Gardening is seasonal and there is a best time for everything. Normally the best time to trim trees in is when they are dormant. In Britain, this is usually between September and the following March. The signs of dormancy are familiar to us all. In preparation for winter, leaves start to turn colour, yellow, orange … Read more

July is a time to relax and enjoy the good weather. All the work you have done during the year has come to fruition. The garden looks lush and full of colour, the flowers look lovely and bees are buzzing around. In many areas, hosepipe bans are in place. These bans are legally enforceable with … Read more

March is an exciting time for gardeners as the days start to get longer, the weather starts to get warmer, and the first signs of spring appear. It’s an excellent time to start preparing your garden for the upcoming growing season. Here are some tasks you should consider doing in your garden in March: Prepare … Read more

When you have a garden, you get to share your world with nature. And nature rewards you richly. Put out some peanuts on the grass and crows and magpies will strut around collecting them. Hang up a feeder and enjoy the antics of tits and finches as they expertly cling on and eat. Look after … Read more

Winter is a tricky time of year. One day is crisp and beautiful, then snow falls, swiftly followed by rain and wind. But there are still January garden jobs to be done if you are brave enough to go outside. Apple and pear trees can be pruned in January. Apple, in particular, can get very … Read more

The long hot summer of 2022 is just a memory now. Even the hose-pipe ban has been lifted (in some areas). Most trees are coming into their dormant phase, so it’s time to consider a winter trim. If a tree has got too big for its position and is blocking a lot of your light, … Read more

These hardwoods burn well and slowly, Ash, beech, hawthorn oak and holly.Softwoods flare up quick and fine, Birch, fir, hazel, larch and pine. Elm and willow you’ll regret, Chestnut green and sycamore wet. Beechwood fires are bright and clear, If the logs are kept a year. Chestnut’s only good, they say, If for long ’tis … Read more

It was indeed a long hot summer and the rain in recent weeks has been very welcome. Everywhere, grass that went blonde for the summer has now returned to a rich green. This is a very rich time of year, rain has refreshed the parched plants, autumn colours are starting to appear and the hedgerows … Read more

During July this year, some parts of the UK received only 4% of their usual rainfall. The heat shows no sign of relenting and the parts of the country are going into a hosepipe ban. Tough times for gardens and gardeners. So what can you do? If you have pots in direct sunlight, move them … Read more

Well, it depends. In the UK, February to August is the bird nesting season. Many species of domestic birds are in serious decline and are therefore protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This law prevents birds being disturbed during their nesting season. The summer is also when greenery is at it’s most splendid. … Read more