Page 17 - News

Person hanging a wooden birdhouse on a leafy garden fence surrounded by flowers and birds.

How to Attract Tits to Your Garden with Nest Boxes

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many garden owners hurriedly put up new nest boxes in spring, hoping to attract feathered tenants. Yet this hope often...

Person marking measurements on a wooden door frame with a pencil, next to a stool holding a hand plane tool.

How to Fix a Swollen Wooden Door That Sticks

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

A swollen wooden door will often stick because timber takes in moisture from the air, expands and loses the clearance...

Hands harvesting kale from a raised garden bed with tomatoes, basil, marigolds, and other herbs in sunlight.

Oregano Companion Plants: The Best Neighbours for Your Garden

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Used wisely, oregano brings more than flavour to the kitchen: it also creates a reliable line of defence against pests...

Young boy planting herbs in a wooden garden bed on a sunny patio with watering can and gardening gloves nearby.

Six robust plants for gardening beginners with a small budget and little time

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

With a handful of tough, reliable favourites, you can create a garden even with a modest budget and limited time....

Woman tending to climbing plant on balcony with potted plants, wicker chair, and sketchbook on table.

Star Jasmine for Modern Balconies and Colonial Gardens

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Creating a welcoming atmosphere in compact spaces has become a key ambition for many urban residents. Bringing back traditional plant...

Hands harvesting ripe red tomatoes from a plant in a raised garden bed with gardening tools nearby.

Mulch tomatoes properly before watering season

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

The problem is often not a lack of effort but the technique: the way soil absorbs water determines whether tomatoes...

Person harvesting lavender flowers with scissors into a wicker basket on a sunny garden path.

Pruning lavender correctly: the simple cut for up to 20 years of flowers

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many people blame climate change, the soil or the age of the plants. Yet in reality, whether lavender dies after...

Woman kneeling and gardening around a young palm tree in a sunny, flower-filled backyard.

Trachycarpus fortunei: The Hardy Windmill Palm for an Exotic Garden

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

While many amateur gardeners are already looking ahead to autumn in August, there is a surprising opportunity to seize: one...

Hands wearing white gloves using gardening shears to harvest ripe lemons from a potted lemon tree outdoors.

How to Prune a Lemon Tree for Healthy Growth

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

A lemon tree needs sunshine, free-draining soil, measured watering and gentle pruning to retain strong leaves and fruit well. Pruning...

Person sprinkling white powdery substance onto green moss in a garden with gardening tools nearby.

Bicarbonate Against Moss in the Lawn: The 75p Kitchen Trick

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

A trip into the garden in spring can often bring an unwelcome surprise: rather than a rich green lawn, there...

Person tending to bright orange trumpet flowers in a terracotta pot on a sunny balcony garden.

Tecomaria ‘Cape Town Orange’: the compact shrub for small gardens

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

A modest-looking small shrub with vivid orange flowers creates exactly that effect. Many urban gardens, terraced-house plots and patios share...

Person in warm clothing gardening with mulch and dried leaves in a sunny autumn garden.

Hydrangeas in January: The Winter Mulch Trick for Magnificent Flowers

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many amateur gardeners put their feet up in January and wait for spring. For hydrangeas, that can be disastrous. It...

Hands harvesting fresh leafy greens with scissors in a garden planter on a sunny day.

Winter Purslane: The March Wonder in Your Vegetable Patch

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

While many amateur gardeners are still eagerly awaiting their first radish or spinach harvest in March, a quiet star is...

Person tending to a vibrant bougainvillea plant in a terracotta pot on a sunny balcony.

How to Grow Bougainvillea in a Sunny Flat Balcony

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Creating a green space in a sunny flat may seem like a complicated task for many city residents. Yet choosing...

Person wearing a hat gardening among vibrant flowers and plants in a sunlit garden plot with a watering can nearby.

5 Perennial Plants That Can Last for Decades

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

For anyone who wants an attractive garden that will look good for years, perennial plants are a practical, hardy choice....

Hands wrapping a lemon on a tree with aluminium foil in a garden on a sunny day.

Why Hang Aluminium Foil on a Lemon Tree?

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Hanging aluminium foil on a lemon tree is a straightforward trick that creates flashes of light and movement among its...

Person spraying water on a healthy peace lily plant with white flowers indoors by a sunlit window.

How to Care for a Peace Lily Indoors

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Keeping a peace lily indoors brings considerable beauty and wellbeing to the whole family. This wonderful ornamental species helps to...

Woman wearing a straw hat and apron planting tomato seedlings on a wooden table inside a greenhouse.

Hardening Off Tomatoes: The Professional Spring Routine for Strong Plants

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many amateur gardeners are poised to get started in spring, buy young plants from the garden centre and eagerly put...

Hands pruning purple flowers on a vine growing against a stone wall in a sunny garden.

Vanilla-Scented Climber With Purple Flowers for Walls

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Turning plain walls into fragrant vertical gardens is becoming increasingly popular in residential and commercial schemes. One of the most...

Person kneeling on grass applying powder to moss with a spoon and holding a spray bottle in a garden.

75p Bicarbonate of Soda Trick for Moss in Your Lawn

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many amateur gardeners know the sinking feeling that arrives in spring: instead of lush green grass, they find a slippery,...

Hands placing a potted lemon plant on a balcony table with a sunset and rooftops in the background.

Lemon Tree in a Pot: Protect Roots from Late Frost

Gareth Whitcombe • September 11, 2026

Many amateur gardeners breathe a sigh of relief in February: their lemon tree in a pot appears to have come...