Latest news with #lavender
The Sun
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Aldi's £3 buy keep pesky flies out of your home all summer – and it smells amazing too
ALDI is selling a £3 product that will keep flies out of your home all summer long, and make your house smell amazing. Summer is finally here, and according to the Met Office, it's set to be a scorcher. 2 2 However, although there are so many positives to summer, from warm weather to longer days, it also has its downsides, such as the emergence of irritating pests. House flies can be an incredible annoyance at this time of year, as they sneak in through open doors and windows. Chasing them around with rolled-up newspapers and makeshift fly swatters can seem an endless task, and can ruin your summer's evening. However, according to experts, a quick and easy way to get rid of them is to plant pest-repelling herbs in the garden. Although lavender is one of the most beloved scents for humans, flies can't stand the scent of it. Therefore, if you plant the fragrant flower near the entrance to your home or on the windowsill, it will act as a barrier against flies. Plus, lavender also attracts bees, which will give your garden a wildlife boost. Anyone wanting to try out this simple hack won't have to fork out much, as Aldi is launching a lavender plant for just £3.79. The bargain bloom will be available at stores across the UK from June 12, so flower fans had better set their alarms to be in with the chance of snagging the product. Another plant that flies hate the scent of is cooking staple basil. Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Garden Pest-Free Purchasing a pot and placing it on the windowsill will keep the insects at bay. Plus, you can pull of a leaf or two and add it to pastas, pizzas or salads to enhance their flavour. Mint is another plant that flies can't stand due to its sharp refreshing scent. Plus, it works great as an addition to summer cocktails such as mojitos. IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. How to Care for Lavender To get the most out of your lavender, plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Once it's settled in, it won't need much watering – in fact, it prefers to stay on the dry side. French lavender typically flowers from late spring into early autumn, with a peak bloom period between May and September. Some varieties, like Lavandula stoechas "Papillon" and "Tiara", are known for their continuous flowering from late spring to early autumn. After French lavender flowers, you should trim the spent flower stalks to encourage more blooms and keep the plant compact. You can also prune the plant back in late summer or early spring to rejuvenate it and prevent it from becoming woody.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Five beautiful flower fields across the UK to visit this summer – and some have free entry
AS summer steps into bloom, so do millions of flowers across the UK - and what is better than getting out and seeing them. Whilst the UK doesn't benefit from a tropical climate or colour-coded tulip fields, we still gets some amazing plants and garden destinations. 6 Here is a round-up of some of the best flower gardens in the UK, including a new lavender destination. Secret Lavender Garden, Mayfield Mayfield Lavender, famed for its organic Banstead lavender farm, will launch a brand-new visitor experience this summer: the Secret Lavender Garden. The experience will open on June 21 Mayfield's Epsom site in Surrey - which is also home to the Glasshouse Café and Gift & Plant Shop. There will be time sessions in the morning and afternoon for visitors to explore the fragrant lavender, an apple orchard, over 500 fruit trees and local wildlife. There is a tall tree-lined avenue that leads guests to a second hidden lavender field, which boasts amazing countryside views and even the skyline of London is visible. Guests will be allowed to bring a picnic blanket or sit at one of the garden's tables to enjoy the fields. They can also pre-order one of Mayfield's handcrafted pick-up hampers filled with treats. Alternatively, visitors can head to the Glasshouse Cafe which offers a menu including lavender-inspired food and drinks. From the July 5, the Secret Lavender Garden will also offer 'sunset special' slots for golden-hour views. Booking online costs £10 for adults, £8 for children over the age of 12 and £5 for children between five and 11-years-old. Explore the Most Beautiful Flower Fields in the UK Brendan Maye, founder of Mayfield Lavender, said: "The opening of the Secret Lavender Garden at our Epsom site marks an exciting chapter for Mayfield. "It's a peaceful, hidden gem that complements the vibrant atmosphere of the Banstead-based lavender farm. We can't wait for people to experience both." Little Budds Farm, Coldblow Lane Set in the Kent countryside, is Little Budds Peony Farm - a great peony paradise, that boasts displays of over 6,000 peonies. Peonies only bloom for a few weeks each year, from the end of Mat to the beginning of June. And at Little Budds Farm, visitors can see the vast array of flowers until June 15. In total, the farm has over 50 different varieties of peonies, which all range in size, shape, scent and colour. Whilst visitors cannot pick their own peonies, there are plenty of pre-picked bunches available for purchase at the site. The farm is completely free to visit, but tickets to see the flowers must be booked in advance. 