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When I was at school we used to sing a song (to the tune of Men of Harlech) which went "Tramp up Snowdon, with our woad on. Never mind if we get rained or snowed on!" It was a sort of homage to our hardy ancestors running around painted with blue

I watered, it rained within 24 hours.The downpours we've had in Hampshire over the last few days have made a serious difference to the plants. The veg plots are suddenly flourishing and some of my miserable-looking lettuce seedlings have finally

. Wind can scorch leaves as well as sun (and we’ve certainly had plenty of wind in Hampshire). Heavy rain and hail will also damage plants, peppering leaves and flowers with tiny shot marks.To make matters worse, water droplets on foliage can magnify

Every morning before breakfast we go for a walk through the surrounding fields. We miss out on Sundays but are pretty conscientious every other day of the year. Except when it is absolutely tipping it down with rain - which, and this is a slight

As a rule, I only grow plants that will benefit bees, moths and other pollinators. I do relax this rule, though, by growing auriculas. I do this for my partner, who loves them (even if bees don’t).We have built up quite a collection over the years

are tricky to mow. Instead, keep your lawn to a usable size with a simple, defined shape.Give your lawn shapeLawns in small gardens are prone to soil compaction. Waterlogging occurs in wet weather as the rain can’t soak in – and in dry weather the rain runs

changing from pink to blue...a clear illustration of the affect of pH on plants.My garden soil must have got more alkaline, possibly through watering with 'hard' tap water during hot weather last summer, hence the pink flowers this year. I'll need to change

A greenhouse or polytunnel allows you to grow a wider range of plants, and extends the growing season. Once the structure is in place you'll need to kit it out with a few essential items, listed below.You’ll have more success raising your own seeds

with water whenever it rains. It’s important to keep these ‘tanks’ filled up, but try to use rain water if possible, as lime scale will mark the leaves. Once a month, empty the rosette by turning the plant upside down, then refill with fresh water

, bright sun. But the recent rains had started me wondering whether I should've planted moisture-lovers instead. But although I expected those osteospermums to flop and develop grey mould, they've continued to look great, admittedly with a bit of extra