Latest news with #JanePerrone
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Expert reveals how to avoid gardening disaster: Why out of control BBQs, failed attempts at pest control and rotten decking could ruin your summer
Summer sunshine and gardening bliss are just around the corner, but so too are the dreaded green-thumbed disasters that come along with it. From broken bones because of rotten decking to a garden reduced to ash by a faulty gas canister, there are several ways that your perfect summer could be ruined by a garden fail. And even nature can sometimes be against us, with invasive and toxic plants such as Giant Hogweed having the ability to leave innocent homeowners with painful third degree burns. Not only that, but Japanese Knotweed p oses a huge risk to homes, making them unsellable once a property is in their tight grip. Even bees and wasps, which swarm around even more in the enjoyable summer heat, can pose problems for gardeners up and down the nation. With several factors including poison and toppling trees proving to be a danger to your home, it's hard to know how to avoid a garden disaster and be at ease this summer. Although possible issues seem to be ever-lurking around the corner of your beloved backyard, there are ways to dodge these devastating blunders altogether. Luckily, gardening expert and head of Scribehound Gardening, Jane Perrone has shared how you can avoid a ruined garden in the coming warmer months. Exploding BBQs and fire pits It isn't only decking that poses a danger in your garden, dreaded fire pits, BBQs also do too, as well as the gas canisters that come with them. Earlier this week, a couple's £12,000 garden renovation went up in smoke after their trendy gas fire pit exploded. A TikTok user, who goes by 'Moll', shared the shocking scenes as furious flames tore through her beloved before swallowing her home. The blaze is understood to have been sparked after a suspected gas leak in her ageing firepit caused the blaze to grow violently out of control. Moll revealed both she and her neighbours attempted to fight the inferno but were later ordered by the fire service to leave it amid fears two gas bottles could 'blow up'. Green thumbed gardening expert, Mr Perrone urges homeowners to ensure they had the correct fire equipment that was up to do date. 'If you've got some 20 year old gas canister that's in your garage, and you get it out and think I'll give this a whirl, that's probably not the best idea,' she said. 'From my own experience, it's really a question of if the canister is showing damage and if it is don't use it. Make sure it's all up to date.' If in any doubt, she recommends green-thumbed bandits head to a shops that sell gas canisters, such as homeware stores, to be clear on the safety regulations. 'My view is don't play with garden especially in the garden. If in doubt switch on some LED fairy lights,' she said. She also warned of the fire risk posed by compost as well as piled-up grass clippings piling in your beloved backyard. 'It can get so hot that it [grass clippings] can ignite, particularly when we're having these very unpredictably hot summers,' she said. Bee and wasp infestations Humans aren't the only creature who want to come out and play as soon as there is glimmer of sun, bees and wasp also want their moment in the sun on occasion. As the weather because warmer, wasps become more of a nuisance, buzzing around in our gardens in a bid to find sweet substances and food. And although they may bother us more during the summer months, they tend to nest in sheltered spaces such as roofs, their bee peers tend to swarm outdoors. However their bee peers do not, as Dave Freiter can attest. The 62-year-old accidentally became an beekeeper after a huge bee colony emerged outside his home in Maidstone, Kent. Shocking photos from a bin outside his home shows a swarm of bees taking over his waste bin outside of his home. 'Of course, if you have a wasp nest that's forming in the door of your shed or something - that is not ideal,' Ms Perrone explained. 'Really wasps only cause an issue in terms of flying around at the end of summer, when they tend to be looking for sugary things like ice lollies. 'I would say, leave them alone, unless they are taking over your bin or shed.' When it comes to bumblebee hives, she encourages green-thumbed enthusiasts to find their local beekeeper of beekeeping association to handle the matter. 'Sometimes they can come and remove swarms,' she said: 'Wasps, again, you need to get a pest controller in to deal with that. 'But where we can, if we can leave bees alone and just let them get on with their business, then that's really good for our gardens.' Toxic and invasive plants Toxic and invasive plants can prove to be a serious concern for homeowners both for their health and the value of their home. And having a nasty encounter with the dreaded sap of a Giant Hogweed would not only spell serious and painful blisters, but the end of your outdoor enjoyment this summer. The sap from very tall and striking plant stops the skin protecting itself against the sun, leading to gruesome burns when exposed to daylight, and while there is often no immediate pain, victims can continue to burn in the sun heedless of any problem. A barmaid all too familiar with the painful consequences of Giant Hogweed is Chloe Douglas from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, who once woke up to a red rash covering her hands and neck, after using a sunbed the night before. The 20-year-old didn't recall ever encountering the dreaded giant hogweed and assumed she was simply 'unlucky' and had reacted with 'prickly heat' after her tanning session. However, the red rash grew into nasty painful blisters as the day wore on and she went to seek medical help, where medics told her Giant Hogweed was the possible cause of her painful third-degree burns. What is giant hogweed? 