The power of ponds

‘Any opportunity to use water should be taken.’ So wrote Dame Sylvia Crowe in her seminal book, Garden Design, found on every garden designer’s bookshelf. It is a maxim that many of us follow, althoug

Around 35 years ago, I walked into Barnsdale Gardens as a trained but young gardener who probably thought he knew more than he really did! Anyway, that day changed everything for me. My new boss was G

Rewilding your backyard ASK people about rewilding and ...

We were younger then,” says Jennie Marles, turning the pages of a photo album, revealing grainy shots of a complex of semi-industrial buildings – vast, asbestos-roofed sheds housing thousands of inten

Before pond plants start growing again and frogs start spawning, give your pond area a clear up. Cut back old leaves and flowers stems and compost them to make way for new growth and to prevent them e

When Jon and Ruth arrived at Dittiscombe Farm in South Devon in 1998, their dream of a thriving, natural environment was quickly dashed. “I longed to hear birdsong and see a landscape buzzing with lif