Search - Articles

all.I've never been fond of pink, blowsy daffs and gaudy geraniums. But I do love Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii. It's so beautiful I almost look forward to winter so I can see its berries, while large swathes of English bluebells make me feel

the ground. (I love dandelion leaves. There're so crunchy and refreshing after a winter of meagre salads. The trick is to pick them before they flower, after which they can taste bitter.) Then the nettles and wild garlic appear (which together make a

. Like long-tailed tits, goldcrests eat insects and spiders, but specialise in tiny morsels such as moth eggs. Their beaks are designed to pick out insects from between pine needles. In really cold winters they will occasionally come to garden feeders, so keep

relatively easily, without worrying about sections going brown (unlike the Leyland cypress). A dense yew hedge is perfect for nesting birds, and the red arils are eaten by thrushes in winter. It’s not the fastest growing tree, but yew isn’t as slow growing

, lacewings and hoverflies shelter next winter.Even if I had a brown bin to put my tree in I wouldn't use it now. I try to deal with all my biodegradable rubbish at home and I've never thrown anything out that won't break down eventually. My garden is 4m

pathetic, at the front of the border. Will I be more ruthless this year? I doubt it.I also, didn't grow enough shrubs, so my border lacks structure. I can see this clearly now in winter, as my herbaceous plants have gone to mush and there's nothing left

than the blackbird's. At this time of year it's at full pelt - and I can't help but feel uplifted when I hear it. By contrast, in winter it sounds a bit sad. Sparrows are lovely - the sound of them chirping away together puts me in mind of a group

pot is looking a bit worse for wear. I blame the hard winter, the lack of sun, and possibly vine weevils. I also might have neglected it a little too much (I can't remember when I last watered it). Last year the pot was crammed with rosemary, chives

boost local insect populations by not using bug sprays and being less tidy in autumn (providing insects with somewhere to shelter over winter will ensure they survive to breed in spring). Planting native trees and shrubs will also provide food

site. It might spend the winter in the compost bin making the whole heap smell of mouse, ready for nest-searching bumblebee queens in spring. I hope so.