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in case wasps buzz out and start chasing you! (Oh, how I hate wasps).It’s that continual problem wildlife gardening: allowing creatures to have a little, but not a bite out of everything. They’re like toddlers at a birthday party, browsing the plates

not the only gardener with an environmental conscience. Our hobby does require us to both protect tender plants and raise new crops from seed every year, so some heating is an essential requirement, isn't it? Or should I forget the tender stuff and concentrate

throughout the winterSee, not everything about frost is bad for the gardener.

right away.3. Insulate outside tapNot only must I turn off the stopcock to my garden tap to isolate the water supply (mine is almost hidden behind pipework under the kitchen sink), but I must wrap insulation material round the brass tap itself. Again, I

It comes as no surprise to me that slugs and snails have been voted the most-hated garden pests in the Gardeners' World Awards. Surely no garden in the country can be immune from their devastating activities, unless it's a garden covered in concrete

.Apart from protective hats the most important pieces of gardening gear are good boots (Gertrude Jekyll knew the benefits of sturdy footwear - her boots were painted by William Nicholson in 1920) and, when handling thorny things, a pair of stout gloves. Monty

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

to be tricked into forgetting them, oh no! For it is from now that any gardener who would prefer to reduce (dramatically) the damage done by these horrible little critters, grabs a bucket and goes off on a collecting spree. Snails love to group together

has exacerbated the problem, especially on areas that we've walked over. It now resembles something like chocolate sauce!When we next have reasonably good weather, I'll be out there with a garden fork, attempting to drive holes into the ground

, which often appear early here, were nowhere to be seen.When they do finally emerge, I’m worried the bulbs will suffer if the freezing temperatures return. So, I’ve been mounding some loose, light wood and bark chippings around the crowns, as a protective