If you’re interested in gardening and nature you’re probably aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. What you might not be aware of is just how important bees are to us and the planet in general.Bees don’t just make honey and give us a lovely sound in the garden on summer afternoons. Bees are vital for the pollination of plants - including food crops - and this insect family which is ...
Plant care tips for containers
The world of plant care can be more than a little bewildering, can’t it? Unless you’re a gardening expert, it can be tricky working out just what you need to do (or not do!) to make sure your indoor and outdoor plants thrive. I love gardening, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’ve got the plant care right every time; in fact I’ve had many disasters over the years. I’ve also had lots of times where my plants thrived but I didn’t really know why, ...
What to consider when choosing garden furniture
Are you looking to update your garden furniture? Today's guest post has lots of helpful tips to help you find the perfect option for your outdoor space.Buying garden furniture is a long-term investment, and making the right choice can really help transform your garden space. However, planning is key. It’s not about buying a garden furniture set because it looks good, or because it’s in the sale; it has to fit and work with the space you have ...
Five ways to get your garden summer-ready
Is your garden ready for summer? Today's guest post covers five easy ways to spruce up your outdoor space so you can sit back and enjoy the view!Summer is on the horizon. Long sun-filled days spent relaxing on a sun lounger with a glass of Pimm’s in hand and impromptu barbecues are on their way. For many of us, our gardens have been left in dire straits through encountering severe weather over the past winter months, from cold weather and ...
Great gardening ideas with wilko
So, spring is finally underway and we’re all starting to enjoy more time in the garden. Are you planning any projects to spruce up your outdoor space? My list of garden jobs seems to be getting longer every day; I’ve got borders to tidy up, seeds to sow, a lawn to revive, a shed to paint, and a whole allotment to reclaim from the weeds. We're going to be busy! To help me tackle my to do list, I’ve been checking out the range of garden and ...
Perfect spring garden projects
So the weather has finally warmed up, and it feels like we’re well and truly into spring: trees are laden with blossom, plants are putting on lots of new growth, and the lawnmower is back into regular action. Doesn’t it make you feel altogether more cheerful? Warmer temperatures also make it a lot easier to motivate yourself to tackle some outdoor projects. After months of cold weather, chances are your garden and outdoor space is in need of ...
Putting Job done® Tough Ready to Use Weedkiller to the test
You may have seen my recent post on weed control, which shared my top tips for helping you manage pesky garden weeds. One of my tips was to use a weedkiller product to deal with tough, problem weeds, and I used Job done® Tough Ready to Use Weedkiller, which proved to be very effective. In this post, I’m going to put this product to the test against a leading competitor, to see how well it performs. In my experience, a weedkiller product is a ...
My top weed control tips
Weeds: the garden problem we all love to hate, right? Whatever type, size or style of garden you have, weeds will undoubtedly be a part of it. And dealing with those weeds will have probably had you grumbling at some point. I do think there’s a certain amount of satisfaction in transforming a weedy patch into a lovely clear chunk of soil or grass, but if you told me I never had to do any weeding again I’d still be delighted! Unfortunately, ...
The kit you really need for growing seeds
We may still be trying to wave goodbye to winter, but if you’re even remotely green-fingered your thoughts are bound to be turning to what plants you want to grow this year. I’ve already spent a lovely afternoon with the kids planning what to grow on their plots, and a couple of evenings working out what I want to grow in our garden and allotment over the coming months. I've done my seed order and now it’s a case of waiting for the weather to ...
Free plants – how to divide perennials
Does your garden have holes in it at the moment? Not actual holes in the ground you understand, but holes nonetheless. Are the borders are looking bare, with whacking great patches of soil with nothing in them? Mine certainly are, and it’s not very uplifting to look at!Gaps in your borders are perfectly normal for this time of year, because lots of plants are in their dormant phase until the weather warms up and they start to put on new ...