'Britain's most dangerous plant': Found across the country the giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) looks harmless enough but can deliver life-changing injuries Giant hogweed is a non-native species to the UK. It was first introduced to the UK as an ornamental plant in the 19th century after being discovered in the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia. The plant escaped and naturalised in the wild and can now be found throughout much of the UK - especially on river banks as its seeds are transported by the water. It has been spreading uncontrollably across Scotland for decades, producing up to 50,000 seeds which can survive for many years. But the sap of the weed, which looks like a giant version of the harmless plant cow parsley, is extremely toxic to humans and animals, causing horrific burns on the skin. The skin remains sensitive to UV light for many years - and can even cause blindness if near the eyes. Every year, thousands of people, including children and pets, suffer life-changing injuries from Giant Hogweed after accidentally coming into contact with it out in the wild. 'It is a horrible plant,' Ms Perrone explained: 'There have been lots of cases of that where children playing, picking a plant. 'And then they end up with all like really really bad burns and some blisters on their face.' Her advice, is to summon in the experts when dealing with such an aggressive weed: 'If you're really worried about it, get a professional horticulturist in to do it for you. 'They are very used to dealing with this kind of thing, and they will be able to do that safely and have all the equipment.' But Hogweed isn't the only wrangling weed that strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners across the nation, so too does the sight of Japanese Knotweed scaling the garden fences. According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the invasive plant is a peristene clum-forming herbaceous perennial, and it has the ability to knock off thousands from your homes' value if it spreads to your property. For grandmother Glenys Parsons the 'nightmare' of Japanese Knotweed was her reality, with an invasion by the garden menace leaving her seaside home in south Wales unsellable. The Knotweed, which covered almost every inch of the now-widowed Mrs Parsons' garden and began to destabilise a 15-foot retaining wall at the edge of her property. 'It is a total nightmare,' said retired carer Mrs Parsons, 69, who has a son and two granddaughters. But the harder they toil, the faster and more vigorously it grows back, Mrs Parsons said. Again Ms Perrone's advice is to call in the professionals when it comes to pesky Japanese Knotweed as the plant is covered by The Wildlife and Countrside Act 1981 as well as the Environmental Protection Act 1990. 'If you've got it in your garden, you're not just going to be able to cut it down and put it in the green waste bin, because it's classed as controlled waste,' she explained. 'You have to get in a professional to deal with it, there are various ways of removing it, and there are several companies that will help you with that.' Rotten decking You don't expect to plunge through a rotten garden decking while basking in the warm weather - but this was Scott Eaves reality. The Welshman, 48, from Penrhyndeudraeth wound up with a broken foot after his garden decking gave way beneath him as he hung up his washing. As the birds chirp in the sunlight, shocking footage shows Mr Eaves dramatically plummet through his wooden decking. The 48-year-old was forced to spend eight hours in hospital after the fall, which also left him with a bloodied nose and a 'fat lip', after his attempt to make the most of a sunny spring day backfired. Ms Perrone recommends homeowners always keep a watchful eye on their decking's maintenance for any possible 'weak spots' blighted by damp conditions. 'Obviously wood decking is made of a material that does degrade over time and it was very popular about 10 or 15 years ago,' she said. 'So there's likely a lot of decking around the country, that is a little bit older, and maybe just hasn't been maintained. 'There will be areas of the decking that will wear more quickly than others, and that can be down to all kind of actors, including exposure to the elements or a dripping drain pipe. 'So go and check your decking and look for areas of weakness, for wobbly boards or ones that are warped and are in differently alignment to the rest. She added: 'Getting down on your hands and knees and having a little feel, obviously preferably not with your foot, but you'll probably be able to see which bits are starting to go.' To keep your decking in tip top shape and avoid injuries, she advises to place any rotting boards immediately as well as keeping the wood treated with an appropriate decking stain. Cutting down trees The temptation to cut down a tree towering your home is sometimes overbearing, but there are several factors to take into account before picking up your chainsaw. But you should be wary, as taking to a tree with an axe outside your home may not only result in it toppling onto your property - you could be slapped with a hefty fine. Ms Perrone explains that is important to check the status of a tree giving it the chop as they may have a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) in place. A TPO is legal mechanism used by local planning authorities in England to protect the organisms, and violating could result in you paying thousands in fines. Last October, wealthy businessman, Khalil Hussain, 67, was fined the paltry sum of £1,666, after he felled six protected 100-year-old oak trees from his front garden. The oak trees were worth an estimated £250,000 collectively and cutting them dwon contravened a tree preservation order. Mr Hussain pled guilty to the charge of contravening a tree preservation order before Bradford Magistrates Court in October, and in addition to the controversial fine, was ordered to stump up for £3,000 worth of costs. Gardening expert, Ms Perrone stresses that gardeners seek advice from the council before moving ahead with any tree removal. 