It’s Nearly Time to go Undercover

Daffodils are among my favorite spring bulbs because the squirrels don’t bother with them and I get a dependable display of cheerful flowers every spring. Knowing when to cut back daffodils after they’ve bloomed is a good way to guarantee next year’s flowers. Unfortunately, that means being patient and dealing with a bit of untidiness in the garden. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on timing your daffodil pruning, why it’s important, and how to deal with the foliage as it dies back.

The Question: People have been canning for a long time, and it appears that not too many people died from it. Why can’t the old-time recipes be used? If the recipes were passed down from generation to generation or were published by Mason Jars and companies that made canners, why can’t they still be used? Is it all right to freeze an old-time recipe instead of canning it?

Despite doing as many tasks as possible in advance of our first summer garden opening of the year tomorrow, there will always be things that can only be done nearer the time – and not just deadheading! There is furniture to be rearranged to create our pop-up café, signs to erect in the garden, cups and plates to be brought down from the loft and a whole host of other things. Having toiled since I first got up this morning, I didn’t realise till part way through the afternoon, towards the end of deadheading the roses yet again, just how tired I was (not helped by the steadily increasing temperature), so I permitted myself a break  and sat down on the shady bench behind the shed. This vantage point provides a pleasing panoramic view (partially shown above), taking in the gallery and (well-stuffed) main borders, the bronze heuchera bed, the clematis colonnade and the fringe of the woodland edge border.

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Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

So, how are we all doing? Thank God I’m already divorced (said in full knowledge my ex-husband would say the same thing about me so it’s a fair comment).

If you are reading this article, you are probably facing one of the two scenarios: You closed your above ground pool for the winter season and now that the weather is getting warmer, you are ready to go swimming again. The thing is, you have never had to open the pool after closing it in the winter before. The second case is that you have a new pool, but you do not have the experience to open the above ground pool yourself.

Did you know that the leftover coffee grounds from your brewed coffee can be used for more than just brewing another cup? Old coffee grounds are a natural and effective solution for cleaning, deodorizing, and even repelling bugs in your home. You can see more of my crazy creations here

Spending some time outdoors and engaging in those bike rides, building mud houses, or simply bringing those little backyard activities to life is surely an essential element of your child’s growth. And to make that happen, you need a great play-space that forces the kiddos to cherish those hours of entertainment in bright sunshine. Below are 25 Outdoor Play Area For Kids That Can Transform Regular Backyards Into a Playtime Paradise!

Weeds – those opportunistic, unwelcome plants that can effortlessly outcompete your edibles and ornamentals.If only there were an easy way to keep them at bay!Wel

Ridofranz / Getty Images; Design: Better Homes & Gardens

On May 18, Target and the Consumer Products Safety Commission announced a recall of nearly 5 million of Target’s Threshold glass jar candles after the company received almost 140 reports of the glass jars cracking while the candles were burning.