With winter receding and the promise of spring just around the corner, it’s a great time to dig out our tools from our garden sheds and start getting our gardens and lawns ready for the coming months.  Here are a few jobs you can be doing right now to ensure a blooming spring and summer...

Give your garden tools some TLC:

Before you start getting stuck into any proper gardening this year, it’s sensible to give your tools a bit of attention.  With a damp cloth, wipe off any residual dirt and sand off any rusty spots with sandpaper or steel wool.  Use a cloth soaked with oil to wipe down blades and sharpen anything that needs it.  Now is also a good time to give your garden furniture a wipe down (or a hose with a pressure washer) and to apply a layer of teak oil or linseed oil to protect and nourish wooden outdoor furniture for the coming year. 

Prepare your lawn for cutting:

Although your lawn may not need mowing yet, it won’t be long until it needs its first haircut of the year.   That means removing any rotting leaves or thatch from the lawn and sweeping away worm casts to allow new growth to come through.  Wait until spring has finally sprung to apply a lawn fertiliser.  This will be sometime in April.  A good indication is when the daffodils are out in full bloom and after you’ve cut the lawn a couple of times. 

It’s also worth giving your lawnmower a quick maintenance check to ensure it’s in working order after its winter hibernation.  By getting the blades sharpened it will ensure a better cut when the time comes and leave you with a healthier lawn. 

If your lawn has damaged patches, now is a good time to reseed it.  You can do this by scratching up the soil with a rake and then mixing a shovel of soil with two scoops of grass seed and spreading into the bare patch.  Rake it and water it frequently until the seeds germinate and the new grass comes through. 

Early spring is also a good time of year to edge your flower beds to keep a trench between them and the grass.  By creating edging it stops lawn weeds such as clover from getting into your flower beds and makes the maintenance of your flower beds much simpler.

Spring clean your beds:

Early spring is the perfect time to give your beds a good hoe and rake to remove any weed seedlings and dead plants and give the soil a good airing.  Getting on top of the weeding now means a lot less work in the coming months as the weeds are much easier to pull out when their roots are shallow.

Make sure you cut back your perennials but avoid spring-flowering shrubs until they've finished blooming.  If you have any well-rotted compost, then spread this over the soil surface and gently work it in. Level off the soil with a rake.

Now is the time to order seedlings and bedding plants from mail-order suppliers ready to start sowing your summing bedding plants for your pots, borders or hanging baskets. Most bedding plants are relatively easy to grow from seed and they also grow rapidly and provide great value for money. Don’t worry if you don’t have a greenhouse or heated propagator, by placing a seed tray or pot with a polythene bag over it on a window-ledge it will have the same effect.

If you have a vegetable patch, from about mid-march onwards you can start laying out your seed potatoes ready for planting and sowing most vegetable seeds.   To get off to a good start use small poly tunnels for early salad crops, such as lettuce and mixed salad leaves, rocket, coriander and radish.  You can sow early varieties of carrots direct, but start French beans, runner beans and broad beans in pots under glass.

For those with apple or pear trees in their gardens, there are certain tasks which can be undertaken in early spring which will keep them thriving through the summer and autumn.  At this time of year, fruit trees are just recovering from the winter and are particularly vulnerable.  To ensure a healthy crop in the summer and autumn months, pick up all leaves that have dropped around the tree in the autumn and winter to prevent them from rotting and spreading any existing diseases into the tree.  Also, if you didn’t get the pruning shears to them in the winter, it is vital to prune them now before new growth appears to remove any damaged or dead branches that are still on the tree.

Get prepared and save water:

If you live in an area that has regular hosepipe bans in the summer months and struggle to keep your garden watered, luscious and green, you should look into installing some water butts for your garden.  They are relatively cheap and will save you money in the long run if you’re on a water meter.  Water butts can be connected to drainpipes so that they collect rainwater from your gutters to be re-used whenever is necessary.  Most plants prefer rainwater anyway, so you’ll be doing them a favour too!

When it gets to that point of the year, when the sun starts to disappear, and the days start to get a little bit colder, you have to start thinking about your garden and the things you can grow, especially if you grow a lot of your own vegetables.

Growing up, my mother always grew her own vegetables and when I could, I would help her. She would send me down to the bottom of the garden to the Plastic Shed she kept all of her gardening tools with the mission of getting her a shovel and me a trowel. I wouldn’t really do anything important, but I’ll always remember feeling proud when I had helped her dig up the various vegetables that we would be eating that night. It’s a tradition which I have continued and will hopefully pass on to my children when the time comes.

My love for all things fresh and natural has continued and is a key focus ofmy life. In this article I want to focus on a particular area I like to talk about – The health benefits of vegetables.

Now, most people know that vegetable are “good for you”, but don’t look into it much further than that. Many vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants that are not only vital to good health, but also capable of helping you recover from a multitude of ailments*. I like to call these vegetables super-foods. Here, in no particular order, are my favourite five.

