Looking to move house in a hurry? This guest post has some great ideas to help you sell your house fast.If you need to suddenly sell your home quickly (for example, due to a new job, or to get into a school catchment area), one of your main worries will probably be ‘is my house sale ready’?Beautifully decorated houses with new fittings and features are more likely to be snapped up quickly. But if you’re short on time, there are services ...
What to plant now – October
Autumn is really underway now. Leaves are falling everywhere you look, and I’m a little obsessed with the pumpkins we’re about to harvest for Halloween. October isn’t all about harvesting and hunkering down for the colder months though, there are still some crops and plants you can grow. Here are some ideas for what to plant this month.Asparagus Some varieties of asparagus can be planted in autumn; planting now helps them to get ...
How to force Spring flowering bulbs
Autumn is traditionally the time to plant spring flowering bulbs in the garden, with daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, iris and crocus all popular choices. But while you’re planting bulbs in the garden, it’s a great idea to pot up some of those bulbs and ‘force’ them to flower early, so you can enjoy the blooms indoors before spring arrives.Forcing spring bulbs isn’t tricky, you basically need to trick the bulbs into thinking it’s already ...
Ideas for enjoying autumn outdoors with children
I just love autumn. The weather is still mild, the sunlight is at a fabulous angle, and nature is visibly changing everywhere you look. My kids love it too; it’s such a tactile time of year with all those crisp leaves, changing colours, and of course the conkers!As September marches on, I’ve been thinking about how to make the most of being outdoors with the kids as much as possible before the colder weather arrives. Autumn is such a ...
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 ...
9. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening jobs for early Autumn
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule.Now that autumn has arrived things feel like they’re slowing down in the garden; plants are starting to shut down, lots of crops are coming to an end, and leaves are starting to fall. This doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do this month though, there are lots of quick jobs you can make a start on to prepare your garden for ...
How to make a bulb lasagne
If you’ve never heard of a bulb lasagne you’re probably raising your eyebrows right now. It is a real gardening ‘thing’ though!Planting a bulb lasagne in a container is a clever way of layering up spring-flowering bulbs to create a display of flowers that lasts for months. It’s really easy to do and will give you a lovely display throughout the winter months for very little effort. What’s not to like?This time of year is perfect for ...
How to find the right gardening company for your project
Have you ever called in the pros to help you with the gardening? I think garden maintenance is often one of those jobs that we feel a bit embarrassed about not doing ourselves. We should be able to find time to keep on top of it, right? Well in reality, that’s not always possible! Trying to find ways to squeeze the gardening into an already hectic home life is how my ten minute gardener series came about. And while a few minutes of gardening ...
Autumn gardening: tips for saving seeds
With autumn getting underway and many plants starting to shut down for the colder months, now is a good time to try harvesting seeds from your garden. Like dividing existing plants, saving seeds is a great way to get lots of new plants for free - and it’s easier than you think. Here are some tips on how to give it a try.Get your timing right - you need to collect seeds when they are just about to disperse, as this means they are ripe and ...
What to plant now – September
Well here we are - autumn. Summer is such a busy time - with a young family off school, but also in the garden - and September always seems to arrive so quickly. It’s a lovely month though; harvest time, beautiful angles of sunshine, and still plenty of warm weather to enjoy. And it’s also quite a productive month for sowing seeds, planting bulbs and growing new plants - some to enjoy soon, and some to get started for next year. ...