Money & Work / Tips & Advice
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,...
In a pickle: A beginner’s guide to pickling your homegrown fruit and veg
Want to know how to make delicious pickles, chutneys and relishes by adding homegrown vegetables, fruits and herbs to the mix? “A veggie patch is the fastest path to preserving homegrown produce,” says keen gardener Jo Turner, who learned many of her skills from her...
Beds on a budget: 20 of the UK’s best hotels, pubs and B&Bs – for under £150 a night
In this extract from the new Good Hotel Guide, we choose places to stay with great cuisine, chic interiors and scenic walks from the front door. Best for food lovers Brockencote Hall, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire You might think you’ve rolled up at a luxury...
‘We feel we’ve earned it’: UK over 50s on switching to part-time work
As record numbers of people over 50 work part-time, three who have reduced their hours explain why. Simon Woodall, 52, a self-employed carpenter and joiner from Plymouth, says he worked “70 hours a week, for 30 years”, until he had a heart attack in June last year....
I travel across Britain foraging wild food. Here’s what to look for, and where
With a little skill and knowledge, delicacies can be found and savoured all year round, but bountiful autumn is the highlight of the British forager’s year. Every autumn, my father would load our family of five into his already ancient 1928 Morris and set off from our...
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,...
What are the health benefits of ginger?
Ginger, dried or fresh is an extremely popular kitchen staple. A versatile ingredient it adds flavour, fragrance and spice to a whole range of dishes. We cook it in curries, cakes and even have it in tea. Silver Surfers reports that in other countries including South...
Silent Sundays: Should we swap our lawnmowers, leaf blowers and power tools for peace?
Gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh is calling for hush, so at least once a week he can listen to a blackbird rather than a Black & Decker. Name: Name: Quiet Sundays. Age: Ancient. Some say since the very beginning… as the passage from the King James, rather...
Good for your soul: 10 of the best reasons to travel
Why travel? Well, that’s what I want to share with you here because there are so many reasons to travel! I only have to hear the word ‘travel’ to get all starry-eyed and excited. For as long as I can remember it’s all I’ve ever wanted. Since childhood, I’ve yearned...
The sleep secret: How lucid dreams can make us fitter, more creative and less anxious
Freud described dreams as windows into our repressed desires. Today, researchers are using them to boost athletic performance and help veterans with PTSD, unlocking huge benefits for us all. In 2020, the author Michael Rosen was admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and...
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...
Organic September: What actually makes a food organic?
This year marks the 50th anniversary of organic certification in the UK. In 1973, accreditation schemes were launched, allowing farmers to gain certification proving they don’t use harmful chemicals in their growing or production methods. These were the salad days of...