'You have to remember about trees is some, including ones in your garden, potentially have got a TPO in place,' she said. 'And so there are certain trees which you might not be able to do anything with, or you might need to consult the council first. 'Most councils have some kind of tree officer as part of their kind of green spaces team, and they will be able to advise you.' She added: 'Whatever you do, don't try and do it yourself, this is why people train as tree surgeons - it's a very dangerous business.' How to deal with rats and pest plaguing your garden Pests in your home or garden is nothing short of hellish - and no doubt there would be an irresistible urge to set down poison to eradicate them. Lesleyanne Walker's £400,000 home in Bushey, near Watford was taken over by a plague of gorging rats last summer. So much so, she had to pull on a protective outfit before she stepped outside and searches for the rodents before she safely let out her dog every morning. Her neighbour Marina Gvilova, in the house opposite in Bushey, near Watford, even had her car damaged by rats eating through plastic under the bonnet. Ms Walker, who suffers from anxiety, claimed the infestation came from the vermin burrowing in from a neighbour's unkempt garden. She told MailOnline last year: 'This is absolutely disgusting. I shouldn't have to be living like this.' And while setting down poison might be the first decision to go through any one in such a predicament's mind, Ms Perrone says you should act with extreme caution. 'Other Wildlife be affected, and if you put poison down, and then rats consume that, that's the main source of food for owls, and it affects the food chain,' she said. 'So it's really tricky. My main advice would be if you're going to buy any of these products, read and stick to the instructions extremely carefully. 'And that you're particularly cautious if you do have children or pets wandering around, because that is a real risk factor.' She added: 'It may feel like you're saving money by doing some kind of like homegrown solution to these things, but sometimes those shortcuts can be can work very badly. So again, call in the experts to deal with those issues.' The gardening expert also noted how most councils offer pest control services, and are available at a reduced rates to some residents.
The Guardian
03-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘The leaves fall off – but I think that's normal': the houseplants you just can't kill
There is a good reason that we treat certain houseplants as the green wallpaper of our homes: the odd splash of water and they seem to rub along fine. These are the species that have proved, over many decades, that they are best adapted to surviving in a vast range of situations. Unfortunately, familiarity breeds contempt, so many of us dismiss snake plants, spider plants, Swiss cheese plants and dragon trees as uninspiring and basic, even though they are the species that are likely to thrive, whatever the conditions. The key to making 'bog standard' houseplants look good is to display them in an atypical way: an oversized trough of snake plants rather than a few leaves in a lonely pot; the silhouette of a mass of plain green spider plants in a huge hanging basket instead of a spindly cream-striped specimen on a shelf; or a forest of dragon trees in a huge barrel planter. If you love flowers, moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) are a great choice as they are incredibly tough, and unfazed by the centrally heated air of our homes. Again, think about innovative ways of presenting them: they can look amazing massed in a single container. When it comes to shopping for houseplants, bear in mind that many plants sold in DIY stores, houseplant shops and supermarkets are not marketed with longevity in mind. Have you ever met anyone with a calathea older than a few months, for instance? So choose your purchase carefully. If your home lacks natural light (small windows and a north-facing aspect are the usual predictors of this), your options are far more limited: plain green-leaved houseplants such as the cast-iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) and kangaroo ivy (Cissus antarctica) will do well in darker corners. But remember that if it is too dark to read a book without a light on, it's too dark for a houseplant to grow. If you have a sunnier home, cacti and succulents are a great choice: the forest cacti in particular are well suited to indoor growing and can live for decades. They are found in the tree canopies of South America, so do not need as much sunlight as the desert cacti. The Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving cacti (Schlumberger species) are probably best known but also look out for the mistletoe cacti (Rhipsalis species) and orchid cacti (Epiphyllum species). If you're on a limited budget, these are easy to grow from cuttings, so beg your friends for cuttings to kickstart your collection. Jane Perrone Falls, house moves, young children, long journeys in biscuit tins: these readers' plants have endured it all, and they're still going strong When I left Sweden in 2011, I couldn't take my plants with me, especially my rock orchid, which would have died in the moving truck. It was a Valentine's present from my husband, so I was sad to part with it, but I gave it to a friend. I kept two small offshoots, wrapped them in damp kitchen towel and newspaper, put them in a biscuit tin, and carried them in my hand luggage on the plane to London. Fourteen years later, I still