6 If heading from London, guests can board a direct train from London Victoria to Bearstead and then hop in a short taxi ride to the farm. The Confetti Flower Field, Worcestershire The Confetti Flower Field in Worcestershire is home to an array of flowers that bloom for just 10 days. Estimated to bloom towards the end of June, the farm has acres of tall delphinium flowers. Guests will be able to see the flowers in the fields, as well as a range of insects. At full bloom, the fields are a "magical experience" according tot he farm's website and visitors will be able to walk around "such an expanse of colour". There will also be a pop-up Confetti Café, a small shop and fresh flower stall inside the event. 6 New for this year, the farm is also offering sunset events on June 26 and July 1 and 3. Tickets cost £9.95 per person and must be booked in advance. Blooming Green, Kent Also in Kent is Blooming Green - a large meadow with bundles of wild flowers to investigate. Whilst a fruit farm, Blooming Green has seasonal, organic flowers that visitors can pick every Saturday from late June to October. There is no need to book and guests can simply grab a PYO (pick your own) container and take the pick of the bunch. The farm will even wrap up your field-fresh flowers. Admission is completely free of charge, but it does cost £25 for a PYO container of up to 40 stems. 6 Hitchin Lavender, Hertfordshire Hitchin Lavender is home to more than 30 acres of lavender, making it the largest lavender farm in the UK. Visitors can head there, explore and pick lavender themselves. Outside of the main field, there is also a two-acre display field that showcases 60 different varieties of lavender. The flowers bloom from mid-June to late August. Also, at the same site, there is a sunflower field where visitors can also explore and pick the sunflowers, which are priced per stem. 6 If that wasn't enough floral exploration, there are also wildflower meadows with hundreds of wildflower varieties. To make a day out of it, visitors can also enjoy the Old Barn Tearoom, which is a 17th century barn serving up hot food and drinks, homemade cakes and has a children's play area just outside. General admission costs £8.91 per adult and £6.81 per child. There are a number of stunning spots around the world to take the perfect floral selfie. Plus, the pretty 'secret' garden in England that is more like going to China and Egypt. 6
The Sun
02-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
The 40p trick to keep moths out of your home this summer – they hate it but it'll make your pad smell super fresh
Abigail Wilson, Senior Digital Writer Published: Invalid Date, IF you've noticed the emergence of moths in your home, fear not, we've got just the thing. With spring in full swing, many of us will spot the unwanted insects fly into our homes. 2 Not only can moths find their way into our belongings, make holes in clothes and eat our food, but professional pest control services can cost hundreds of pounds too. Luckily for you, a storage expert has revealed that prevention is key and has shared a purse-friendly trick to help keep the pests far away from your home. And don't worry, there's barely any faff involved. Chris Hutton, an expert from Adams SelfStore, shared a "simple and highly effective solution" that will banish moths for good. And not only will it get rid of moths, but it'll ensure your pad smells fresh too. Chris explained: "While we might find lavender 's scent calming and pleasant, moths find it repellent. 'All you need to do is place a sachet where moths are likely to hide, wardrobes, drawers, or anywhere they can make a home. 'Once they catch a whiff of lavender, they'll make themselves scarce. "Simple as that." The expert recommended placing lavender sachets around homes in places such as "wardrobes, under cushions, in storage boxes, or even inside your pantry to keep moths away from your most vulnerable items." Top Pest Control Tips for Your Yard Not only this, but he warned that although small, moths "can cause big problems". Chris also stressed: "The key to dealing with moths is staying one step ahead. IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. 'With just a small investment in lavender, you can prevent damage to your belongings." But that's not all, as he claimed that doing so will ensure you "enjoy a peaceful, moth-free home this spring." The key to dealing with moths is staying one step ahead Chris Hutton According to Chris, a 50g bag of lavender can be bought for as little as £2 online. He recommended using just 10g per sachet, which will cost you only 40p per pouch, making this trick great for those on a budget. And with temperatures set to soar and summer right around the corner, there's no time like the present, with now being the perfect time to take action and keep moths at bay.
