Garden

These days there’s a lot of science backing claims about the health benefits of adding a variety of berries to your diet.  They deliver vital vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber to your body, all while tasting luscious and being low in sugar. The joy of growing your own berry crops is that, not only will they…

Hanging baskets can be troublesome to maintain, but with careful planning when preparing and planting baskets, and the use of labor-saving products, the pressure eases. Tips Beautifully luxuriant basket displays require some regular care to stay at their best. Start with as big a basket as you can manage; 35–40cm (14–16in) is ideal. Plant up…

Do you often look at your outdoor area and wonder how you can make it look better? Many people face the challenge of limited space or the desire to enhance the beauty of their homes from the outside. The solution might be simpler and more beautiful than you think. Outdoor Hanging Planter Ideas offer a…

Gardening can be energy efficient and enjoyable if we undertake the right tasks and share the work with nature. We often overlook how amazing nature really is. Plants have been growing on this planet without human intervention for the past 460 million years, so clearly nature has evolved some rather remarkable systems to support plant…

It’s easy to attract cardinals, orioles, and other birds with seeds, oranges, suet, and other treats. There’s a movement afoot in this country, one that inspires folks to create wildlife sanctuaries in their own backyards. Whether it’s a hundred acres or an apartment balcony, the size of the space has little to do with it….

Shrubs growing in containers add a feeling of maturity to a deck, courtyard, or patio. Larger specimens provide height and structure and can also help create privacy by acting as a living screen. Evergreen shrubs offer interest in winter when herbaceous perennials, tender bedding, and patio plants have faded. Some varieties will also provide long-lasting…

Cumquats are relatively slow, compact-growing trees that can reach up to 3m tall. In the garden, they are wonderfully decorative with lush, glossy green foliage dotted with colorful pint-sized fruits and fragrant white flowers. The cumquat or kumquat (the name comes from the Cantonese for “golden orange” or “golden tangerine”) now falls into the genus…

Chillies are hot right now and it’s not just their flavor. They are one of the top-selling plants for edible gardens. It seems we just can’t get enough chilli and, for many chilli fanciers, the hotter, the better! If you’re not a fan of super-hot chillies, grow one of the milder flavored varieties or stick…

Just about everyone knows not to eat rhubarb leaves. It’s one of those pieces of folklore passed down from generation to generation. What Is Rhubarb? It’s the long stalks of these large, luxuriant vegetables that you eat. Simply cut or break off the leafy tops — this removes a toxin called oxalic acid, which is…

Beetroot is a vegie that pops up regularly in any gardening magazine, including this one, not least for its culinary delightfulness and ease of growing. But did you know about this humble vegie’s surprising health benefits? Especially when consumed as juice. Beetroot juice contains high levels of inorganic nitrate, which has been shown to increase…

Lettuce is the fastest thing you can grow, and one plant will feed you for two months if you cut it right. The catch is heat, so the whole game is starting early, re-sowing a pinch every couple of weeks, and never nicking the growing point when you harvest.