Nature & Garden - Gardening, flowers & vegetable patch

Leaf day · descending moon, waning crescent

Shred woody autumn stems before adding them to compost, speeding breakdown and giving you richer material by spring.

October Moon Planting calendar →

Bowl of velvety pale golden chestnut soup topped with browned chestnut pieces, chopped chives, olive oil thread and cracked pepper, beside whole chestnuts and leek rings

Chestnut and Leek Soup with Cider, Thyme and Crisp Crumbs

The October garden reset: how one weekend of tidying transformed my anxiety

The October garden reset: how one weekend of tidying transformed my anxiety

Philodendron hederaceum

Philodendron hederaceum: your complete indoor vining guide

Stop removing autumn leaves from borders – science backs laziness

Stop removing autumn leaves from borders – science backs laziness

Maranta leuconeura

Prayer Plant: expert care guide for healthy, vibrant foliage

Pale ivory Jerusalem artichoke soup in a wide ceramic bowl, drizzled with nut-brown butter, crisp dark sage leaves, pumpkin seeds and golden fried tuber coins stacked in the centre

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Brown Butter, Sage and Crisp Tuber Coins

Autumn compost bins vs. leaf mould boxes: which breaks down faster?

Autumn compost bins vs. leaf mould boxes: which breaks down faster?

Epipremnum pinnatum

Epipremnum pinnatum: expert care guide for vigorous vines

Ceropegia woodii

String of Hearts: expert tips and planting advice

I built a wildlife compost bin in six weeks — surprising visitors included

I built a wildlife compost bin in six weeks — surprising visitors included

Philodendron hederaceum

Philodendron hederaceum: your complete indoor vining guide

Maranta leuconeura

Prayer Plant: expert care guide for healthy, vibrant foliage

Epipremnum pinnatum

Epipremnum pinnatum: expert care guide for vigorous vines

Ceropegia woodii

String of Hearts: expert tips and planting advice

Alocasia zebrina

Alocasia zebrina: expert tips and planting advice

Stop Watering Your Newly Planted Bulbs—Here's Why and When to Resume

Stop Watering Your Newly Planted Bulbs—Here’s Why and When to Resume

Autumn fertiliser myths: why your bulbs don't need feeding now

Autumn fertiliser myths: why your bulbs don’t need feeding now

Spring bulbs in containers versus open ground: which survives winter better?

Spring bulbs in containers versus open ground: which survives winter better?

Why Your Newly Planted Bulbs Are Rotting Before Winter

Why Your Newly Planted Bulbs Are Rotting Before Winter

Stop planting spring bulbs in waterlogged soil—here's why timing matters now

Stop planting spring bulbs in waterlogged soil—here’s why timing matters now

Medicinal plants

Close-up of fresh lemon verbena leaves being harvested by hand in a summer garden

Lemon verbena: harvesting, drying and using it for calming infusions

Fresh elderflower clusters in full bloom on a Sambucus nigra shrub in summer garden

Elderflower and elderberry: traditional uses, growing and home preparations

Close-up of overgrown flowering thyme with woody stems in a summer herb garden

Pinching back medicinal herbs: the cut that keeps leaves aromatic all summer

Fresh aloe vera leaf broken open revealing thick clear gel on sunburned skin

Aloe Vera on the Windowsill: How to Cut, Drain and Use the Fresh Gel on Sun-Stressed Skin

Freshly harvested lavender and chamomile bundles laid on a rustic wooden surface in summer sunlight

Chamomile, lavender, elderberry and aloe: when to pick them and how to use them

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