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A few days ago some bright yellow no-parking cones were lined up along the kerb a few doors down from me. Tree works, it seemed, were taking place. It wasn’t until the whine of the chainsaws started up that it dawned on me what trees were being

There are so few plants that do well in my small, shady garden, but those that do thrive deserve a medal. This week, honesty is taking centre stage, with its tall spires of brilliant white flowers, towering above more subtle spring blooms.I love

the plants will catch up, but I might not get a harvest until August. My spinach hasn't fared any better - that was eaten by snails.It's not all bad news. My tomatoes and chillies in pots are doing well and the cut-and-come-again lettuce leaves have already

A stylish raised bed is easy to build and can transform a dull corner of your garden into an attractive feature. Taking just a couple of weekends to complete this project, you'll soon be enjoying the benefits of gardening, without backpain too

x 8cm.Snowdrop, Galanthus nivalisThe deep green foliage and attractive flowers of Climbing beans make them ideal for growing in ornamental borders. They take up little space, as they can be grown up a trellis or bean poles, reaching a height

. By the next day, the pollen should be fluffy. If you prefer, you can forego this step and take pollen without removing the flower head. However, cutting the flower does give you greater control.Select a few flowers on the mother plant that are just about

Last weekend, for the benefit of wildlife and nature conservation in south-east London, I cut down a tree. Despite their iconic status and green credentials, it is often necessary to cut down trees, and this one had plenty of reasons to go. First

the cooking tray as a guide. Keep as many bricks whole as possible to reduce the need to cut the bricks.Mix five parts sand to one part cement, adding enough water to get a stiff consistency. Check the level of the site before spreading the first layer

Hosepipe bans and water restrictions are always a challenge for gardeners. But if you get into the habit of saving water in your garden, you'll be able to take the restrictions in your stride. Storing rainwater will mean you can keep your plants

the bush you are clipping with water as that stops the sap sticking to the clipper blades (which blunts them) and secondly to keep taking a step back to make sure that you are cutting the right lines. There is also a project on this very website about hedge