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Yesterday I discovered cuckoo spit on my red valerian (Centranthus ruber). It's considered a pest by many gardeners, but, for me, it's a symbol of great achievement: I've successfully converted a barren, paved courtyard into a lush, green (albeit

Hi all, I need help, I am new to gardening and have loads of black bugs on one of my plants in the garden, How do I get rid of them, also do I need to cut the bush right back as it seams to be dead in places where the bugs are. Never seen anything

, but the sudden short shower had thrown up a double rainbow.I well remember my first urban fox. We'd just moved to a little house in Nunhead and there was one trotting up and down the back wall, in broad daylight, examining the gardens, looking for a nice place

.The story behind their arrival is as follows: a month or two ago I went to lecture at the excellent Garden Museum in London given by a clever and entertaining fellow called Professor James Hitchmough. James works at the University of Sheffield and, in brief

the job. The fiend of the sub-urban garden (Cupressocyparis x leylandii) makes a fine specimen if left alone and be a saviour to small birds in cold weather.

, loads in Reigate, Sry, shouldn't be here really,they would have a long way to fly home though.Noisy glad they don't come to my garden, I have loads of birds and love them, I would hate them to be chased away by this species. Yes! Such a strange site

them in our garden in Ireland too, which is urban-ish. Lovely, lovely little birds. When i was out riding on the Mendips we came across a flock of either goldcrest or goldfinches,they were making alot twittering like finches flyling in a group in among

is habitat loss in urban areas, caused by the paving of front gardens and the building over of back gardens. Changes in farming practices, such as the widespread use of pesticides, are also cited.There are quite a few moths in my garden. I love seeing them

of a snake in One Tree Hill, Honor Oak. In the middle of urban London, this would have been very exciting. Except it turns out to be a big (1-metre) black and yellow banded beast as thick as a rolling pin. It's likely to be a North American King Snake

used coffee granuals, broken egg shells or wood ash around plants also work sometimes. The comments about improving soil are right. You want to keep it on the dry side. Damp soil just encourages slugs: in the dampest part of my garden I have a plague