Page 8 - News

Person aerating a garden lawn with a mechanical soil aerator on a sunny day in a backyard.

The one scarifying mistake that ruins your lawn in spring

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

A hasty approach, however, can ruin your lawn. In spring, many gardens look more like a wet sponge than a...

Tabby cat drinking water from a white automatic pet water fountain on a kitchen countertop near a sink.

Why Cats Prefer Tap Water: The Under-£20 Water Fountain Solution

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

In the evening, once the house has finally quietened down, your cat jumps onto the edge of the basin looking...

Person wearing gloves refills a hanging bird feeder with two birds near a tree branch in a sunny garden.

Turn an old wire hanger into a hanging bird feeder

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Yet this everyday object can be turned into a sturdy, practical and free hanging bird feeder in just a few...

Child watering colourful flowers in a garden at sunset with gardening tools and clock nearby.

Wonder Flower: From Seed to a Flower Cloud in Around 60 Days

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Many keen gardeners will recognise the situation: spring arrives with plenty of plans, yet the borders remain bare for weeks....

Person feeding great tits from a seed feeder on a frosty morning with a clock on a wooden table.

When Tits Visit Your Garden in Winter: The Best Feeding Time

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

When you look out of the window in winter, there may be nothing but bare branches and a grey sky....

Person kneeling on wooden floor, holding potted plants in a sunlit room with several houseplants nearby.

Spider Plant and Snake Plant: Key Differences at Home

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Spider plant and snake plant are among the most popular houseplants of all. Both are considered hardy, air-purifying and perfect...

Hands placing a bowl near berry bushes as small birds gather around in a sunlit garden.

3 berry bushes for a bird-friendly garden

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

A natural approach can make your garden far more appealing in the long term. Who does not enjoy seeing tits,...

Person wearing gloves tending to climbing plant against a brick wall with gardening tools nearby.

How to remove a climbing plant from a wall without damage

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

When faced with a plant that has been established for years, many gardeners have the same instinct: pull on the...

Hand using wooden spoon to dig soil in vegetable garden with young plants and watering cans in background.

The Wooden Spoon Test for Your Vegetable Bed

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Among tomatoes, lettuce and courgettes, an inconspicuous tool is currently generating plenty of discussion on social media: the ordinary wooden...

Man digging in garden soil near bird feeder with two birds and a squirrel in sunlit backyard.

Coffee Grounds to Keep Squirrels Away From Bird Feeders

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Coffee grounds may seem an unlikely answer, yet this tip is appearing in more and more gardens. Sprinkling a little...

Person harvesting lavender with garden shears beside a basket and gloves in a sunlit garden.

How to Prune Lavender for a Longer Life

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

What begins as a purple, fragrant cushion beside the patio can suddenly turn into a scruffy broom of dead wood....

Snorkeller wearing black wetsuit and mask swimming underwater near several sharks over sandy seabed.

Moorea: why not touching sharks changes the encounter

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Off the coast of Moorea, the water is so transparent that it can feel as though you are suspended inside...

Person tending to vibrant orange and yellow flowers in a balcony garden planter during daylight.

Nasturtiums in the Vegetable Garden: The Old Trick for Better Harvests

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

When planning a vegetable garden in spring, most people first think of tomatoes, courgettes and lettuce. Yet an old technique...

Hand pouring liquid from a jar onto a wooden spoon with powder near growing strawberry plants in a garden bed.

Yeast fertiliser for strawberries: the simple trick for XXL fruit

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Many garden owners will recognise the problem: strawberry plants flower, yet the fruit stays small, sour or disappointing. While garden...

Blue tit bird in flight approaching a wooden birdhouse mounted on a garden post with a lawn background.

Why Tits Ignore Your Nest Box: 7 Mistakes to Avoid

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

This disappointment is common: these small birds assess a potential home with surprising selectiveness. One poorly considered feature, sometimes impossible...

Hands using scissors to prune the roots of a snake plant on a wooden table with soil and watering can nearby

Snake Plant Dying: Warning Signs and Rescue Tips

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Many amateur gardeners realise far too late that something is wrong with their snake plant. Its leaves droop, the colour...

Man gardening in raised bed with sparrow flying near birdhouse in a sunny garden.

House Sparrow: the Unsung Hero of Your Garden

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

When the sun begins to regain its strength, buds start to swell and the first pollen drifts through the air,...

Person wearing a straw hat tending to purple and pink flowering plants in a garden bed.

Perennial sage: the drought-tolerant garden alternative to lavender

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Anyone planning a garden today is thinking about far more than appearance. Heatwaves, watering restrictions and declining insect populations demand...

Person planting flowers in a garden bed surrounded by colourful blooming plants under sunlight.

10 Fast-Growing Perennials That Fill Borders at Record Speed

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Many amateur gardeners will recognise the situation: you plant with high hopes, wait what feels like forever – yet gaps...

Great white shark swimming underwater near a sandy beach with small fish around it.

A four-metre great white shark tracked off the Atlantic coast

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

At dawn, the first boats still leave the ports along the Atlantic coast, among lobster pots, nets and the reassuring...

Person kneeling and planting a young maple tree in a garden surrounded by autumn foliage and gardening tools.

Japanese Maple: The March Trick That Prevents Summer Leaf Scorch

Gareth Whitfield • October 6, 2026

Whether it burns in summer or shines in all its glory is decided right now. Every year, many gardeners notice...