1. Beet Root

Beet Root is the derivative of Sea Beet, which is also known as Wild Spinach, which was native to the coasts of Europe, Northern Africa, Southern Asia, and some shores of Great Britain. Beet Root contains high levels of Magnesium, Vitamin C, Potassium and Betaine.

Betaine in particular is very beneficial in cardiovascular health. By working with Folic acid, Vitamins B6 and B12, as well as S-adenosylmethionine, it reduces the concentration of Homocysteine, which is part of the Cysteine family – naturally occurring amino acids that can be harmful to blood vessels, and are known to contribute to Heart Disease, Stroke and Peripheral Vascular Disease[1].

Recent studies have also shown that Betaine, is effective at protecting against Liver damage related with excessive drinking and Diabetes. It also increases stomach acid, which can aid sufferers of Hypochlorhydria – a disease in which sufferers experience abnormally low levels of stomach acid[2].

Many external issues such as Eczema, Acne, Fatigue, Bloating, and Rosacea can be the result of an internal issue, especially when your digestive system and liver, filter out many of the toxins in your body.

Sometimes people focus on treating these symptoms, instead of treating the cause and although eating Beet Root is unlikely to simply just cure your ailment, it can go a long way to easing or preventing the symptoms.

2. Carrots

The humble Carrot is famous for the urban myth, perpetuated by the British Air Force during World War II. The myth claimed that carrots were being eaten by all of the pilots and could therefore see at night to shoot down enemy aircraft when in fact it was the newly developed radar systems that allowed for this. The myth was designed to promote the idea of growing carrots to the citizens during times of ration. They’ve been a staple of the British diet ever since.

The strange thing is carrots do help you see well. Not in a night vision sense though. See, Carrots contain a high level of beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A by Bile Salt found in the intestine. A lack of vitamin A can cause blurry vision, which can be fixed by returning Vitamin A into the diet.

3. Garlic

Well known to the ancient Egyptians, garlic has been found to have originally come from Asia and most of the Mediterranean before spreading throughout Europe. Garlic is claimed to prevent Heart Disease including high blood pressure, and high cholesterol as well as Cancer[3].

The Cardio-protective benefits of Garlic could be down to the production of Hydrogen Sulphide gas. Red blood cells can take the Sulphur containing molecules in Garlic and use them to produce the Hydrogen Sulphide gas. This gas causes blood vessels to expand, which keeps blood pressure in line.

There are also claims that Garlic helps fight the common cold. This theory has centuries of herbal medicinal uses behind it, especially the Cherokee, who used it for the prevention of coughs[4].

Garlic has also been found to help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of Diabetes. Although it is not recommended that diabetics take medicinal levels of Garlic without consulting a doctor first.

It’s also worth noting that many forms of processed Garlic cannot be used by our bodies and that it is much more beneficial to receive Garlic in food form.

4. Onions

I think if I had put these in order onions would have been my number #1. The beneficial power of onions seems endless. Onions are good for things such as: asthma, influenza, colds, insomnia, pneumonia, obesity, blood pressure, fighting worms and parasites, sinus conditions, and vertigo as well as the skin, hair and nails.

High in vitamin C, fibre and folic acid, onions also contain a high level of calcium, iron, and protein.

Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid - a category of antioxidant compound. Studies have shown that quercetin helps to destroy free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in coronary heart disease), and also protect and regenerate vitamin E.

Some studies show that the consumption of onions may be beneficial in reducing the chance of certain diseases. Eating a large amount of onions may prevent stomach ulcers by fighting free radicals and preventing the growth of the ulcer-forming microorganisms.

American researchers found that pungent onions exhibit strong anti-platelet activity. Platelet aggregation is associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

5. Broccoli

Broccoli is the descendant of a wild Cabbage plant found throughout Europe. Since the Roman Empire it has been a valued Italian vegetable. Rumour has it that it was introduced to America by Italian Immigrants during the 1800s, but did not become widely popular until at least 1920.

Broccoli is often cooked, and many people are actually unaware that many of its health benefits can be lost through cooking and, in many cases; it is recommended that it be eaten raw.

Broccoli is extremely high in Vitamin C as well as Selenium, Glucoraphanine and Diindolylmethane; the previous three being known anti-cancer minerals. Broccoli is also beneficial for innate immune response system as well as being anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

High intakes of broccoli have been known to reduce and prevent the risk of aggressive Prostate Cancer and Heart Disease[5]. High intakes of broccoli have also become popular with Acne sufferers with very progressive results.

Broccoli sprouts (3-4 day old sproutings) have been proven to be even more beneficial than fully grown Broccoli due to an abundance of Sulporaphane – a known and effective anti-oxidant. Although medical research in regards to Broccoli and Broccoli sprouts continues to grow, and common opinion seems to be in agreement, the US FDA has not reached any conclusion on the health benefits of Broccoli.

