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frosts.My garden in East London hasn't seen rain since before Christmas. We've had snow, of course, and the promise of rain - dark clouds, even a thunder storm, but no water (we did have a two minute shower last Friday but it by the time I recognised

(Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) parrot's feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), New Zealand pigmyweed or Australian swamp stonecrop (Crassula helmsii), water primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora) and water fern, (Azolla filiculoides). If left unchecked, these non

We didn't have a pond when I was growing up. I always wanted one, but blew it after trying to walk on water once at Notcutts. I was hauled out and sent home wearing a bin bag, which put paid to any attempts at having a pond at home until many years

Two years, I felt the need to grow a local, native plant in my garden. I gathered rosehips from a field rose at the edge of a nearby canal, soaked them in water and sowed the seed in coarse compost.The pots sat in a corner of my patio, doing nothing

are commendable, if nothing else. There are friends who grow the plants indoors and wonder why they don't fruit (the flowers need pollinating); friends whose plants flower and fruit but the tomatoes rot at the ends (blossom end rot caused by irregular watering

'.I dug my mum her first pond 10 years ago, and although several frogs are often found sheltering in the water, and it's home to a gregarious family of smooth newts, we've never seen evidence of any breeding.The pond (now known as the 'deep pond') is too

are diminished and air quality is reduced.But most alarmingly, the risk of flooding is increased. Hard surfaces like concrete and paving don't absorb water as readily as soil and plants, so it runs into sewers. As much as 50 per cent more water ends up down

bathroom.Bathrooms provide the perfect conditions for growing orchids because they're warm and steamy - although they must have a source of natural light. Tropical orchids require warm, humid conditions to grow in, and don't like sitting in water. They

photosynthesising, gases can build up and kill the frogs.To prevent winterkill you need to create a hole in the ice so noxious gasses can leave the water. I shouldn't need to do so this year, as two feral pigeons have taken to having a daily bath in my pond. I

of the orange sat in my gloomy east London flat.My orange tree has been beset by problems since I received it as a gift six years ago. First it had mealybugs. For six months I regularly used soapy water to remove the bugs, their sticky secretions and resulting