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nitidaUse a circuit breaker (RCD) when using mowers and outdoor electric power toolsFill gaps in borders with pots of tall bulbs, like lilies, to add colourClean paths and paving with a pressure washer, then water with a solution to deter moss and algae

of posts and chicken wire to collect autumn leaves intoRake moss and thatch from lawns

What a disaster! If I hadn't been so conscientious in my effort to rid my lawn of moss I wouldn't have been in the position of having to repair the bare patches I'd created. Of course I wanted a lawn with stripes, but nice alternating green ones

are still cropping, but it's the carnivorous plants that are taking centre stage. Each one has been released from its plastic pot and lovingly planted into a plastic-lined, woven wicker-style hanging basket, filled with a mixture of sphagnum moss and peat

Bare patches can appear in your lawn after a thorough raking, where the grass is undernourished or where it's been worn out. These gaps should be reseeded or returfed to prevent moss and weeds colonising the soil and to allow your lawn to look its

, try to prevent the problem by encouraging your dog to urinate in a designated area of the garden. lawnsall year roundCommon problems affecting lawnsMolesCommon daisyGreater plantainLeatherjacketsMoss

, winterMore advice on removing weedsGreater plantainCloverDandelionMoss

, or even into the border.Treat timber fences, trellis and posts with preservativeInstall water butts to all downpipes on your houseApply moss killer to lawnsAround the gardenSow sunflowers outsideTrim winter-flowering heathersPick off faded flower heads

- and nothing could be fresher.Cut out any plain green shoots on variegated shrubs and treesTreat moss and weeds in lawns with weed killerHoe bare areas of soil to prevent weedsAround the gardenPlant gladioli in groups to depth of 10-15cmComplete outside sowings

Stand the log for the boot scraper upright and saw off a third, cutting vertically down to make a flat surface.Stand the larger piece of wood on its flat side and saw two parallel lines about 10cm deep along its length. They should be a few millimetres apart