*I would like to state that I am not a medical professional. My knowledge is gained through research over time, or given to me by the school of life. I have tried to reference as many medical studies that I can in relation to the points I have made to back up my statements, but please understand that unless stated most of what I say should be considered opinion, please accept at your own discretion, or that of a medical professional (which again, I am not). What I have written is advice, these are not cures for diseases and any treatment needed for any mentioned condition should be sought from a doctor.

A garden shed doesn’t just have to be used for gardening; it can be your own private area of serenity, your little home from home and your ticket out of doing housework. I'd like to explore the standard conventional uses of garden sheds and the wilder more creative sides to this wooden house of fun!

Who says sheds are simply for storage of garden equipment?

Well not Reg Miller, thats for sure. He was voted to have “The Best Shed 2010” - which is really something when he was competing against some really esoteric and crazy designs.

And it’s not just Reg getting involved. People all over the country are having a go and attempting to “Pimp” their shed to really get the most out of it. More recently we've seen John Earl - aptly dubbed 'Shed Zeppelin' - win the 2011 competition with his World War One billet: where he features live bands and films them for his website 'Songs From The Shed'. John even boasts that he's had a "26 strong gospel choir" play his renowned shed!

Picture from The Independent.

Even if you’re not into “Pimping up” your garden shed like Reg or any of the other competitors, you don’t have to conform to the standard conventional method of having to “use the garden shed for garden related issues”. There are many other uses for your lumber dream house. For example: Alan Cook in Market Harborough (UK) has created a really modern and hi-tech shed; Sky HD Television, Games console, Fridge, Lazeeboy Chair, Broadband and now a mini gym are just some of the kit he is packing in his tidy timber hut. He claims his wife was against it at first - but when she realised that she had the run of the house for cleaning etc, she loved the fact that he wasn’t under her feet!

If your needs aren’t satisfied by this, then look toward possibly the family incorporating use of the garden shed, possibly a “play time” area for younger children, or even a homework area for teens revising for their exams. However, not everyone has children - so how about a miniature pub or a miniature library? Get some mates round or kick back with quiet novel.

At the end of the day: it’s your shed, it’s your choice!

With the summer sun well upon us, it's time for the avid green fingered gardeners to prepare their garden.

In order to find the best community base to prepare us for the summer, we have launched a competition to find out the best gardening blog of 2011!

After months of research the following 10 blogs & communities were identified (in no particular order):

1) The Guardian Gardening Blog

The Guardian's Gardening blog has been around for many years, and is regularly updated by popular gardening editors with useful gardening related content.

Find one of their recent posts here.

2) Digging

This United States based gardening resource is owned by Pam, a Texas based gardener. She has developed her garden environment for many years, and regularly posts content on her gardening journey.

Find one of her recent posts here.

3) Veggie Gardening Tips

Veggie Gardening Tips is a gardening portal for useful tips and advice on how to grow vegetables naturally and organically, the blog has some excellent guides on how to grow certain vegetables effectively.

Find one of their recent posts here.

4) Gardeners World Blog

Gardeners World is a BBC owned gardening portal. World gardening experts regularly update the blog with essential tips and advice for gardening related matters, making it a very trusted resource for gardening enthusiasts.

Find one of their recent posts here.

5) GrowsonYou

GrowsonYou is a gardening based community & blogging resource where members can share their gardening tips and tricks with one another.

Find one of their recent posts here.

6) Guerilla Gardening

Guerrilla is an interesting community base, which encourages the creation of gardening in public areas such as on side streets and roundabouts. The blog is frequently updated by members who have come across attractive looking public gardens and flower patches.

Find one of their recent posts here.

7) Cold Climate Gardening

Cold Climate Gardening is a unique gardening resource which offers tips and advice for gardeners who live in cold climates. The blog has a wide range of posts relating to cold climate gardens and how they can be brought to life despite their unfortunate cold temperatures.

Here is one of their recent posts here.

8) Gardening Gone Wild

Gardening gone wild is an internationally recognised gardening blogging community in which aims to 'inspire and inform' its readers with a global perspective on all things gardening.

Find one of their recent posts here.

9) A Way to Garden

A Way to Garden is maintained by garden enthusiast Margaret Roach, she was earlier awarded best garden book of the year in 1998, and her success has continued with her gardening blog, which has a high number of regular subscribers.

Find one of her recent posts here.

10) Garden Rant

Garden Rant is a well known gardening blogging network which has won a number of best blog awards in the past. The blog is regularly updated by four gardening editors who have created a huge following among the gardening network.

Find one of their recent posts here.

To cast a vote for your favourite gardening resource, simply use the form below to vote.

The end date for the competition is  29^th June 2011, so make sure your vote counts! Once the results are collected, the top garden blog of 2011 will be revealed!

