Gardening
- LifestyleThe Telegraph
Why no-dig gardening has taken off in Britain
When Raymond Blanc was a small child, he was mostly found in the family vegetable garden, where he was employed to sow, weed, harvest and, of course, dig.
7-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
How geraniums became the latest fashionable flower – and the best varieties to grow
There are many reasons why geraniums have long been a stalwart of the British garden. Perennially popular due to their easygoing, low-maintenance nature, they bring bursts of colour to many a flower bed, pot and hanging basket. Partly due to their ubiquity and accessibility, they are also, however, considered a little basic by some gardeners.
4-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
10 common rose problems and how to avoid them in your garden
Roses are considered to be Britain’s favourite flowers. Part of their appeal is the romanticised, evocative feeling of a warm summer’s evening in a English garden, surrounded by the heady scent of blooms. The reality of how some of our roses perform in the garden, however, can bring us crashing back down to earth. It can make us question what we might have done wrong, particularly if we are dealing with one or two troublesome disorders, diseases or pests.
10-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
How to get an Oxford college-perfect lawn
Gardeners “have been led down the garden path” by so-called hard-wearing ryegrass mixes, says lawn consultant David Hedges-Gower.
6-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
How to get the best from your peonies
Peonies provide more than flower power, they’re magical in every sense of the word. They take their name from Paeon, the Greek physician to the gods, because some species are used in Chinese medicine to prevent pain, lessen swelling and treat more serious ailments.
8-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
10 essential steps to building a year-round cutting garden
During the abundance of the growing season it’s easy to find something to cut in the garden, but the real mastery of growing your own cut flowers is in ensuring that there’s something interesting to cut for the house all year round. Here are 10 steps for maximising your cut-flower patch and filling vases full of scent and flowers gathered from all around the garden.
9-min read - LifestyleThe Telegraph
How to spot box blight, and what to do about it
The relentless rain of the last few months is probably going to have a sting in its tail, because it’s going to encourage lots of fungal spores. One of the most feared diseases among gardeners is box blight, which reduces a healthy box to an unsightly, leafless skeleton. It’s caused by two closely related pathogens: Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae (syn. Cylindrocladium buxicola). White spore masses can be seen on the undersides of infected leaves in wet conditions, and you’ll als
6-min read
