Cozy and Festive: The Ultimate Guide to Christmas Pyjamas

In late winter and spring, usually before the leaves appear, catkins hang from the bare branches of trees like alder, hazel and silver birch. The first known use of the word ‘catkin’ is in an English translation of a Flemish botanical guide written in 1554 by physician and botanist Rembert Dodoens. He uses the Dutch word katteken meaning ‘little cat’ which was translated as ‘catkin’. Catkins are also known as ‘aments’, derived from the Latin for ‘strap’ or ‘string’.

There are lots of ways you can flex your DIY muscles around your home. But while painting furniture, building a kitchen backsplash, or grouting tile can be tackled on your own, there are some home projects that are better left to the professionals due to their complexity—and because of safety concerns.

As this is my final gardening column of the year, I had plans of signing off with a neat garden ready for a winter of hibernation.

They say a picture tells a thousand words. But in the case of botanical art it’s fair to say that it’s probably far more than that, as proven by a magnificent new book Drawn from Nature: The Flowering of Irish Botanical Art by the Wicklow-based art historian and author Patricia Butler (Acc Art Books UK, £35).

Aspen (Populus tremula) is a deciduous, broadleaf tree known for its habit of ‘quaking’ or ‘trembling’ in the slightest breeze. Indeed, its botanical name ‘tremula’ was given due to its trembling habit, and it’s also known as ‘quaking aspen’. Aspen tree leaves have flattened, flexible leaf stalks, which is how they are able to flutter so easily.

We’re off to New Zealand today to visit Lynne Leslie’s garden. We’ve visited before (Lynne’s Garden in New Zealand), and it is always fun to see what she is growing.

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If you are ready to take your container design to the next level, join us for this course with Barbara Libner, who has been designing stunning containers professionally for over two decades. Barbara will walk you through every step of creating the perfect container as she shares her tips and techniques for better plant combinations, including numerous examples from her own designs and recipes you can follow on your own. Explore the concepts of color, texture, balance, and repetition as you learn to transform your own containers from ordinary to extraordinary. You can view each class on demand and then dive into an online forum where you can share ideas with other course participants and get your questions answered by Barbara herself.

Making Christmas wreaths is an easy festive task in the run up to Christmas. We’ve got plenty of inspiring ideas, whether you want to make a traditional wreath or create a contemporary design. Check out our 12 festive designs below using not only holly and ivy, but seedheads, rosehips and white snowberries. Whatever style you feel like creating, we’ve got the perfect wreath for you.

Carving a pumpkin is a quintessential part of the Halloween experience, and with a few expert tips, you can transform a simple pumpkin into a spooky or whimsical masterpiece. Let's delve into the step-by-step process of creating your own carved pumpkin.

There is no other spring flower filled with as much color and optimism as the tulip. However, in order to create a dazzling seasonal display in the garden, you must give some careful consideration to planting your bulbs.

Christmas and Poinsettias: History of the Christmas Flower