Now the weather is starting to pick up and we are starting to sweat, many of you are starting to plan BBQs. The idea of a BBQ sounds very simple, but it is in fact a complex Art, with you and your ideas being the key to success. Throwing any event can be risky business, potentially opening the eyes of your friends to the fool you may actually be (I’m only joking here, they probably know that already). Getting a BBQ right can, at least for an evening, make you seem like you are the greatest person in the world. So here it is, what I hope will be a nice and fun (yet informative) guide to throwing a BBQ party.

Planning

The first place to start is planning your BBQ. Poor planning has the potential to be fatal, not literally fatal, but at least socially. You need to figure out what you need, the minimums of which are:

·       A BBQ

·       Food

·       Drink

These may seem simple, but you will be surprised how many times I have seen friends get these wrong. I’m going give Food and Drink their own little section as they require quite some depth when discussing. First I will start with the BBQ.

You don’t really want a disposable BBQ you want a real BBQ, those disposable ones make you look like you don’t care for the environment, by using a more permanant BBQ you are still burning coal, but not throwing away as much cardboard and foil in the process. Plus they don’t stay hot for long, definitely not long enough to cook food to any sort of edible standard. What you need is something very big, something that will cook a lot of food. A product built to last.

(I think that maybe, just maybe, this may be a little too far)

When everyone arrives they will all pretty much want their food straight away. I am not an impatient person, but find me at a BBQ and I’ll probably be circling around the food like a vulture. As soon as the possibility of your food being cooked arises you will quickly find yourself getting very hungry, and so will your guests. This happens to more people than they realise. The quicker you can get the food out once your BBQ starts the better.

Timing is your next, very important, factor to planning. A great deal of this is which day you plan to do your BBQ. I recommend a Saturday. Each day of the week has advantages and disadvantages, so it’s all about working out which one is right for you. Monday through Friday, for many of your guests, will be days that they work, if you don’t finish until five o’clock and the traffic doesn’t allow you to get home until at least six o’clock, you will probably find yourself still setting up at eight o’clock, struggling with the instructions for an incredibly complicated and frustrating gazebo. The advantages of a Friday though is that it allows your guests to drink with the knowledge they are not at work the next day, the only other day that really allows this is Saturday, which you have to be very unlucky to work. There is one key issue with a Saturday though, which is pretty much unavoidable - sport.

Saturday, is synonymous with sport, at least for certain friends of mine. Ask them to do anything at three in the afternoon and the only response I get is “I’m sorry, I can’t, I’m watching the game” this is fine though, not really a big deal, you could if you like, even centre your BBQ around ‘the game’. This leaves you with the question of what to do with your non-sports-fan-friends, they probably won’t enjoy ‘the game’. The answer is simply inviting them and make sure you don’t forget about them, maybe make sure there is a little group of non-sports-fan-friends to entertain each other.

Another alternative is simply organising your BBQ to be after anything, which may be taking place in the afternoon that people may find difficult to avoid doing. A good time to aim for is about six o’clock in the evening. Six o’clock is good because it allows for different people’s eating patterns. I know many people who eat their evening meal around five and those that eat around nine. This way your BBQ should be hot and ready by around seven, making it equal for both extremes. Tell your guests to arrive for six. You may be thinking ‘won’t everyone turn up early?’ but, no, they won’t. A few will, but these will typically be those people, like myself, who don’t mind turning up early, we’re used to it, in fact, we like to turn up early, you can expect most people to run late, but arrive just in time for BBQ being ready at seven. These early comers will more than likely also help you with any tasks you still have left before everyone else arrives. It makes us feel good.

You want to make your garden have atmosphere for the BBQ, somewhere your guests feel like they can enjoy them selves. Gazebos are good because if the worst happens and it rains (and it always does!), your friends have somewhere to huddle and wait it out if they can’t make it indoors. Chairs are a must. If your friends are drinking, there will probably come a point were it is best for them to sit down, I usually have a seating area within the gazebo, I find this often helps with preventing your friends turning into lobsters. One word of advice, don’t try to BBQ under the gazebo (or next to a garden shed for that matter).

Food

The main ingredient of any great BBQ, kind of speaks for itself, but is often taken for granted. You have too opposing options when it comes to the food – economy or up market. I suggest something in the middle. Why this middle ground you may ask. Well, going down to the supermarket and buying the cheapest food you can, has obvious advantages. But if you want to impress, you want to provide food people will actually enjoy. This doesn’t mean buying the best you can from an organic butcher’s shop though because at the end of the day, your guests are more than likely going to drown the poor thing in ketchup. A nice middle ground offers burgers and sausages that won’t be several times smaller than they first appeared whilst making your guest feel less guilty when pouring that mustard in. You can always tell people to bring their own food, leaving the choice of quality up to them, but this often leads to chaos and confusion about who’s food is who’s and a mad rush to get theirs on the BBQ first. You can also guarantee that some people will just not bring any. By buying your own you have complete control and can just keep cooking away.

