Farmers' Markets play an increasing role in our society and we should support them as much as we can. They usually take place once a week, at the weekend, and they give farmers the opportunity to sell their produce locally. It also gives amateur gardeners the chance to showcase their produce and maybe make some money to cover their costs and even make a small profit.

Farmers' markets are so much more than selling gardening produce, as people sell homemade jams, cakes and even arrange flower delivery. You can buy fresh and organic fruit and veg, and some people sell meats and pastries.

There is the social aspect too, and I know people who spend all week making their jams from their home produced fruit. They do not earn much money from it but they love the weekly outing at the farmers' market and would not miss it for the world. (more...)

The thing about many objects for the garden is that they have to be both ornamental in design as well as being incredibly practical. That is, they have to look great, but they also have to work well, to make your garden beautiful and practical.

Let's take those stacking pots as an example. They certainly fit the bill of looking great as they enable you to grow a tower of cascading flowers for the maximum visual effect. But it is their design which is possibly even more important as without their unique watering tube they would be useless and the flowers would die through lack of water.

So many gadgets for the garden are designed to look good but they lack substance and design and end up a hindrance rather than being any benefit. I have bought things in the past which I thought would make my garden look great, only for them to end up in the bin as they lacked the right level of design. (more...)

There is so much myth surrounding the word organic today. One can't help thinking if it's organic, it must be expensive and a luxury really. But the truth is, organic simply means free of pesticides and other toxic chemicals; so all organic gardening really means, is making use of traditional methods of pest and herb control as well as fertilisation, which is often much cheaper than store bought chemical alternatives!

Household kitchen waste such as peels and egg shells are great for making organic manure. Many avid gardening lovers do home composting as it is one of the best methods of making your soil naturally rich in nitrogen and other nutrients. After all, we live in a round and not flat world, and what comes from the soil will only do it good, when it goes back to it!

A good way to make sure you use organic fertiliser instead of artificial enhancers that can upset the ecological balance of the soil is to network with other organic gardeners in your area and exchange resources. If there's a Man with a van Brighton who goes around distributing natural manure from his farm, that's well and good, but if there isn't, a network of neighbours and nearby gardeners can come in handy! (more...)

If you are new to gardening, you will more than likely have some anxieties around whether your garden maintenance is up to scratch or not. It is true that gardening can be tricky, but as long as you make sure a few key areas are taken of care of, your yard will be healthy and a great place to be.

To begin with, you want to ensure your soil is of the best possible quality. Poor soil will cripple your plants and will seriously inhibit their growth. In order to make sure your soil makes the grade, simply take a sample to your local garden centre for testing. Mix in compost and fertilisers if it is a little on the weak side.

Pest control is also a key element of a good garden. Whether you have ants in Derbyshire or a Wasp Nest Chelmsford you need to make sure the insects and rodents in your garden are under control. Not only can these pests damage your plants but they can also become a hazard to people as well. (more...)

As a new gardener with a rambling, once-cultivated wilderness to restore, you may be wondering where you should start. Reorganising a garden that has become overgrown is not always an easy task; however, with a little perseverance and by following a few guidelines, you will find the process both manageable and rewarding.

To start with you will need to get on with clearing some of the overgrowth. Once this process is underway, the original structure of the garden should begin to emerge. Use long handle shears and saws to cut through branches and a hand held electric cutting machine to deal with the grass.

You may need to hire a refuse removal company to get rid of the waste from your clearing exercise. Be sure to research this step before you take it: waste removal can be pricy, costing anything from the price of a month's supply of dog food and up. (more...)