News - Page 52

What to do about badgers in your garden?

Many of us met our first badger in a bed-time story, whether it was the kindly and wise Mr Badger from The Wind and the Willows, Fantastic Mr Fox’s legal-minded Clive Badger Esq. or The Chronicles of Narnia’s loyal Trufflehunter. But anyone who’s woken to find their bins knocked over and holes dug in their lawn by badgers in search of supper may have a less rosy view. Badgers and their dwellings (setts) are protected by law, but there are some steps you can take to protect your garden.

What we can learn from Roy Lancaster

Roy Lancaster is well known for presenting Gardeners World and appeared on other horticultural shows such as Gardeners Question Time. He is a prolific horticultural writer and speaker and he could be called a ‘Plant Hunter’ as his career took him all around the world discovering new plants. So what can we learn from Roy Lancaster?

How to make sure that Valentine’s bouquet lasts longer?

So you’ve received some beautiful flowers for Valentine’s Day from your loved one, or maybe a secret admirer and you want to keep them looking at their very best for as long as possible. With these tips, you can make sure your Valentine’s bouquet lasts as long as possible.

Rock cress surprises

Rock cress is one of the best-kept secrets of spring. A low-level, groundcover plant, it grows quietly in the garden, easily overlooked for most of the year. Then in early spring, it suddenly bursts into bloom and makes you sit up and take notice. Rock cress is the common name for several different plants, all of them species of either Arabis or Aubrieta.

Getting fresh: tips on how to make your own vegetable garden

For gardeners, it doesn’t get much better than eating food you’ve grown yourself – fresh tomatoes still warm from the summer sun, or peas straight from the pod onto your plate. And no matter how small your garden is, it’s still possible to have the fun of growing your own food. Here are our top tips on how to make your own vegetable garden.

What to do in the garden in February?

It might be cold out there, but in February the first hints of spring are everywhere. The daylight lasts that little bit longer each day, snowdrops start to flower and clumps of cheerful daffodils reappear. When the sun shines, it’s time to get outdoors and get a head start on the gardening. And when that icy wind blows, there’s still plenty for gardeners to do indoors in February.

3 ways to stop deer damaging your garden

Seeing a real-life wild deer in your garden is thrilling – until you spot the trail of destruction following in Bambi’s wake. To a deer, a garden is just a delicious buffet of tasty treats laid on for its benefit. Deer eat foliage, flowers, and sometimes even tree bark during winter when other food is scarce. Male deer also damage tree branches and stems when they rub their antlers against them. Protecting your plants against deer isn’t always easy, but there are steps you can take to limit the damage.