Category: What To Do Now

How To Green-Up Your Driveway

Many front gardens are essentially a driveway, maybe with the odd tree or shrub in a pot, but with little in the way of wildlife-friendly greenery. I totally understand why you might prefer to park your car off the road. What I don’t like is the way these driveways become desolate, lifeless spaces. With bee and wild bird numbers declining,… Read more →

How To Build A Wildlife Pond :: Part 2

I’ve been building a wildlife pond. In Part 1, I ran through the first steps, which mostly involved digging a huge hole and moving loads of soil around. The next steps proved to be both fun and frustrating! So, you’ve got a big hole, you’ve put in your pond underlay and liner, and you’ve filled it with water. What next? Well, now comes the… Read more →

How To Make A Christmas Wreath

I’m feeling very excited about Christmas. My husband, who is a children’s writer, was finally able to give up his retail ‘day job’ a few months ago, so we’ll actually be able to spend the whole holiday period together this year (and we’ll be boycotting the Boxing Day sales!) I put decorations up all over the house at the beginning of the month, and… Read more →

How To Grow Hyacinths For Christmas

Summer is ending, which is sad, so I’m planting hyacinths that will flower inside in winter, perhaps in time for Christmas. It’ll give me something to look forward to as the nights draw in and the temperatures drop. These gorgeously scented, pretty bulbs would normally flower in early spring, if grown outdoors, but can be forced to flower earlier indoors, if you grow them… Read more →

July: What To Do Now

The overwhelming theme of my garden this month seems to be scent. There are masses of sweet smelling blooms on the roses, honeysuckle and philadelphus. It’s a pleasure to walk along the borders and now much narrower paths, especially on a warm day when the the flowers’ scents seem strongest. There is a climbing rose growing by my front door which fills the front… Read more →

June: What To Do Now

June is the perfect month for relaxing in your garden. The evenings are at their longest and lightest, and should be spent with a cold beer in hand and feet up, watching the bees and birds go about their business. All of my hard work in spring has paid off, and there is an abundance of lush growth and flowers… Read more →