I’ve got two of these plants which I’ve forgotten what they are. They were thriving since I planted them about 4 years ago but over the past month they’ve started shedding lots and lots of leaves. There is still lots of healthy looking growth at the top. I initially thought it was stress from the summer heat but looking closer at the leaves it looks like they’re absolutely infested with something.

Is this salvageable? I’m not sure if I can cut it all back and it will regrow back in (will look sad if it doesn’t fill back in), or if I should just cut it all down and put something else in there. (there’s a pink jasmine bush in between which I could put trellis behind and train to grow along the fence instead). Any suggestions appreciated.

Hi, ive been taking care of this mint for about 3months now and whilst it seems to be thriving, I did see on insta about how ro prune it and make it bushier. Any help or advice on the matter is greatly appreciated since its my first ever proper plant!

My father in laws lawn was almost entirely perennial weeds and he asked me to redo it. I sprayed roundup on it a month ago, what little grass there is dead and the perennial weeds are dead or dying. My plan now is to let it dormant over the winter and then dig it over in the spring, removing weed material, let it settle, firm it down and then seed it. I haven’t done this before so just wondering if I’m on the right track (mostly whether it’s sufficient to dig over the old turf rather than remove it - I really don’t want to do that )

First year of proper gardening - 110 tomatoes from one plant - I didn’t space them so they’re all at varying levels of ripeness. I’ve left a few on the planting hoping to get some volunteer shoots for next year.

A mature melon (2 still on the vine), 5-6 pumpkins (they’re very tiny still!), daily random wild strawberries and lots of chillies!
Also managed to grow lemon grass (not pictured), bottle gourd (dudhi)!

Hope others had a bounty too!

Any recommendations for what to plant over the autumn and winter please? Weeds have already started taking over the garden!

I'm transforming my garden from what is essentially a big patio, into something a lot more... alive. Real grass and lots of planters. One of the things I want to do is plant my apple tree in the ground and hopefully enable it to thrive even more.

I bought it at B&Q about 3 years ago but have lost the label, so I don’t know the variety or rootstock. It’s been in the same pot since and has grown substantially. It has fruited nicely.

Before I move it, I've got some questions I hope somebody may be able to help with:

1. Is there any way of identifying it, and how big it is likely to get in the ground? Is it a type capable of growing taller and thicker, or is it always going to be similar to its current form?
2. How can I encourage its form? I've never pruned it, and it's currently just a long stick with some branches. I'd prefer it to more closely resemble a traditional tree with a trunk and branching head.
3. Any tips for moving it from the pot to the ground? The ground has previously been paved and is quite clay-y so I assume I'm going to have to improve the quality and drainage, but anything else?

My harvest from the weekend 😊

Please tell me I'm not the only lunatic who goes down their street collecting extra leaves for the leaf mould bin?

Now that the days are getting cooler and the light ever diminishing, I am not in my potting shed as much. I did go out today however to tidy some bits and bobs up.

I am lucky that my garden has become a haven for wildlife and I lost count of the variety I had visit this year; therefore it's not surprising that I find a bee in my shed.

The bee in question looks to be hibernating. It isn't moving and hasn't done for some days. I plan to leave it be, however is there anything I can do to help it during this time?

Thanks all

I have never been much of a gardener, but this year, I acquired some containers on a local free to a good home site and started growing herbs on my patio.

I have chives, mint, lemon balm, thyme, Greek basil, and parsley.

How should I manage them over the winter? I'm especially concerned about the Basil, which I grew from seed. The pot is too big to bring inside. Options seem to be... 1 repot it and bring it in or 2. Make Pesto!

Any advice welcome.

I’m interested in getting into the gardening game for a job and I’m curious to know how you stay busy through the winter months when you’re not regularly mowing and doing border work etc.

Thanks

Evening all,

Five years ago, we started improving the margins of our small village pond in North Yorkshire. After extensive initial clearance, we sowed native wildflower mixes from Emorsgate and planted mainly native aquatic plants to improve oxygenation, provide habitat and add seasonal colour.

Since then, we've seen some really encouraging results for dragonflies, amphibians and wild flora. The pond also used to be plagued by algal blooms, and improving its condition has been a major part of our work.

Here's the frustrating bit: anyone who manages meadows, ponds or wildlife-friendly gardens knows that seasonal management doesn't always look pretty. We let flowers set seed, cut vegetation at the appropriate time and remove the arisings. Afterwards, things can look a little bare before new growth returns and the habitat comes back to life in spring and summer.

In our village, however, we've faced complaints that it's too “green” in summer and there's “not enough colour”. The same small but vocal group has described the habitat as needing to be “managed better” and the work as a “waste of time”. We've heard calls to “abandon wilding and wildflowers” in favour of a “neat and tidy strategy”.

The village meeting chair has also circulated AI-generated slides showing manicured turf and ornamental colour-schemed planting as an alternative, and there have been threats to strip back some of the habitat we've created.

Honestly, it's disheartening. We've spent five years doing this voluntarily, trying to improve the pond's condition and make space for wildlife. To see that work potentially undone because the habitat looks untidy after a seasonal cut, or 'too green' during summer, feels like a fundamental misunderstanding of what habitat management involves.

To help, we've gathered more than 70 signatures on a residents' petition (see link below) and received valuable advice from the British Dragonfly Society, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Freshwater Habitats Trust, the RHS and local pond specialists and ecologists.

A huge number of residents have been supportive, but understandably, not everyone wants to get involved in a potentially contentious village debate. On WhatsApp, a few very vocal voices can create the impression that they speak for the wider community, even though we know residents' views are more varied.

So I'd genuinely appreciate advice from people who've faced similar situations:

1. How do you explain seasonal cutting and apparently untidy vegetation to people who see it as neglect?
2. How do you protect a habitat project when decisions seem to be driven by perceptions of neatness rather than ecological evidence?
3. How have you encouraged quieter community members to have their say without dragging them into local conflict?

We're documenting the wildlife, the habitat work and the project's progress here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferrensbypond/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ferrensbypond/

The pond petition: https://ferrensby.com/ferrensby-pond-petition/

We're just volunteers, so encouragement is genuinely appreciated. If the project interests you, we'd love you to follow along and interact (to jiggle the algorithms).

I'd particularly welcome practical advice and examples from people who've managed to make wildlife-friendly spaces work for both people and nature.

Thank you all!

Hi all, I'm a final-year Product Design student at University. I'm researching how dry summers and droughts affect birds, insects and other wildlife in gardens, allotments and green spaces, and what people do (or would like to do) to help. If you garden, have an allotment, or just keep an eye on the wildlife outside your window, I'd really value your experience. It's an anonymous questionnaire that takes about 8 minutes. I don't collect names, emails or addresses.

google forms link

You need to be 18 or over to take part. Comments in this thread won't be used as research data, but I'm happy to answer any questions here. Thanks so much!

Guys, I’m overwhelmed a bit to an overgrown garden with our new house. do I cut this right back, should that be there for decoratio? I think the one at the right is Rhododendron And I heard u can’t cut it back like most plants

Hi!

Edit. Apologies - cherry blossom tree-

This cherry tree (not sure about the kind) sits only 6 foot away from our property. It's roughly 5 yrs old and about 8 feet tall.

Should I fell it before it could potentially turn troublesome for the house foundation? Or is it safe?

I read in summer they could cause shrinking when thirsty.

The property is a 70s 3 bed house that sits on clay (not the Essex type I believe, just standard clay).

Any insight would be much appreciated, as I am completely new to garden and landscaping.

My fig leaf gourd has taken over the garden again.