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Everyone is looking for plants that offer great garden performance, and I think I've hit the jackpot with astrantia. I must have planted Astrantia major 'Roma' at the bottom of my lawn about eight years ago, and to be honest haven't given it any

A sharp cold spell followed by wet weather has left my lawn carpeted with leaves. At least they've all fallen at once this year, rather than dropping slowly over many weeks. This way I can collect them in one go, and get the job done, rather than

I've never known a drought like this one in my part of the East Midlands. Much of the forecast rain over the past few months by-passed my garden, but I hope others benefitted.Looking out onto my back garden, a great swathe of lawn is brown. I've had

It's been difficult to choose my 2009 weed of the year. Butercups and daisies continue to compete with grass in my lawn, as do those lovely rosettes of plantain. Then there are the dandelions. Oh dear, this isn't making my lawn sound very good is it

active (don't get me started on them again). But this wasn't about inspecting the Pasco estate to make sure all was in order - I was taking part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.Just an hour. That's all they wanted from me to play my part in recording

boxes. I just tear them up into small pieces and mix them in with other kitchen waste and lawn clippings. If the compost heap looks a bit dry then I soak the cardboard in water before adding to help it break down. It's surprising just how much plain

is there for a gardener than the reward of having wildlife use the habitat created for them? Two pairs of blackbirds regularly dart about my lawn feeding, chasing and protecting their territory. I'm not sure where their boundaries lie or whether they're happy

provided carpets of gold for weeks, and my perennial wallflower 'Fragrant Sunshine' is also in bloom. My neighbour also has drifts of dwarf yellow snapdragons, and even the dandelions popping up in my lawn are yellow!Not that I'm complaining (not even about

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

it on our lawn by mistake. Yum! I mentioned in my blog a few weeks ago the problem we've had with squirrels, but I wouldn't recommend getting a dog if you're troubled by them. Yes she'll chase them down the garden, and bark ferociously to scare them away