Forest Gate, London A seven-minute walk from Forest Gate station, and the Elizabeth line, is an orange-hued brick block of townhouses built in 2021. Within the building is a three-storey property with a roof terrace. Despite its muted exterior, the inside is a carnival of colour: different themes for different rooms; and hand-painted murals. The … Read more
If you were prepping, what should be your top five things to hoard in light of the recent power outages in Spain and Portugal? Alina Ahmad, Johannesburg Send new questions to [email protected]. Readers reply We live in a wildfire area and were evacuated in 2020 when half the town burned up. There is never enough … Read more
A pre-fab cabin and a beach house designed for a growing family are among the properties shortlisted in the sustainability category of the Houses awards, Australia’s premier residential design prize. This year’s seven-panel jury noted ‘the radical idea of doing less’, with low-impact renovations that prove you don’t need to demolish to make something remarkable
When we shared your stories about times that companies went the extra mile to fix, repair or even replace something you bought, we weren’t expecting another deluge of emails. But that’s what happened. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. You wrote to … Read more
Aphids are plaguing gardeners this spring due to the warm weather, with higher numbers of the rose-killing bugs expected to thrive in the UK as a result of climate breakdown. The sap-sucking insects have topped the ranking of gardener queries to the Royal Horticultural Society, with many of its 600,000 members having complained of dozens … Read more
His new poems celebrate the extraordinary homes of the creatures tucked away, usually out of sight, within the verdant nooks and crannies of the Lost Gardens of Heligan. But during a stroll with the Guardian around the sub-tropical garden on the south coast of Cornwall, the poet laureate, Simon Armitage, explained how the pieces could … Read more
I’ve always had the gift and the curse of an overactive sense of foresight. It means I’m good at planning things, but maybe quite anxiety-inducing to be around. This week’s column is very much the product of both, but I’ve been encouraged to write it by having near-identical requests from friends arrive at the same … Read more
Regarding dealing with cold callers (Adrian Chiles, 7 May), it’s irritating I know, but if you don’t mind your phone being inaccessible for a few minutes, why not say: “Hang on, I’ll go and get him/her”, and then leave your phone until the caller rings off? At least you will have wasted some of their day.Robert … Read more
“Being able to grow your own food is one of the most radical ways that you can express your freedom, your sovereignty, your liberation,” says Valerie Goode, the founder and chief executive of the Coco Collective, a Black-led community gardening organisation in south London. “When you leave your food production in the hands of other … Read more
In an age of climate crisis, decreasing biodiversity and heightened awareness of water consumption, an immaculate, weed-free lawn is becoming as taboo as an outdoor heater. However, provided we take a more sustainable approach to their upkeep, embracing beneficial “weeds” and long grass, the lawn still has a place in our gardens. The Guardian’s journalism … Read more