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Normally I would cut them right down to the base pretty much bar a few inches but unfortunately family matters has meant I still haven't had the chance and some are still in flower so think it's best I leave until February this time

If it drains very well the soil is not clay and there can not be a solid concrete base under the lawn. There might be rubble underneath from demolished buildings containing lime mortar. The lime can push the soil ph above 7.5 making the soil too alkaline resulting in your grass not growing well.

That's good to hear. It's better for the plant to remove the dead seed heads soon as the flower has fallen. Then rather than put energy into making seeds, the energy goes into making the tuber bigger, so more flowers next year. If they were in the ground, then you can let them seed and get more...

Do not talk to me about Spanish Blue Bells. The previous owner planted them out the front and back and after 5 years of digging (amazing how far down the bulbs push themselves). The odd one keeps appearing like the bamboo they planted.

I just tried it on identify.plantnet.org and it gave me 57% probability Jasminum beesianum, with no other strong candidates.

Yes. If it was a long blade you should then tilt the angle of the blade, handle raised very slightly, on the stone as you go round the curve. On a short blade it doesn't really matter much.

Hello @Dan1981, I think it depends on what you find when you remove the paving and start digging. My building experience is limited so I can’t advise on the technicalities here. For anything that you plant though, there needs to be adequate drainage below ground as would be needed with a...

Great thread, especially on a very dull wet day.

Good to hear that @Victoria and your welcome.

Not sure what you are trying to do?

The crab looks like it has a decent trunk thickness so you could get away with removing some of the lower growth but it doesn't look to bad to me, as it is. I'd probably leave it if it was mine unless there are any branches that interfere with each other or areas where you want to stimulate...

Lucky you, no frosts. In England we throw them on the compost every year and buy or sow new ones in spring. In fact, I thought it was an annual!

New December Thread here:- What's Looking Good December 2025

Soft Buddleja cuttings will root in water.

If the new growth is flexible enough you could even bend them over and tie it all together as a proper living fence, like this:

Nature doesnt make many chemicals that arent biodegradable, because eventually it would build up and something would evolve to eat it. This goes for most chemical poisons, though elemental poisons like arsenic can be problematic.Plants filter chemicals into their body quite finely, but metals...

@Adam I Sounds a bit too advanced for me

I know I'm a few years too late,but I did find some of these suggestions veryfunny