If you are just getting into gardening, there are a few things that you need to learn about, one of them being soil. There are different types of soil, and they are used for different purposes. In this blog, we will be looking at top soil and answering any questions that you may have. What is top soil? As the name suggests, top soil, or topsoil, is the uppermost layer of soil. It is rich in nutrients and organic matter […]
Other photographs: Back Garden Front Garden In June 2015 I moved from my four bedroomed, modern detached house, home for 16 years, to a three bedroomed cottage in a small village in Cheshire. I have dreamed for most of my adult life of a home in the countryside and after many false starts I finally managed to fulfil my dream. The new house is called Dove Cottage and is, in fact, a good, solid, three bedroomed house with small front […]
A photographic diary of the progress on our Allotment in Knotty Ash, Liverpool. August 2016 Yet another year had gone by without any entries about the allotment! The main reason for this is that we didn’t really change anything this year. We planted seed potatoes in black plastic bags to keep them out of the ground which has resulted in eel worm in the past. The harvest wasn’t very good in terms of overall weight but we got a few […]
Wheelie bins made it much easier to manage house and garden waste when they were first introduced, but they have come to play an even more important role in household and garden waste recycling in the decades since. Their range of convenient sizes and ease of movement thanks to their wheels mean gardeners of all ages can deal with garden waste without unnecessary heavy lifting. With a rainbow of colours and different sizes of wheelie bins – right up to […]
Want to rid your garden of pesky slugs? ‘Citizen scientists’’ gardening experiment reveals any beer will do A nationwide experiment has revealed that the old myth of slugs being attracted to beer is in fact true, with lager and bitter proving to be the most effective drinks for successfully trapping those pesky garden pests. Up and down the country members of horticultural charity, Garden Organic, have been testing slug trapping methods as part of its annual citizen science experiments. Results […]
When you’ve decided to put in a pond liner there are a couple of things to consider, how big does it need to be and what material is right for me? How big does your liner need to be? To work this out, you’ll need to measure the hole you’ve dug. You’ll need the maximum length, maximum width and maximum depth. If your pond is rectangular, this is easy, but if it is an odd shape then imagine a rectangle […]
A Greenhouse is an excellent investment for any keen gardener, making growing and maintaining a variety of plants easier throughout the year and provides shelter from adverse weather conditions such as frost, snow and heavy rain. All of which are far too common in the UK. If you are interested in growing different crops which may not grow in a UK climate a greenhouse can prove essential and means that you can grow a variety of different plants. GBC group […]
There has long been a real concern regarding the dangers of a British garden dweller, although it’s probably not what you would expect. While it hasn’t got sharp claws or long fangs, and isn’t going to attack you in the middle of the night, this devil-in-disguise can pose quite the risk to your livelihood; in particular, your home. Knotweed, commonly known as Asian or Japanese knotweed, is a large, herbaceous perennial plant that has successfully established itself in and around […]
With the warmer weather upon us, what better way to celebrate than to get out into the garden and throw a barbecue for your friends and family? It doesn’t get much better than getting everyone together, enjoying refreshing drinks and indulging in some alfresco dining. However, outdoor eating has its hazards – you need to be mindful of the fire risks throughout your barbecue including how to safely dispose of coals and fuel at the end. Taking small but practical steps can minimise […]
As the summer is now well and truly upon us, this means many gardeners will be looking to increase the amount of gardening they do. Caring for the lawn is an important step at this time of year, as the grass is growing more quickly than during the colder months – and proper lawn care requires a high-quality lawn mower. Read on for advice on how to get your lawn mower working like new again. Lawn Care Lawns require more […]