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in the past but always worry about catching and harming wildlife unintentionally, so this year I tried making do without.Well, I've learned the hard way. Until the birds in this country learn the real meaning of sharing I'll be forced to resort to netting next

for such work.Surely I'm not the only one who makes mistakes when gardening. Admitting them in public is very therapeutic, I promise! Any takers?

fresh red chilli, we never find this is enough. Each time I make it I add more chillies – first two, then three – but despite being really tasty it isn't quite hot enough. Perhaps the lime, coriander, ginger and lemongrass counteract the heat

). This pruning sequence promotes the development of flowering spurs along the main branches, and the effort really is worth making. Fingers crossed for a frost-free forecast!

away, and the blackbirds and robins scurrying around below.However, birds must have a supply of water, too, so whenever I boil myself a kettle to make a cup of tea I always pop outside with the remaining boiling water to pour onto ice in the bird bath

), and it appears many of you think garden centres could do more to inspire their customers.After all, isn't it the shared passion of garden centre staff that makes your visit more rewarding? Shouldn't their enthusiasm and knowledge be something every customer

flavour at all. Is it just me or are plums everywhere particularly tasteless this year? Perhaps the relentless rain and lack of sun have taken their toll, swelling fruits but making them very 'watery'. Good looks aren't everything. It's flavour I want

in pots. It's the nearest you can get to instant gardening, buying or growing a range of plants then immediately making them feel at home in a pot. They're versatile, too, and can be moved around as the mood takes you. It's rather like rearranging

mainly flies), but in the past I've seen wasps and tortoiseshell butterflies eagerly making the most of this final feed of nectar before hibernating.Fatsia japonica is an exotic looking evergreen shrub with large glossy, lobed leaves. Despite its tropical

, all of which make ideal pot plants for the home, greenhouse or conservatory.Victorian gardeners believed achimene must be watered with tepid rather than cold water, hence their common name of hot water plant. I'm not convinced this is actually