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Nothing quite ruins the joy of indoor gardening like discovering your beloved houseplants have become a five-star hotel for unwanted guests. Whether it’s the cotton wool clusters of mealybugs, the annoying dance of fungus gnats around your favourite fiddle leaf fig, or the microscopic menace of spider mites turning your leaves into Swiss cheese, houseplant […]

Spotted your usually proud and upright snake plant (Dracaena trifasciata) looking more like a deflated balloon than the architectural statement piece it should be? Before you start questioning your plant parent credentials and consider rehoming your green friend, take a deep breath. Don’t panic, snake plants are one of the toughest house plants ever, and […]

Discovered unsightly brown spots scattered across your beloved fiddle leaf fig’s glossy leaves? Before you consider binning your statement plant and admitting defeat to the houseplant gods, take a deep breath. After years of nursing countless fiddle leaf figs back from the brink of brown-spotted disaster (and fielding countless panicked messages from fellow plant parents), […]

Damsons are a subspecies of the Plum family and have a really high fruit rate, which is great for bakers, preservers or foragers in the garden. As Damsons have a high pectin rate, they set jam with just sugar alone, with no need for manufactured pectin additives. Damsons are a nutritious and versatile fruit with […]

Spotted your prized monstera looking more yellow than Instagram-worthy green? Before you panic and start googling “plant funeral services,” take a deep breath. After years of rescuing countless monstera from the brink of houseplant disaster (and fielding panicked messages from fellow plant parents), I’ve cracked the code on diagnosing and fixing yellowing monstera leaves. Whether […]

Dream of creating a stunning coastal garden but worried about battling relentless winds, salt spray, and sandy soils? Perhaps you’ve moved to a beautiful seaside location only to discover that your favourite garden plants simply won’t survive the harsh coastal conditions. Maybe you’re standing in your windswept garden, wondering if you’ll ever achieve that picture-perfect […]

The truth about neem oil is far more complex and concerning than the glossy marketing would have you believe. Whilst it may come from a tree rather than a laboratory, natural doesn’t always mean safe. This comprehensive investigation delves into the less well-known aspects of neem oil, which garden influencers often overlook, and is supported […]

Are you staring at your camellia, wondering whether to reach for the secateurs? Perhaps you’ve inherited some overgrown, straggly camellias that look more like botanical disasters than the elegant flowering shrubs they should be. Maybe you’re nervous about potentially ruining next year’s blooms with an ill-timed snip? This comprehensive guide will show you exactly how […]

As an award-winning garden designer, I love creating beautiful paths that guide people around their gardens. However, new gardeners often struggle to design or choose the right materials for garden paths. This guide will help you discover the professional secrets to creating stunning garden paths that last for decades, plus the seven costly mistakes that turn DIY […]

Companion planting is the practice of growing plants together to support one another as part of a thriving garden community, to avoid pests and diseases, and for plants to help each other. Companion plantings in close proximity help to benefit each plant in some way. Like two friends cheering each other on and helping them […]