Home & Garden / Features
Reap your rewards! Tips and tricks to preserve your harvest
Blanching, freezing and liquidising will help you cope with gluts. Anyone who grows fruit and vegetables should now be reaping the rewards of their hard labour, as many crops are ready for harvesting. The problem is, how do you store them all - especially if you’re...
‘A nearby farmer took the whole herd’: How a couple turned a cowshed into a dream home for artists
A former dairy business now hosts a thriving artistic community - and a spectacular converted barn. Suzanne Blank Redstone and her husband, Peter Redstone, have lived on the same Devon farm, nestled in a tree-fringed valley a mile from the sea, for 50 years. The...
Where the wild things are: The untapped potential of our gardens, parks and balconies
Gardens could be part of the solution to the climate and biodiversity crisis. But what are we doing? Disappearing them beneath plastic and paving. In my 20s I lived in Manchester, on the sixth floor of a block of council flats just off the A57, or Mancunian (Mancy)...
Safe haven: 5 ways to help garden birds this nesting season
As the nesting season gets underway, our wild birds gear up for the hustle and bustle of building nests, finding a regular supply of food and water and, most importantly, bringing the next generation of birds into the world. Now is the perfect time to get your nest...
Outdoor kitchens: 10 stylish ways to cook alfresco and impress your family & friends
Move over humble barbecue; it’s time to embrace the full outdoor kitchen setup. It’s the latest must-have for those who take their al fresco entertaining seriously. Whatever your style, we’ve got you covered, from bespoke built-in kitchens to rustic wooden kitchens to...
Spring starters! 10 of the best gardens to visit to see snowdrops
It’s snowdrop season, when swathes of pint-sized white flowers emerge from frost-laden woodlands, parks, meadows and gardens, brightening up the winter vista. Seeing drifts of the pretty white flowers will shake off the winter blues. If you want to ditch the winter...
Feathered friends: How do you get your grandchildren interested in birdwatching?
There’s no better time to start than Big Schools’ Birdwatch. Children are being encouraged to watch and count birds in their school grounds during Big Schools’ Birdwatch (from Jan 8 to Feb 19), sending the results to the RSPB to gain a better overall picture of how...
Clever cleaning: Cleaners on 20 easy ways to do your most hated household chores
From banishing bin juice to blitzing bathrooms, cleaning your home doesn’t have to be laborious. Here is how to keep yours sanitary without losing your sanity. Everyone likes living in a clean home but how can you take the drudgery out of scrubbing? By being smug...
Happy hibernation: How to help garden wildlife hunker down for winter
Gardeners can help birds, insects and frogs survive the cooler months with some simple steps, say experts. It may have been a mild autumn, but as soon as temperatures drop, wildlife garden visitors will be looking for places to hunker down for hibernation. Hedgehogs,...
Creature comforts: Top tips to help hedgehogs hibernate
Hedgehogs are charming and endearing creatures that often visit our gardens. It’s almost time for hedgehogs to hibernate for the winter, although the Indian summer may have delayed the process by a few weeks. Hibernation is a crucial part of their natural cycle,...
Darker spaces don’t have to be dreary: 8 of the coolest plants for shady gardens
The sun may be shining, but if you have a north-facing garden, which has more than its quota of shade, don’t worry, you can still lighten it up with some impressive plants. Tropical-looking large-leaved hostas and feathery ferns, blousy hydrangeas, and colourful...
Escape to the Med: How to bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your garden
Drought-tolerant plants, terracotta pots and gravel will make you feel like you’re on holiday. The heatwave may still be unbearable in some parts of southern Europe - but you can enjoy a touch of the Mediterranean without sizzling in your own garden, with some...