I would recommend asking any vegetarians you know to bring their own food. This isn’t some sort of anti-vegetarian statement or anything; it’s more of allowing them their personal preference. I was vegetarian for many years and throughout this time there were many brands I encountered that were very nice, but also many brands that weren’t. If I turned up to a BBQ and the host had bought vegetarian food for the vegetarians, you could guarantee it was going to be one of the brands I didn’t like.

Next on your list, are sauces. Everyone loves a good sauce, yet everyone differs in their favourites. Classics such as Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Brown Sauce, and Relish are all musts. What I like to do is throw in sauces that may surprise people, throw them off guard. These include, Sweet Chilli Sauce, Horseradish, Salad Cream, Hot Pepper Sauce, Pickle, Piri Piri, Reggae Reggae and strange variations of traditional sauces, this way you allow your guests to create whatever they want. You will be surprised at some of the concoctions and this will ultimately start many conversations.

(Just thinking about BBQ food makes me very hungy.)

The other decision you have to make with food is elements such as Salads and side dishes. This comes from knowing your guests, but I have never thrown a BBQ were these were really eaten. I often fall back on the classics such as coleslaw and potato salad because at the end of the day, any leftovers I will happily eat on my own. Thinking about salads I am always reminded of a Simpsons episode with a wonderful song “you don’t make friends with salads”. I have to admit, The Simpsons are right.

Drink

No party is complete without drinks, whether these are alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Many people, like with food, will not bring any, but I have generally found that most people will. It does help to be stocked up. If you have drinks to offer your guest, you will instantly win friend points (more than likely you will also be able to get them to return the favour), creating a better atmosphere. Stick with the classics – Cider, Beer and Wine for the alcoholic and Cola, Lemonade and Juice for the non alcoholic. You may also need some extra of these non-alcoholic drinks for those that like to drink spirits. Always buy much more than you need and keep a reserve. This way your guests will not be able to abuse your generosity and you will be able to offer more if the supply has run down, but your gathering, is nowhere near over. Like the food, don’t go for anything too cheap, I would usually go for drinks that I like, so any leftovers are there for me to enjoy.

Don’t forget the ice. Ice alone will make you a legend.

Music

I left this from the list earlier, because it is an almost strange anomaly. Sometimes you need music, sometimes you don’t. If conversation is booming, music can often end up being a distraction, getting drowned out in the background. Sometimes the music is the life of a social event. I have to agree with the latter. The problem with music though is that everyone like something different and you can’t please everyone with the same genre (it is things like this that make people so interesting and fascinating). I find nostalgic music is your best bet. Music from a specific time gone by that you all have connections to, not only sparks conversation, but makes people very happy. Whenever I hear a song from my youth for example, I just want to dance. When I hear this song with my friends, we do dance. Find these songs for your group of guests and run with it, trust me on this, I’m an expert.

And there we have it, a guide to throwing the perfect summer BBQ. Have fun and remember, to wear sunscreen because as well being more embarrassing than you realise, sunburn can have very serious long-term effects.

Thom M

(Thom holds no responsibility for your BBQ not being a success)

Dog kennels are well renowned as the most successful way to train your dog. Proper use can ensure that a new dog becomes a fantastic addition to your new home. Dogs can live happy and healthy lives in outdoor conditions, and a kennel has to be the ideal way to achieve this - helping ensure that dogs aren't left tied up outside in the rain. Choosing the right kennel is a fundamental part of accepting a new dog into your new home.

Why are kennels important?

- Wild dogs have always instinctively settled in caves and dens. A kennel can provide the equivalent - a safe, welcoming area for your dog to settle in comfort.

- Dogs, especially puppies, are typically mischievous! Making sure they have their own space will reduce any negative impact their introduction has on your home - while making it less likely they're eating/doing something they shouldn't! Kennels typically help rectify any problems associated with destructive behaviour.

- Not forgetting...they look good! A good looking kennel can compliment the family garden and add some well needed character alongside your garden sheds, conservatories or patios.

What tips should I follow when buying/installing a new kennel?

- Make sure the kennel you buy/build allows your dog the right amount of space. Your dog should be able to stand in their kennel, though it shouldn't be so spacious as to provoke anxiety.

- Make sure your kennel is appropriate for your dog. Wooden dog kennels typically have a natural, earthy feel - and are much better insualtors than metal or concrete kennels. However, when buying a wooden dog kennel you should ensure that the kennel floor is raised above the ground, to prevent it from soaking up any moisture.

- Ensure your dog is comfortable with their kennel through initial, supervised, short visits. Gradually increase the amount of time they spend in their kennel as required.

- Always provide your dog with the right amenities. Your dog will typically need a blanket for warmth - as well as the usual food and water.

Following these tips should allow your dog to lead a happy and healthy outdoor life. Good luck and all the best with your new pooch!

Gardens have been a part of human civilization for at least 4,000 years. The earliest examples of horticulture date back to the 1500 BC, where lotus ponds surrounded by acacias and palms were depicted in Egyptian wall paintings. Since then, gardens have adapted new variations and uses, although the basic principles have always remained the same.

