I started my growing season late this year. Life got in the way. By the time I was able to get stuck in, my veg patch was busily filling up with plants that had found their own way there. Now, I’m firmly in the camp of those who believe a weed is simply a plant that’s not … Read more
What’s the problem?I’m not sure which pots are better than others, or whether I can just leave my plants in their plastic nursery pots. DiagnosisNursery pots – the plastic containers plants are often sold in – are typically designed for short-term use and can easily crack. Although choosing the right pot for your plants is … Read more
“We offer 15,000 whites. Pick any three.” I more often give this advice to female clients, since in 40 years restoring, colour-matching and consulting I’ve seen most domestic décor decisions made by women. Apart from any cultural aspect, studies of human biology suggest a reason: only one in 200 women is colour blind compared with … Read more
Name: The poop rule. Age: New to the mainstream, already popular on TikTok. Appearance: More sanitary than you may imagine. I’m trying not to imagine it at all. TikTok has new rules for poop now? Not exactly. Do you remember Marie Kondo? The tidying influencer? That’s the one. This rule is sort of an update … Read more
Lowther Castle, Cumbria In the dash for Cumbria’s lakes and fells, the area’s other green attractions can get missed. On Knipe Scar, at the edge of the Lake District national park, Lowther’s acres sprawl around the shell of a ruined 19th-century castle. Wildflower meadows, bee-friendly tree hives and rambling woodland contrast with a parterre, sculptured … Read more
Driving the back roads of Carmarthenshire in spring, beneath broad oaks, over little stone bridges and along stretches of fertile woodland, windswept peatland and flowery meadows, I was reminded of the rudimentary treasure maps I loved drawing as a child. The ones composed of contrasting, caricatured environments spaced neatly within the concise contours of a fictional island, say, … Read more
Vibrant delphiniums in County Durham Thornton Hall Gardens, near my home town of Darlington, are described by its owners as “a hobby that got out of hand”. With no previous gardening experience, the owner Sue Manners began to work on the garden alone after buying the old hall in 1989 with husband Mike. Nowadays, the … Read more
Can you hear it? That sound of the horticultural industry exhaling? We are at the end of the Chelsea flower show, AKA Gardening Christmas. Designers, contractors, nurseries, growers and gardeners have been beetling away building things, attending things, observing things from a distance and generally finding the whole event a delicious, exhausting, engaging, controversial affair. The … Read more
Dandelions are often seen by gardeners as burly thugs, but they do have their benefits. The flowers are rich in nectar and pollen, feeding pollinating insects, which have suffered steep declines in recent years. Numbers of flying insects in the UK have fallen by 78% since 2004, according to a survey based on sampling vehicle … Read more
What’s the problem?My jade plant’s leaves are turning red and falling off. DiagnosisThe jade plant (Crassula ovata) is a relatively hardy succulent that can develop red leaves when exposed to intense sunlight. However, this can also be caused by stress factors, such as temperature fluctuations or inconsistent watering. Some reddening is normal, but excessive redness accompanied by leaf drop … Read more