Getting Your Gardening Tools in Shape For Spring!

You can enjoy a fragrant garden, even if you don’t have space to garden. As the majority of the fragrant plants are mainly vines or shrubs, you can easily grow them in pots. Arrange these fragrant plants on your balcony, patio or rooftop garden according to your preference and climate.

Rosa ‘Boscobel’ in a walled garden in east London

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on the 10 essential gardening tools that make perfect Father's Day gifts. With Father's Day just around the corner, it's time to show your appreciation for the green thumbs in your life. Whether your dad is an experienced gardener or a beginner, these carefully curated tools will help him take his gardening skills to the next level. From digging to pruning, we've got you covered with our top recommendations.

When we talk about native plants, we’re often referring to landscaping, but what about growing your own edible native plant garden? Native plants have adapted to where you live, after all, and unlike, say, your usual tomatoes and strawberries, native edibles have new flavors and scents to try. Meanwhile, planting edible native plants helps to forge a connection between the way we live now, and the way communities in the West have existed for thousands of years. “Just growing these plants is a way to tap into the continuum of time,” says Evan Meyer, the executive director of the Theodore Payne Foundation. “By growing edible plants, your garden can become a much more meaningful place.”   

It happens all the time. Someone gives you a Trader Joe’s orchid—or you buy one for yourself—and you love it. The hearty blooms on your Phalaenopsis or Dendrobiums look like moths or butterflies in flight, and they last for weeks. (Or maybe you love your orchid because it’s the flower of the year?)

We’ve all been there, the premature demise of our cilantro bolting into bitterness and a head full of seeds after an unexpected heat spike. But what if we started thinking about these “failures” as new flavor opportunities? One gardener’s flop is another’s feast after all. I’m talking seed-turned-spice drawer—yes, that downed cilantro is now your own hefty supply of gourmet coriander. 

The latest trending motif in design? Nature everything! That’s probably why wood and faux bois garden stools are everywhere right now. Yes, a stylish tree stump is the chicest place to sit or display items. They can be used in the garden, of course, but they’re great for the home, too. They add a little bit of warmth and a natural aesthetic to any room, from a spot to set a coffee cup or table lamp in your bedroom, to an extra perch for a houseguest in your living room, to a place to display a candle or diffuser in the bathroom for a spa-like feel. And in the garden, well, they just blend in and become the perfect spot to sit and enjoy some fresh air.

Final countdown! a little dramatic, ah well our house is sold and we move out on November 29th.

It’s a good idea to scout around your local area to find the nearest site – ideally within walking distance. This isn’t always possible, especially in urban areas, but getting there should not be a hassle, or you will quickly lose interest. Local councils own most allotment sites, so they should be approached to find out what is available in your area. Whilst it is true that many allotment sites have waiting lists, many don’t – I think we have passed peak-allotment when they became THE thing to have. I suspect many of those who rushed to rent then discovered that it was far more work than they expected and that an allotment requires regular care if it is to be productive. Back then we had a list of over 20 waiting, now we have none and there are plots available for immediate rental. Unless you are very luc

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Photo: H&M / Image Treatment: The Spruce

Potatoes can make any meal taste so much better! Baked, fried, mashed, boiled, or roasted hardly matters! If you want a bumper yield, Put These 10 Things in Your Potato Planting Hole for Best Harvest!