A garden serves as a means of displaying, cultivating and enjoying plants and other types of nature in a planned space, nowadays often featuring man-made materials such as garden sheds or log cabins. They can serve different purpouses to different people; some merely enjoy maintaining an appealing garden in which to spend their summer, some like to grow plants and vegetables in their greenhouse and some prefer to do both.

Whilst gardening is still an important part of our culture, there are certain threats that pose a substantial danger to the way we garden, in addition to the plants and animals that inhabit them.

Below is a rundown of five increasing threats to emerge into the world of gardening:

Rhododendron ponticum

A non-native plant to the UK, Rhododendron ponticum has caused a huge loss and abandonment of land throughout the British Isles. It was introduced to the UK in the late 18^th century.

Sometimes growing up to 8 metres in height, the plant effectively reduces the chances of survival for all surrounding plants, blocking the required light with its thick leaves. This in turn causes a loss to native wildlife who feed on such plants; particularly one of Britain’s most endangered species of mammal, the Dormouse.

In addition to this, Rhododendron acts as host to two plant diseases – phytophthora kernoviae and phytophthora ramorum. They are both fungal-like diseases which cause the death of plant species such as magnolia, kalmia and camellia. A National Trust adviser estimates that the diseases could have a severe impact on the environment and local economies, appearing in every garden in the UK 'within the next 20 years'.

Rhododendron is expensive to counteract and control, meaning land has been abandoned. Affected land can be restored, however, providing reinfestation is prevented.

Climate Change

An escalating issue in recent years, extreme temperatures and soil erosion are attributed to climate change. As plants and trees rely heavily on the weather and the subsequent sunlight and rainfall, a change in climate could most certainly have an effect on our gardens.

An examination of plant responses to the increase of temperature and carbon dioxide and changes in water supply revealed that plant life will face a number of challenges should the temperature continue to fluctuate.

The main cause for concern will be the increase in winter rainfall in contrast to drier summers. An excess in water can cause plants to drown, particularly in extreme cases such as flooding. On the other hand, a lack of water will result in plant life drying out and dying - especially in drought conditions.

Plant life in controlled environments such as botanic gardens stand much more a chance of withstanding climate change. Planted into carefully prepared ground, watered and sheltered as required and protected from pests, plants in propagation are far less at risk from climate change than in nature.

Chytridiomycosis

One of the joys of maintaining a garden is the wildlife it attracts, particularly those who inhabit the pond.

Sadly, there is a rapidly spreading disease called chytridiomycosis that is affecting amphibian populations the world over. Spread by a specific type of fungus (chytrid), the lethal disease spreads to such amphibians as frogs and salamanders through water or moist environments.

Chytridiomycosis kills by targeting the skin. Upon contracting the disease, the animal’s skin begins to thicken due to a change in the protein ‘keratin’. As frogs and salamanders often breathe and drink through their skin, this essentially suffocates the animal, causing an abnormal level of electrolyte levels.

Chytridiomycosis is a very high risk to the survival of certain amphibian species, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature calling it “the worst infectious disease ever recorded among vertebrates in terms of the number of species impacted, and its propensity to drive them to extinction.” With such diseases as this coupled with the loss of their habitat, it is important to do what we can in order to prevent such amphibiouscreatures from dying out.

Optimising one’s pond to accommodate for frogs is one way to counteract this substantial threat. For more information on how to help these garden inhabitants, read our article on frogs.

Citrus Longhorn Beetle

Another threat to UK gardens is the citrus longhorn beetle. Believed to have made its way into the UK on the backs of trees from the Far East, this non-native beetle is approximately one inch in length - white speckles on its back being its most identifiable feature.

Laying its larvae inside the trunks of shrubs and trees, gardens lay at risk due to the larvae feeding off and weakening the vascular system of plants and trees. It has already caused a lot of concern in the EU, prompting a ban on imports of Japanese maples from China.

In order to counteract the potential risk, FERA (Food and Environmental Research Agency) have asked anyone with a captured citrus longhorns to report to their local plant health and seeds inspector.

Moles

Whilst moles pose no serious long term threats to any plant species as such, they can certainly make a mess of a garden. Digging out a system of tunnels and chambers, these pests are attracted to soil and the earthworms/insects that inhabit it.

Although there are many mole traps available that can trap and/or kill the mole, it is far more effective and cheaper to detract them before they find their way into a garden. As they are claimed to dislike noise or disturbance, there are several devices that emit vibrations and buzzing, said to prevent moles from entering the vicinity when strategically placed.

In addition to this are the more homemade, experimental countermeasures. Some claim that placing garlic bulbs or pickled onions in the garden will deter moles, and some even put their faith in urine – cat, dog, even human!

Whatever the preference, however, it should be noted that the use of poison on moles is heavily regulated and may be illegal if the local council’s environmental department has not been contacted first.

