UK’s garden centres hope sunshine and Chelsea flower show will help them rebound from the rain

A cold, damp spring depressed plant sales in the UK, but help is at hand from the ‘Glastonbury festival of the gardening world’

The sixth-wettest April on record has not been kind to Britain’s gardens or its 1,600 garden centres.

So far this year, with most of the key selling season over, garden centre sales are up just 2% on last year and down 11% on 2022, after the sodden spring depressed sales of shrubs, trees, bedding plants and seeds.

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How to grow your best tomato

Whether your garden is in its first year or 50th, here’s how to get a bumper crop of homegrown tomatoes.

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No dining table? You can still throw a grown-up dinner party.

Entertaining experts agree: You don’t need a table — and certainly not a dining room — to host a memorable evening. Here’s what they recommend.

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How to embrace Japan’s micro-seasons in your own garden

Observing fleeting seasonal changes goes hand in hand with gardening – and bring about a profound sense of calm

In Japan, people eat, sleep and wear the seasons, from elegant kimono motifs to petal-shaped sweets and festivals dedicated to nature’s spectacular displays. Unlike its western equivalent, Japan’s ancient agricultural calendar is governed not solely by the waxing and waning of the moon and the sun’s position in the sky, but also by the blooming of seasonal flowers and other small changes in nature against the wider backdrop of the seasons.

According to the traditional Japanese almanac, the year is divided into four major seasons, 24 sekki (solar terms), and 72 kō, or micro-seasons. Each kō lasts only five days and is associated with specific seasonal rituals, foods, flowers and festivals.

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The city made him hide his boat — so he had it painted on his fence

“I’ll do what they want, but I’m not going to do it their way” — one resident’s cheeky response to a city ordinance has made his fence a viral sensation.

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Think you want a dog? Take our quiz to find out if you’re ready.

Money, time, activity level, space — what really matters when it comes to dog ownership?

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What makes clothes ‘delicate,’ and how to care for them

Laundry experts weigh in on why some clothing really does need some extra TLC, and the best ways to provide it.

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11 DIY Rose Reels You Can Make For Your Garden

Organizing your garden might seem like a small task, but it can make a big difference in your gardening experience. As someone who once struggled with a tangled, unruly hose, I know firsthand the frustration it can cause. Burst connections, kinks, and constant battles with the hose can quickly drain the joy out of gardening.

That’s why I decided to take action and seek advice from fellow gardeners. Their unanimous recommendation? Invest in a hose reel. And let me tell you, it was a game-changer. No more wrestling with the hose, no more tangled messes – just smooth, effortless watering.

In this roundup, I’ve shared DIY hose reel ideas that you can easily make yourself, as well as options for those who prefer the convenience of a store-bought reel, like the retractable one mentioned. So whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, I hope these suggestions inspire you to take control of your garden and make watering a breeze. Happy gardening

Of course you can buy reels, check out this one which is retractable. 

Air Hose Reel From Plywood / 360° Swivel

DIY Chunky Garden Hose Holder – Sawdust Sisters 

How to Build a Cedar Garden Hose Holder 

DIY Hose Reel | Homestead Heroine

How To Make a Hose Reel From a Bucket – The Art of Doing Stuff 

DIY – Garden Hose Reels   Old Car Wheel

How-To Make An Awesome Garden Hose Hanger

Homemade Extension Cord Winder Mount : 

homemade hose reel 

Upcycled garden hose storage – NewlyWoodwards 

DIY Hose Holder with Pallet Wood Planter 

 

Step By Step Guide On How To Build Raised Garden Beds

 

* This article was originally published here

A journalist’s brave quest for truth in the West Bank | Brief letters

Isobel Yeung documentary | No Mow May | Baked potatoes | Defining wealth | Blocked bogs

As a former provincial journalist, the worst discomforts I endured were irate councillors, bureaucrats and business bosses. World Press Freedom Day, which took place on 3 May, made me want to express my admiration for the courage and professionalism shown by Isobel Yeung in the making of The Other War on BBC Three. Her work to expose the horrors of trying to survive in the West Bank was beyond the call of duty.
Ted Raine
Skelton, North Yorkshire

• My husband supported me in my quest for more sustainability in the garden and agreed to refrain from mowing the lawn last May (No Mow May: councils urge Britons to put away lawnmowers, 3 May). When he got around to mowing the rather unruly growth some time later, the belt on the lawn mower broke and involved a costly repair. He no longer supports No Mow May.
Gillian Richardson
Wakefield

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‘It was a one-way journey’: the couple whose flat changed with their life

Form follows function in this sensitively remodelled London flat, where every stick of furniture was made by its creative inhabitants

Architect Mike McMahon and optometrist Jewlsy Mathews have built every piece of furniture in their home. There’s a papier-mâché dog sitting on top of the first shelving unit Mike designed to make the most out of a nook in their London flat. The ornament ran the Dalston Derby, a remote-control car race the couple organised to celebrate Mike’s 30th birthday in 2011. “Before we started making art together and selling pieces of furniture, we put on events like these,” Jewlsy explains. “The pace at which Mike comes up with ideas is dizzying and he actually brings them to fruition.” Combined with a pub crawl, the Dalston Derby ran for four years.

These activities began to wind down when the couple’s son Milo, now nine, was born. “Our life used to be very outward-facing, but when he arrived we started to spend more time indoors,” Jewlsy says. She owned the two-bedroom second-floor flat in London’s King’s Cross before meeting Mike, who moved in in 2012.

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Could a bibliophile learn to love books arranged by color?

Three serious readers tried out the longstanding and highly controversial trend of organizing their books by color.

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No Mow May: councils urge Britons to put away lawnmowers

Forty local authorities will leave some grass verges and parks uncut as part of annual wildlife-friendly event

Once upon a time, an unkempt front lawn could have landed you in trouble with the neighbours. But now, councils are telling UK households to put away their lawnmower for No Mow May.

The one-month celebration of unmown gardens and parks was started in 2019 by the nature charity Plantlife, which encourages people to let grass and wildflowers grow and identify any interesting plants that spring up from the lawn.

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* This article was originally published here

Australia’s best new sustainable homes of 2024 – in pictures

A pocket-sized city terrace extension and a multigenerational riverside property inspired by a country shed are among the innovative dwellings shortlisted in the sustainability category of the Houses awards, Australia’s premier residential design prize. This year’s five-panel jury noted a number of new sustainable design trends, including a move towards net-zero housing, abodes that accommodate adult children, innovative multi-use spaces for working from home, a growing appreciation for restoring dated dwellings and inspired designs for downsizers and elderly occupants.

• From Spanish mission extravaganzas to art deco curves: other people’s homes – in pictures
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8 tasks for your May home maintenance checklist

Take advantage of the beautiful May weather by focusing on outdoor chores this month.

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