Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
29.07.2023 - 14:15 / goodhousekeeping.com / Tara Nolan
Britain is known for introducing us the best of the best — think Princess Diana, Harry Potter and fish and chips. Now we can thank the UK for bringing us a fantastic sun safety idea: the 3-hour-gardening rule.
The concept is simple: don’t go out in the sun to tend to your plants during its strongest rays, which generally occurs between 11 AM and 2 PM. After British gardener Shannen Goodwin explained that the 3-hour gardening rule can offer powerful protection from sun-related health problems, the internet took note and the idea went viral.
Really, though, the 3-hour rule is just excellent common sense. “I treat many skin cancers on gardeners on their hands, arms, ears and neck,” says Ellen S, Marmur, MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and founder of Marmur Medical in New York City. Not to mention the fact that too much sun can adversely affect the rest of your body: think dehydration, heat exhaustion or sunstroke.
Many gardening pros already follow the rule religiously. “Unless I'm in the middle of a big project, I'm not outside working in the heat of the day,” says Tara Nolan, co-owner of Savvy Gardening and author of Gardening in Your Front Yard. “If I am working on a project, I'll only stay in the sun for a couple of hours at a time, well covered.”
How can you adopt the 3-hour rule effectively and easily — and still find enough time in the day to spoil your roses rotten? Use these 6 key tips, and then get your bloom on!
Editor's note: Here’s how to interpret the index: UV Index 0-2 means sun exposure danger is at a minimum. UV Index 6-7 means moderate risk of harm from the sun. UV Index 8-10 means high risk of sunburn and sun damage. UV Index of 11+ means a very high risk to
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
The elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda, SLF) is one of the latest non-native species to take hold in the U.S. It was first found in Virginia in 2021, and active infestations are now established in Maryland, New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. EZS has not been detected in South Carolina, but it is an insect for which we need to be on the lookout.
Mary Ann Van Berlo has been gardening on this 2.4-acre riverfront lot since fall 2012. The yard was still a construction site when she moved in, so all the gardens were installed after that.
An inseparable part of British summer time, the Wimbledon Championship is on between 29.06 – 17.07. With more than 450,000 spectators attending each year, and 19 grass courts, it is a massive event, yet it still retains its Victorian atmosphere and image.
In 2016 we saw the rise of many trends that we believe changed gardening for the better. A year characterised by an almost nostalgic longing for a rustic appearance, it pushed aside the colossal and over-the-top gardens in favour of more practical, cosy, and colour-rich spaces.
“As cunning as a fox who’s just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University” Blackadder Goes Forth, 1989
This archipelago of some 140 islands basks in the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic. The islands’ powdery, white, sandy beaches and warm microclimate, give them a sense of being much further from the rest of Great Britain than they really are.
In Yorkshire we are lucky to have several gardens designed using the theme of a Himalayan Garden. The Hut near Ripon at Grewlthorpe is  ‘The Himalayan Garden’ with all the plants you would expect in such a setting including
Britain has some of the best gardens in the world. The choice of which to visit is far larger than this selective list but at least it gives you somewhere to start planning this years outings.
In the cold wet winter it is a good time to plan where to visit as the year improves. The South West is the obvious place to start your visiting tour of gardens containing exotic plants.
Harlow Carr the RHS garden in Harrogate has a series of gardens through the ages. This sculpture is part of the offering for the Festival of Britain 1951. To me it looks a lot more modern than that but certainly none the worse.
A common site in many town gardens are trees that have outgrown their space. Large native trees like Oaks, Copper Beach, Planes, Weeping Willow and horse chestnuts are wonderful, but to be really enjoyed they need suitable space, like in a park. If they are planted in the garden they will