Time to get green-fingered
My latest magazine article is for the lovely Family First Magazine, Winter 2023, discussing the benefits of gardening and connecting to nature. Family First was formed in 2017 to provide parents and schools with all the tools they need to help improve the health of children & young adults across the UK, helping families build a happier, healthier family lifestyle. The...
Embracing the Seasons
Open most magazines in January and various articles will be titled “New Year, New You, House, Wardrobe, Job etc.” and I mulled this over for my January gardening column. But the reality of gardening is that January is not really the start of a new year; autumn and spring probably have more of a claim to that. And I feel...
Shrubs with berries – nice for us & the birds
Winter is a time when gardeners can do a lot to support wildlife, including providing a great source of food, especially for birds. Birds remain active all through the winter and in the UK we have many migrant species that arrive here from colder countries in search of food. As a wildlife gardener I am often asked about bird feeders...
Wonderful winter Witch hazel
Whatever the rest of the year has been like November is definitely late autumn going into winter and this can be a dull time in the garden. Many trees and shrubs turned autumnal early this year prompted by the stress of a dry summer but you can usually count on brightly coloured foliage through October. Once leaves have fallen we...
Autumn gardening & the biodiversity crisis
Two decades into the 21st century I reckon that it is time to stop separating the plants in our gardens from the wildlife. A fabulous garden should not ignore the potential to benefit biodiversity as well as the human residents. We have all read about insect pollinators being required for a good crop of fruit and vegetables and few people...