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.It will regrow from sections of stems left behind after hoeing or weeding, so you need to be thorough when trying to get rid of it, picking out any piece of foliage. If possible, get under the roots with a spade to slice it out. If it's in the lawn, carefully

Add old crops and bedding to the compost heapSpike lawns then brush grit into the holes to improve surface drainageCollect seeds from beans and sweet peas to sow next yearFirm soil around newly planted trees and shrubs if they've been loosened

about balance, and as long as it looks green who cares what plants make up your lawn (well, I could do without the moss!).Then there are the brambles. Now those I hate, but they keep invading from neighbouring gardens. Long stems twine their way through

from the plant's roots. On the lawn or between the cracks in paving slabs, heaps of fine soil appear.Ants are persistent and it's almost impossible to eliminate them in the garden. You can flush them out from containers by giving the compost a thorough

years seems to have produced a bumper crop of them. Right now they look stunning in my grass (no, I don't call it a lawn) and the central strip of my drive. They're well loved by many insects and adored by the local rabbits (I wonder if this is a good

Plant a small treeNo matter how small your garden, choose your variety carefully and you'll find there's always room for a tree. A tree will add height, colour and architectural interest to a garden and, if planted properly, should provide many

.Tackle weeds quicklyGrass and weeds will soon spread across a path that's been laid through a lawn, so cut the grass back to a neat edge to keep it under control. Use a stiff, sharp blade, such as a hand-weeding knife or lawn-edging tool. Use a long wooden

useful for extending the growing season of tender bedding plants and vegetables.Plant colourful Phormium 'Cream Delight' in a patio potTake care not to walk over borders or on lawnsOrder young plants from mail-order companiesAround the gardenSow sweet

must offer an environment where the local ecology can feel at home. It's likely to include some grasses (beyond a neatly mown lawn) to provide seeds and pollen. It should also include a selection of umbellifers, such as angelica, fennel, chervil or dill

I'm always looking for ways to make wildlife in my garden feel more welcome and at home. After all, it has just as much right to be there as I do. Of course I question the big things (can I justify having a lawn and patio, or would creatures prefer