the pegs you banged into the ground earlier.Edge the patio with paviours layed on a 5cm - 8cm layer of mortar, butting them closely together. For a neat fit, use a hammer and bolster chisel to break

any drainage holes with silicone. Place the bricks around the container's edges, ready to raise the plants to the right level. If you're using a shallower container than our tin bath, you may not need the bricks.Knock the aquatic plants from their pots

Chrysanthemum 'Bright Eyes', boasting golden discs with a black centre, perfect for cut flowers. I love cosmos, and Johnsons's new 'Peppermint Rock' produces white flowers with pink picotee edges on tall stems. Glorious.That beautiful striped squash in Dobies

the densely populated 12eme arrondissement?Something occurs to me. Are the houses of south-east London no longer attractive for nesting in the eaves? What with roof insulation and loft conversions, perhaps the birds are being edged out? Ironically, the five

to Podocarpus macrophyllus (or Japanese Yew).Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum' is a maple with dark red, lacy-edged leaves. It will stay within the height limit, although it is susceptible to middle aged spread and will cover a largish area. It can also be grown

several damselflies in tandem mating pairs so recolonization is happening, if only slowly.The water level has been going down slowly in the hot weather, only 7 or 8cm, but enough to show the ugly liner at the edges, so I topped it up with a hose