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This olive tree had been in situ for about 4 years and was growing nicely until the cold snap December 2022 when I think it didn't much like the temps dipping to -11C over the span of a week or so.Summer of 2023 it was pretty much dormant, no new growth. Into 2024 and it's been subjected the...

One more comment from me regarding supermarkets selling plants. Nurseries and garden centres have a wider range of plants and look after them better, but a lot of them just aren't accessible to people who don't drive/have a car and can't get someone else to take them or fetch stuff for them (or...

It's alive and thriving, but no longer a topiary ball!If original box top hadn't died due to the extreme December 2022 temps, box tree moth would have got it summer of 2023 anyway, they have been prolific and devastating in my area (North Bucks).

I've been no dig for decades. I've only recently realised it was a 'thing'. I thought it was just me being lazy. I jiggle the soil now and then, especially if I've trodden on it. Does that count as digging?

I think I do a bit of everything. I can spend ages researching and choosing plants for a specific space or conditions but am also susceptible to temptation. I do like plants repeated and in groups as I feel you then get much more impact when they are in flower but then budget and nature has a...

Brilliant! Thank you for the id. It is a really pretty mauve colour and I like the leaves too. I must investigate the Rugosa group.

Small amounts of tufa on eBay.

I agree with you about telescopic tools @hailbopp, totally useless! If you prefer manual shearing rather than using a hedge trimmer it might be worth investing in Niwaki long handled shears. I have several of their shearing and pruning tools, but not the long handled shears. They are top quality.

With the new pictures I don't really have an id. It's hawthorn like but not a native wild type but does look like images I googled of swedish whitebeam. It looks a nice tree

Given the billions wasted on PPE, the real injustice is clawing the money back from these overpayments just because it is easy to organise.I agree cliff-edge cut-offs are really counterproductive. Carers save society huge amounts of money and yet are begrudged very modest financial assistance.

Playing safe incase the 'Thought Police' come after me for inciting something or other.

If you want perfect hostas then I'm afraid you will have to do some night raids and get them in action. Unfortunately I haven't found any other method that works. If you want to make a pungent garlic spray be my guest but find raids reduce numbers hugely and quickly. After a few weeks doing them...

I'd do it now... because it's growing fast, it will be running out of room for its roots, and running out of food and water more quickly, if you leave it in its small pot.