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What’s the problem?Should I buy houseplants from the supermarket? I’ve had mixed results – some have thrived, but others (especially herbs) have barely survived the journey home. DiagnosisWhile supermarkets often offer attractive prices and convenience, plants are treated more like fast-moving stock than living things. They are often displayed under harsh lights and watered inconsistently. Herbs, in … Read more

You don’t need a luxury patio set, a subscription to a seed club or a pair of fancy gloves to have a great garden. Some of the most charming outdoor spaces have been created with hardly any budget at all – just a bit of time, a few innovative ideas and maybe the occasional raid … Read more

I’m at the point in my 30s when everyone seems to be moving house – or at least trying to. I’m among them; sometimes I dream in floor plans. But one thing that persists among all the conversations about postcodes, rail connections and side returns is the subject of north-facing gardens: a horticultural bogeyman even among those who profess not … Read more

The Earth’s orbit of the sun is just long enough that, by the time spring rolls back around, we have all but forgotten the sumptuous reality of the season: how the extended sunlight fills our souls; how the growing green reinvigorates the spirit; how cherry blossom against a blue sky manifests something bigger than beauty … Read more

It feels as if time has stopped, frozen in the swinging 1960s, as you pass through the pristine gate that opens on to this enchanting lakefront building. The lake in question is the magical and wild Mergozzo, tiny, utterly charming and yet still rarely visited by tourists. The house was built in 1963. Its equally … Read more

As summer crops and blooms wind down and cosiness calls, it’s time to prepare our outdoor spaces for the cooler months. Getting your garden ready for winter doesn’t have to mean costly trips to the garden centre and can instead be approached with resourcefulness and a focus on “closed systems” that minimise waste and encourage … Read more

The trouble with the great outdoors is that it gets a bit untidy. Your lawnmower might do a good job of keeping your garden in check, but keeping your patio, decking and outdoor furniture spick and span can take hours, especially if you rely on a bucket of soapy water and a scrubbing brush. The … Read more

I’m sure many of us are guilty of relying on our phones to decompress, even when taking some downtime. But if your social media feeds are anything like mine – an endless stream of fad workouts, meal plans and extravagant skincare routines – it’s more likely to whip you into an anxious frenzy than leave … Read more

The city of Berkeley has a new message for residents of its most fire-prone neighborhoods: it’s time to cut back your gardens. People living in the most high-fire-risk areas of the California city will be required to remove plants and other flammable materials close to their homes as part of strict new wildfire safety rules … Read more

Re the declining numbers of birds that we are seeing (or not seeing) in our gardens, I believe that a significant contributing factor is the lack of garden hedges (Starlings fall to record low in UK’s 2025 Big Garden Birdwatch, 11 April). Your report states that starlings like short grass so that they can watch … Read more