Winter months can provide difficult times for many insects and wildlife that visit our gardens, food can be particularly hard to come by as the cold and frost starts to bed in. These gloomy conditions are particularly harmful to many species of birds; the outcome of these conditions can be fatal.  Recent studies have shown that birds can use up to 10% of their body fat during a cold winter’s night, meaning that an early morning scurry for food left out on the lawn to be essential to their survival, unless able to feed well every day to replenish lost body fat, a long drawn out cold spell can be disastrous for our feathered friends.

What to feed

Food should be put out on a daily basis to give birds the best possible chance of survival.

-          - Feed twice daily; first thing in the morning and early in the afternoon this is when the birds will crave food the most.

-          - Introduce hanging feeders to hold various seed mixes such as; peanuts, sunflower seeds, and nyjer seeds.

-          - Utilise a bird table for bread, scraps, cheese, and pastry.

-          - Ensure a fresh water supply is available

-          - Bird cakes and fat balls – very good because they provide high fat content, giving birds the energy they need.

Where to place a bird table in your garden

First of all it is essential to place the bird table away from fences or large hedges where cats can easily get to. The table should be placed near a small bush towards the rear of the garden, this will allow the birds to be undisturbed and give them avid space to lookout for other birds on the lookout for food. If possible bird tables should be placed as high as possible to avoid cats and other wildlife climbing onto it, to further avoid the risk of other wildlife attacks, prickly bushes should be placed around the bottom of the table.

Plant wildlife-friendly vegetation, such as prickly bushes and thick climbers in the garden to provide secure cover for birds. These should be close enough to where birds feed to provide cover, but not so close that cats can use it to stalk birds.  This kind of planting may also provide food and nesting sites.

The Need for Water

Like all living things, birds need a regular supply of water to survive. A bird bath mounted on a plinth, a ceramic water dish, or hanging water dishes are some of the most common uses to hold water for birds. It is also important that the edges of each of the equipment are slightly sloping with rough sides to help them grip on.

Frogs

There are more than 5,000 recorded species of frog (order Anura) in the world, their habitats extending worldwide although they do not occur in the Antarctic nor are they present on many oceanic islands. They are tail-less amphibians; characterized by long hind legs, webbed feet, protruding eyes and a short body. They feed mostly on insects such as crickets, moths, flies and mosquitoes – although larger types of frog have been known to eat small turtles and even other small frogs.

They are capable of jumping incredible distances, with some recorded as leaping over 50 times their body length. This is due to their long hind legs and the way their tarsals, tibia and fibula have fused together to form a singular, strong bone. The bones in the frog’s forelimbs are also merged together in order to absorb the impact of each jump

The Frog Life Cycle

There are four main stages of the frog life cycle: egg, tadpole, metamorphosis and adult. It takes around 70 to 80 days for the frog to complete the egg to egg process.

When sexually active, the adult frogs will breed at a water source such as a stream or a pond. The males will make their signature mating call, a low croak, which will then attract nearby females. Once assembled, the male and female undergo their form of mating called ‘amplexus’, which results in a mass of upto 2000 gelatinous eggs that we call frogspawn. After about a week, these aquatic eggs will hatch and become tadpoles.

Tadpoles have oval bodies and long, flat tails. They are typically herbivores, feeding on algae within their native pond. However, there have been instances of some species being carnivorous at the tadpole stage, feeding on small insects and even other tadpoles. Those who develop legs early may be eaten by other tadpoles in order for them to survive longer.

After reaching the end of the tadpole stage, the frogs transition into adulthood through process of metamorphosis. They develop hind legs, front legs and then lungs. Their intestines change as their diet switches from herbivore to carnivore, followed by a change in their eyes in order to provide the frog with binocular vision. Finally, the frogs lose their tail and reach the adult stage.

Two tadpoles in the metamorphosis process

After reaching full maturity, the adult frogs will either leave the water for dry land, or continue to stay in their aquatic habitat. They will seek out invertebrates such as arthropods and gastropods, sometimes capturing prey with their hands and forcing it into their mouths, sometimes using their sticky tongues to catch fast-moving prey.

Frogs themselves are often preyed upon by birds, snakes, foxes, badgers and fish. Whilst it is not certain how long a frog can live for in the wild, they have been recorded to live for over 40 years in captivity.

Chytridiomycosis

There is a rapidly spreading disease called chytridiomycosis that is affecting amphibian populations the world over. Spread by a specific type of fungus (chytrid), the lethal disease spreads to such amphibians as frogs and salamanders through water or moist environments (seen as unusual as this particular form of fungus does not normally affect vertebrates).

“An extinction event on a scale equivalent to that of the dinosaurs”

Chytridiomycosis kills by targeting the skin. Upon contracting the disease, the animal’s skin begins to thicken due to a change in the protein ‘keratin’. As frogs and salamanders often breathe and drink through their skin, this essentially suffocates the animal, causing an abnormal level of electrolyte levels.

