Transforming your home into a B&B: key things to consider

Buckthorn is a noxious shrub/tree that destroys our woods. I needed to make a fence to hide a compost pile. I'd seen beautiful English wattle fences and decided to cut buckthorn branches to make it. First, I cut down a bunch of branches before they'd leafed out in the Spring. Then I set few treated posts into concrete and «wove» the branches back and forth like a basket. It was easy! I capped the posts with 1x12 cedar and then stained it to match the buckthorn «basket».

Perhaps not known for his greenfingers, it seems apt to quote the musician Paul Weller, who in 1978 gave us the great lyric ‘No matter where I roam, I will return to my English rose’. Because no matter how many other garden plants come and go, the popularity of the garden rose never seems to diminish. You might not see many in a Chelsea Flower Show garden but us gardeners know some good plants when we see them and roses regularly top polls for the nation’s favourite flower.

During the Victorian era, there was a craze in the British Isles for ferns. Ferns were collected from the wild (often sadly to the point of destroying precious habitats) and grown in gardens and homes, often in specialist planting schemes called ferneries, where numerous species could be displayed and enjoyed.

I have a dorky habit to confess. Whenever my to-go iced coffee is finished, I dump the ice from my reusable cup into the dirt of a street tree. It’s probably like half a cup of water, and I am sure it doesn’t make a difference, but I can’t not do it.

Q: I have an infestation of (see picture) in numerous parts of my lawn. It seems resistant to lawn weed killer. Any suggestions?

Q: Some time ago I planted a number of Tropaeolum ciliatum along a privet hedge. Over the years it has covered the hedge and is now choking it, and has spread to planting on the adjacent road.

Sometimes a person’s path in life is determined early, even if a few detours should pop up along the way.

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

An English summer can be a temperamental one; days of scorching rays that could melt candle wax, followed by lashings of rain and cool evenings. A summer house is the perfect sanctuary to retreat to for both relaxing and entertaining whatever the weather. A place to observe the humming life of the garden, to watch the peonies burst forth, the roses bloom and clematis stretch open their long petals. Versatility and comfort must be at the forefront of any summer house decoration, but it’s the tasteful, thoughtful and unique touches that will make you return again and again to this multi-purpose space.

The front door or the porch are the very first elements of a home that come into play for welcoming one and all, and that’s why they must be appealing and of course, beautiful to look at. But over the years, things seem to lose their curb appeal and get all worn out and old. However, just a few steps of creative makeover can add new life to the same. Here are 25 Marvelous Curb Appeal Ideas That Can Rejuvenate Your Home With Gorgeousness.

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!

Luckily, there are some low-maintenance driveway options and materials available on the market, and below are some of the best ones.