have the orchids. They are happy to be watered whenever I remember, with water left out overnight. (It's important never to use water straight from the tap.) People say orchids are very difficult, but my orchids are the only plants I can keep alive. Vanessa, library assistant, Dorset I purchased 'Ralph', my aspidistra, from a house clearance shop in Battersea in 1971. He has moved house with me many times during my long career. Over the years at least 20 root cuttings have been given to family, colleagues and friends, and they have thrived equally well. Ralph is best housed away from direct sunlight with space for new leaves to grow. He likes a drink once a week but does not start to turn yellow with anger until neglected for about three weeks. Keith Spanswick, 76, designer of medical equipment, Nottingham We bought a fairly small monstera (Swiss cheese plant) about eight years ago and put it in the corner of our conservatory. It thrived, sending its tendrils across the granite walls, and was repotted after a couple of years. It is now completely enormous – around 8ft (2.4m) tall. It is totally living its best life. Robert Dunn, 62, self-catering manager, Strontian, Scotland My peace lily started life as a very small office plant bought one lunchtime in Leeds market about eight years ago. It seemed happy enough while I was at work but every time I was away for a week or so it appeared to have died. I got many surprised comments from colleagues as I did some emergency intensive watering in the kitchen. It kept bouncing back and hung in there despite the bouts of neglect. When I retired four years ago, I brought it home and started to give it a bit more attention. Even so, I just water it when it looks droopy and feed maybe once or twice a year. It rewards me with beautiful glossy leaves and regular flowers. Gillian Richardson, West Yorkshire I have had what I think is a dracaena (dragon plant) since 1999. I was given it as a leaving present from my last employment. It's about 8ft tall and requires almost no upkeep – it tolerates being forgotten for weeks at a time and always looks really healthy. Lower leaves dry and fall off, but I think that's normal. I love it. Kate Edmonds, former career and executive coach, Alfriston, East Sussex I picked up my rubber plant from Columbia Road flower market in London in 2018, as a tiny sapling. It has been through seven house moves, a pandemic and the arrival of three children under three who terrorise everything in reaching distance. It is still going strong, sprouting new leaves, and is now enjoying its twilight years. The secret? No idea. None of my other plants has fared as well. Kevin, 41, charity sector recruiter, London I have owned my umbrella plant since 2011, when I bought it from a DIY store in a 15cm pot. It is now about 8ft tall, and has been cut back several times. Like many houseplants, it thrives on neglect, but this one is remarkable. It has helped that it has been set up like an office plant rather than a typical houseplant: large planter, large volume of compost, watering only once every few weeks. It responds well to pruning and several cuttings have been taken and grown on. Kenneth Freeman, interior landscaping consultant, Swanley, Kent I currently have three beefsteak begonias. The mother plant is about 30 years old and came from a single rooted leaf given out in a paper cup at a fundraiser for a political candidate. Over time I have rooted cuttings or broken off bits to give to family and neighbours. The mother plant was once knocked off the porch rail and fell 7ft to the ground; I gathered up the broken-off bits and rooted them. I keep it in a sunny southern window in the winter and outside on the northern-exposure front porch the rest of the year. It is an extremely forgiving houseplant and propagates easily from cuttings, blooming from February till the end of April, with light pink flowers. Juliana Inman, 73, architect, Salem, Oregon, US My dwarf umbrella plant was a present on my 25th birthday. It quickly grew into a large plant that spent its early life in a pot on the floor next to my parents' back door. Mum would occasionally throw some water on it, but it thrived on benign neglect – covered in dust, leaned on, leaves crushed, occasionally 'watered' by the cat and then cut back to within an inch of its life as it dared to push new branches or leaves beyond its allotted corner. It eventually moved with me to my own home, where it has since lived a largely event-free life. Forty years later, it is still thriving on benign neglect. Sally Nunn, 64, retired, Grimsby I was given my clivia (bush lily) by my late husband's grandmother when we married in 1987. It has luscious green leaves and should have a large orange flower. The plant has thrived but is very temperamental when it comes to flowering. I have divided or repotted it every few years and fed it in spring and summer, but I have had only a handful of flowers in more than 30 years. Liz, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk I inherited my money plant from my parents. I believe it was a present from when they married in the 80s. It lived in their conservatory and survived for 18 months, completely solo, after they passed away. When their property was sold I took some of the furniture and the plant. I was warned it would probably die, as it would be in storage for a month with no light. It looked extremely sad when we got it down to where I live in Cornwall. However, a warm spot in our children's play space and some watering bulbs slowly revived it. I added fertiliser when I saw new growth and it is looking much happier and healthier now. Clearly, it is a survivor. Mark Ferguson, 33, researcher, Cornwall People featured in the article responded to a Community callout. You can contribute to open callouts here. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
