Search - Articles

in old mouse burrows in the countryside. Nowadays, bumblebees more commonly nest in gardens. This makes wax moth a bit more of a problem than it used to be, when there were plenty of mouse holes in hedgerows to nest in.The female wax moth stakes out

, caterpillars and chrysalises don't end up on the compost heap. Now autumn is on its way, many of us will be thinking of tidying our gardens, composting spent perennials and making leaf mulch.Remember that caterpillars overwinter in leaf piles and plant debris

, cranesbill, teasel and viper's bugloss, but I'll definitely be making room in my plot for stinking goosefoot, three-nerved sandwort, autumn lady's tresses and goldilocks buttercup.

it for an ironing board (sorry sis).So what makes a great gardening gift? Well, I do think a little gardening knowledge goes a long way, as does knowledge of the person you're buying for. Just because a person likes gardening doesn't mean they like begonias, or pink

litter (which releases noxious gases as it breaks down), or if snow covers the pond and prevents the plants from photosynthesising, gases can build up in the pond and kill the frogs.ARC suggests doing the following: make a hole in the ice by leaving a pan

roof. Lovely.You could tailor your green roof to your car's make and model - a retro motor like a bronze, Ford Cortina would suit a roof of dandelions, daisies and bird's foot trefoil, while a fancy new Porsche could sport a colour co-ordinated neat

all.I've never been fond of pink, blowsy daffs and gaudy geraniums. But I do love Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii. It's so beautiful I almost look forward to winter so I can see its berries, while large swathes of English bluebells make me feel

for up to six months.I spoke to David Morris from Bayer, which makes Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2. He said there was no evidence to suggest that thiacloprid killed bees. But I choose not to use pesticides in my small garden, so have opted for alternatives

June to September next year. It generates a lot of interest at Gardeners' World Live - there's always a delighted crowd assembled around the flowers in awe of its simple beauty.Last week I started a diary of plants in my garden. I'm making a note

. That dream is a long way off - looking out this morning I spotted three unopened snowdrops and a grubby looking hellebore. Perhaps I could make a posy using blueberry stems, some clematis leaves and the sad, token blooms. It's the thought that counts, after