Do you feed the birds at this time of year? We try to do it all year round, but in winter it's particularly important to give wild birds a helping hand, because natural food sources are scarce. One of the kids' favourite craft activities is making our homemade feeders; I've lost count of the number of times we've made them, and whenever we put them out in the garden they vanish within a couple of days! This week we've been ...
My top plants for your late Winter garden
We’re heading towards the last ‘official’ weeks of winter, phew! With spring not far off in the garden, it’s only natural to be a bit impatient for that rush of colour that the warmer weather brings. Our garden has been looking decidedly drab all Winter; for the last couple of years I’ve promised myself in December that I will make some changes to our planting, to stop this lack of interest continuing into another year. ...
What to plant now – February
We’re almost there.... February is underway and spring is just around the corner. I still want it to hurry up though! It really won’t be long before I’m up to my neck in packets of seed and fussing over my labelled pots like a mother hen. But the fact remains that it’s still winter, and most plants just won’t tolerate being started off until the weather warms up a bit and the light improves. There are some that will happily get ...
How to add interest to your winter garden
A quick glance out of my kitchen window confirms that winter is definitely in residence in the garden. The light is low, the tree branches are the only real structure in sight, most border plants are dormant and the lawn is blanketed in yet another carpet of fallen leaves (note to self: make more leaf mould). Down at the allotment, everything is looking very bare, and the last time so much soil was unused was back ...
Winter gardening: how to protect tender plants
At this time of year temperatures can drop suddenly in the garden, leaving tender plants decidedly worse for wear. It’s so tempting to leave them outside when the weather is still mild, but I’ve lost plants this way before and learned my lesson. Spend a few minutes this week protecting your tender plants and you’ll be in a great position to enjoy them again later this year. So what do you need to protect? Well that depends ...
How To Create A Low Maintenance Garden You’ll Love
If you're struggling to find enough time to take care of the garden, this guest post has some great low maintenance options. No matter what the time of year, there is something so satisfying about looking out onto a well-kept garden. Our outdoor spaces connect us with nature. In a world that is increasingly preoccupied with technology and screens, spending time enjoying nature is a vital way of decompressing and destressing. If ...
Tips for feeding garden birds in winter
Are you providing food for the wild birds who visit your garden this winter? We usually spend less time in our gardens during winter, but wild birds are often still visiting just as much as in the warmer months. Garden birds will be searching for food, and also water when temperatures drop low enough to freeze their usual supplies. Providing a winter food source for wild birds is a great way to support your local wildlife, and you'll also ...
How to grow radish
Radish can really perk up a salad, and it's speed of growth makes it great to grow with children too. This guest post has lots of tips to help you get a bumper harvest. Radish is very easy to grow, and doesn't need any complicated care measures. It handles low temperatures well and the vegetation period is short, so it is perfect for cultivation in early spring, although you may also sow it at the end of summer for the autumn ...
How to make leaf mould
With Autumn getting into full swing more leaves are falling from the trees each day - which is good news for family walks, who doesn’t love stomping through a big pile of crispy leaves? It’s also good news for gardeners, as fallen Autumn leaves give us the perfect opportunity to make leaf mould. Leaf mould is basically rotted-down leaves. It’s low in nutrients, but it makes a brilliant mulch which you can spread on your soil to improve its ...
How to plant bulbs
I love growing flowers from bulbs. You can create a really colourful display at times of the year when the rest of the garden is still playing catch up, and there’s such a wide variety to choose from. Bulbs are also relatively cheap compared to buying plants, so they’re a great way to create real wow factor in your garden without spending a fortune. If you’d like to add some bulbs to your garden, here’s how to do it. Choose your ...