Chytridiomycosis is a very high risk to the survival of certain amphibian species, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature calling it “the worst infectious disease ever recorded among vertebrates in terms of the number of species impacted, and its propensity to drive them to extinction.” With such diseases as this coupled with the loss of their habitat, it is important to do what we can in order to prevent such amphibious creatures from dying out.

Frogs in the Garden

Due to these natural and manmade threats, allowing frogs to live in our garden not only brings in a touch of wildlife, but can also help prevent their numbers from diminishing. They need moisture, food, shelter and a place to mate, so making a few changes will make it possible for almost any garden to become a safe frog haven.

Pond

A pond should be around 2-3 feet in depth in order for it to be accommodating for frogs. The edges should be shallow in order for them to get in and out with ease, and there should be moist, rough vegetation in close proximity where the frogs can find food and hibernation. It will also be necessary to provide shelter from the summer sun, meaning pond plants such as marigolds and violets will be a welcoming addition. Damp soil around the pond is often required as their skin needs to stay moist in order for them to breathe. Frogs also tend to prefer ponds with no fish.

Food

As highlighted earlier, frogs tend to live on a diet of mainly insects; the same insects who are a nuisance to homeowners and their gardens. Mosquitoes, moths, slugs, snails, flies and even cockroaches can be reduced in numbers by having frogs in the garden and thus potentially saving the job of calling in pest control should the garden/home become infested with insects. Not only does this save money, but it removes the need to use chemicals that could potentially harm grass, plants and flowers.

Surrounding area

Although it is necessary to have a pond in the garden to attract frogs, it is actually the surrounding area in which they will spend the majority of their lives - so forming piles of leaves, rocks and other debris will provide a place for frogs to forage and shelter in. Using toxic substances in the garden is not advisable due to the way in which frogs breathe through their skin – such pesticides as slug pellets are no longer necessary anyway due to the fact that slugs are eaten by frogs. In keeping with their desire for the damp, they will often choose to spend their time in the moist, humid atmosphere of the greenhouse.

Maintenance

Although having frogs in the garden can be a pleasure and many will strive to maintain a comfortable environment for them, there are a few things to avoid in order to keep them safe and healthy.

For example, grass should be kept short at all times, as frogs will sometimes shelter in long grass which puts them at risk when mowing or strimming is required. Keeping it a short length will make it easier to spot any foraging frogs before they meet a rather grisly end.

It is not a wise idea to remove a frog its original habitat and place it in a different one, as it will most likely die or migrate. If a garden offers their basic needs then frogs will arrive naturally over time – trying to force them into a new environment will not work.

Finally, if a frog is spotted motionless at the bottom of a pond during winter, then do not attempt to retrieve it. Frogs hibernate during the winter, and some males will bury themselves in mud and lie dormant at the bottom of the pond. Removing the frog will disturb its hibernation process and potentially kill it.

Having frogs in the garden does not require too much maintenance but they are relatively fragile creatures so by following the advice here, the perfect garden environment can be created in which they can prosper.

The thought of beekeeping seems somewhat strange when we think how irritating these insects can be when their buzzing around us in summer. However the act of beekeeping has been around for centuries. Beekeeping (also known as apiculture) was first introduced by the Egyptians who would consider honey one of their favourite foods; they would keep many colonies of beehives in order to produce honey which they would consume on a daily basis.

Bees are not only useful for their honey, but notably for agriculture, bees provide high value pollination to plants and flowers around the garden environment. Without bees there would be a considerable decrease in the way common crops grow, and they would more often than not die due to a lack of pollen. Garden enthusiasts will tell you that having one or two beehives in the garden would see a considerable improvement in the way crops grow throughout the summer.

Notably, other obvious reasons for beekeeping is for their production of beeswax and royal jelly, both have high commercial values, and can be useful for many everyday resources, such as; shoe polish, candles, and cosmetics.

Beehive Storage

An apiary or (bee yard) is where the bees store their honey, and is their colony, this is essentially where the bees work their magic in producing these highly useful resources. The first steps for creating the apiary is to utilise wooden boxes which contain wax sheets, the bees will use the wax from the sheets to create their honeycomb. Typically, the queen bee will sit within the colony and order her worker bees to produce the honey. Beforehand, special scents are used in order to

attract queen bees to the nests. Throughout the course of the day, bees will collect pollen and nectar from flowers to keep them nourished for carrying out their working tasks. The nectar they collect is then reused and stored within the honeycomb, in order to produce honey.

Beekeepers Beware

Before starting your beekeeping hobbies, it is strongly advised that you take professional advice from your local community and authorities. As well as being quite rewarding, beekeeping can be a danger to humans in particular. The correct clothing should be worn at all times when near a colony, as the consequences could be quite uncomfortable, and in some cases fatal. Storing equipment within a garden shed will ensure you can easily find your protective clothing when needed.  It is also advised to use a smoker; this will prevent the queen bee from sending out signals to other bees to start feeding, and will allow you to perform inspection and maintenance work on the colonies.