Search - Articles

Not everything in my garden is carefully planned, and I make no excuses for having it this way. It's a wise gardener that makes room for the unexpected, and the rewards this can bring. Leave an area of soil bare and something will grow, and while

I'm always looking for plants that make an impact - things that will grab the attention and put on a good show. Seasonal bedding and bulbs are always popular, but many shrubs also grow well in patio pots.Over the years I've tried all sorts, from

into the recycling bin (hopefully your local authority does collect and recycle a good range of materials), but I'm sure there are still a few gardeners out there who could benefit from doing more.For instance, all cardboard rolls, tubes or egg boxes make great

A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology suggests that gardens make better habitats for bumblebees than the countryside. This isn't surprising, as field margins and hedgerows have become scarce over the years, so many species

Home-grown fruit is something I find difficult to resist; fruit trees make great ornamental, as well as edible, plants. I’ve notice that some of my espalier and cordon fruit trees are passed their best, so I’ll have to remove them. This always makes

Spring is in the air, and plants are beginning to shake off their winter dormancy. The birds and bees are making a cautious appearance, along with my fellow allotmenteers.My neighbours Ron and Mrs Ron were hard at it last weekend - they've got three

and three-year-old laughing in the wheelbarrow as we bumped down the site. Suddenly my eye was caught by a strange bouncing red thing moving away to the trees. It was an animated strawberry making its way down the path ... in the mouth of a squirrel. Pah

At last! A spell of dry weather - and it's even warm and sunny at times too! The site is buzzing with activity as everyone makes the most of the weather and gets on with all those jobs they couldn't face doing in the dismal weather of August

queen wasp making a nest in the shed. Much as I like wasps, and no matter how long I bang on about them being 'the gardener's friends' - helpful, interesting and attractive - I can't have a nest of 10 thousand of them guarding the rakes and spades

in recipes such as poppy seed sourdough baguette.But we are not the only ones making free with the poppies. If you look closely you notice that many of them are full of little holes, which make them look quite spooky and skull-like. They look like something