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Birds in my garden
Probably not a very exciting post for many, but having only started feeding in the last year or so, I'm very pleased with all the visitors we now get, including: Sparrows, blackbirds, starlings, collared doves, blue tits, great tits, robins, siskins, goldfinches, bullfinches, chaffinches, pied wagtails, yellowhammers,…
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Double Set of Free Spring Bulbs Due to Website Error - Hurry Before They Fix It!!!
There is a site called freeplants.co.uk which give away a free plant every week - you have to pay £4.99 p&p so I don't usually take the free plant unless I buy some other plants (which are reasonably priced compared to other sites) that I want then the p&p charge is spread and it's a nice deal. This week they've left last…
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Lavender Angustifolia Dentata care
Got carried away after the first lockdown and the first plants to appear in a supermarket when all was closed were some lovely standard trees of this lavender. I used them as a hedge for a raised path and they're flourishing. The foliage has doubled in size which breaks up the fence and awful expanse of tarmac view from…
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Bird table and bird feeder (anti predator)
Hi. Can someone recommend me a bird table that's difficult for wildlife killing pests like cats to get on? Unfortunately the bird table we have is only 1 metre off ground level which isn't tall enough as there is a particularly athletic vicious domestic cat (absolutely horrible things) in the area, so we want to try and…
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Useful stuff from builders skips
Hi The foreman of a local building development is giving me access to their skips this weekend. I'm mainly looking for bricks and planks of wood for my newly acquired allotment plot. As a newbie I thought it would be useful to ask what else I should look out for which might be useful? Thanks
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Will replace my lawn with hard surface stop cat?
So fed of having to clean cats poo on my lawn everyday. It is disgusting I cannot put my washing to dry outside without stepping on their poos. I have tried everything from sonic etc. Having tried to block their ways with prickly branches do not work, they go around it. I have just bought scaring cat mat sfrom ebay upposed…
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Dahlias - good for Autumn show?
On one of my recent excursions I noticed an impressive display of Dahlias outside a particular house. Unfortunately the owner was not in as I wanted to ask for a few tips. Living a fair distance away, asking at that door is no longer an option so I thought I'd raise the issue here. Are Dahlias well-known for Autumn…
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My MSE Deal Gladioli
Back in June this year I got 100 Gladioli bulbs for £10+free postage from an MSE deal. I'm not much of a gardener, but I decided to put them in my flowerbed and see what happened. Pleased to say, about 30 of them came up with most of them blooming. The first one was red, but got got knocked down in a storm. All the others…
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Stopping cats using garden as litter tray - suggestions please?
I have recently put in some raised flower beds and now cats are using them to poop in! 🙈 I've looked at sonic deterrents, pellets etc but most of the reviews I've read are less than positive - has anyone got any tried and tested ideas that actually work but don't harm or deter other creatures?
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Slab or slate?
Shubs, ground cover plants beneath front window have been removed. An area 11ft x40", ideal for seats. Unsure about using slabs (how many?) or slate which covers much of front garden. Cost important.
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Front Garden - Grass or Exposed Aggregate?
My front garden is gravel with some large plant pots. Beside it there are big cherry blossom trees which, although beautiful in bloom, make an awful mess with their leaves. I spend half the year lifting these leaves from the gravel and I’m fed up with it. It can take over an hour each day. Since it’s gravel, I can’t use…
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Senecio Angel Wings....problem
Hi any idea what's happened to my Senecio Angel Wings. The downy stuff has disappeared on about 85% of mine to leave green patchy leaves. Looked all over the net and cannot find any solution.
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Disconnecting Water butt
Dumb question. I want to disconnect my water butt to do some work and then reconnect, it is connected directly in to a down pipe. I know a piece was cut out but how do I remove the water butt connector with out water running all over the place when it rains. Thanks in advance Yours Calley x
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Chafer Grubs
I have crows destroying my entire garden and after doing some research and looking under the turf, I have a large infestation of chafer grubs. The only product I can seem to find is nematodes but states wrong time of year to use. Can anyone else advised of any other products. I’ve seen Milky Spores but that doesn’t seem to…
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New allotment advice
Hi everyone I've just put my name on the waiting list for a local allotment and while I'm not sure whether I'll get a plot any time soon I thought I'd start planning (as much as possible) now so I'm ready and raring to go when it's my turn. This year was my first attempt at growing veg in the garden but we don't have a lot…
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Drilling the bottom out of a terracotta pot?
Has anyone done this? I've got two Box ball shrubs in small square terracotta pots. They are looking stressed compared to the dwarf hedge around not to mention a nightmare to water. I can't get larger square terracotta pots and putting them in the ground they will disappear as a decorative feature I'm thinking if I drill…
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Rake worm casts?
Hi, Quick question, does anyone rake worm casts to spread them over the lawn? I don't mind seeing them and I don't mind the worms, I just wondered if it's worth spreading them out? Cheers
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Best place to order seeds by post
Hello. I live in France but generally buy vegetable seeds when visiting the UK ( better choice, cheaper, much higher germination rates). However, because of COVID, I probably won’t visit so would like to order seeds by post. Can anyone recommend a reliable company who does this without silly P&P charges. I would like well-…
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Itea ilicifolia propagation
Can anyone help me? Is it possible to take cuttings from the Itea ilicifolia? Also when is the best time ? And how do I take the cutting/which piece? I have one which is on a north facing wall, and been there for many years now. I love the long white racemes, and the fact it's evergreen . I have recently removed a…
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Transplanting Cyclamen
There is a tiny cyclamen in the lawn of our communal garden. Never noticed it before but this year It has produced a flower even though it is struggling to survive. At some time the garden maintenance company will just run the lawn mower over it when they come to cut the grass. Presumably this is not the best time to…