Globe and Mail
18-05-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
Love and so many memories grow in my garden
First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at My garden is in full bloom now, the late spring warmth and showers having worked their magic again. Out front, there's a cluster of huge double peonies that I call my Pink Ladies – a nod to the cocktail my mother used to make my sister and me (even when we were young!) on Christmas Eve. They dance elegantly in the breeze, their showy flowers in bubble gum hues attracting passersby who stop to admire them and take photos. The Ladies arch gracefully over a glorious patch of lavender, an homage to Provence where I lived as a student. Nestled against that purple cloud is my Bleeding Heart, the sole surviving plant from my divorce, aptly named. And tucked behind that spectacular front row are patches upon patches of flowers and shrubs that recall so many people and events in my life over the 35 years I've been in my home. My garden is hardly expansive, it's a 10 x 10 square fronting a small semi on a busy main street. I don't have a particularly green thumb, so I've had to work at it. When I first moved in and began to tackle the tangled mess I'd inherited, a dear friend of my youth named Ed, a sort of substitute dad to my absent one, came to offer suggestions. An avid horticulturist, he saw my efforts were failing and understood what I was up against – a giant maple whose roots were sucking the nutrients from everything else. Eddy advised me to remove the grass, gave me Solomon's Seal and Lily-of-the Valley from his garden and told me that, delicate as they were, they'd outwit the tree. I liked thinking of him whenever his plants pushed through the winter frost each year, especially after he was gone. With little money to invest in more, I decided to plant cuttings from friends and family, and over time, I exchanged the favour, too. It was a slow process, but it's transformed my small yard into a garden of memories, a lush reminder of the rich life I've lived in this house because of the people whose paths I've crossed. It's also an endless source of enjoyment, and not just for me. The tiger lilies that bloom in the heat of summer were a gift from my neighbour Jack, a widower who died 30 years ago. Jack wintered in Portugal, returning only for the warmer months to tend his garden. When he did, he'd sleep on a mattress on his enclosed porch, saying that he liked to talk to the moon every night before bed. My kids thought that was so fantastic, we pitched a fake tent and did the same on ours. Jack's backyard was full of Tiger Lilies, his wife's favourite, and he said I reminded him of her. My neighbour Marion two doors up is in my garden, too, her hydrangeas uprooted with permission when she moved to a retirement home. The day I moved in, she'd waved over the back fence and, not long after, her chatty husband Bob brought me lettuce and endless stories from his garden. Till he passed on, he was my advisor, teaching me to till, plant and prune. When I call Marion now, she proudly says the plant I brought as a housewarming present is thriving in the sun, and we're both glad to have flowers as mutual reminders of our long friendship between visits. As life would have it, I also have plants in my garden from people whose friendships have run their course. A Monet-esque patch of iris, feathery astilbe, hardy hostas and creeping phlox – I look at those plants with fondness, and think not of breaches or loss, but of kindnesses that were shared, a perennial reminder of happy times. And, of course, there are all the flowers that my children and I chose together – tulips and crocuses to celebrate my older daughter's birthday on the first day of Spring, bright daisies my younger daughter adored and occasionally snipped to make daisy chains. Out back is a flowering crab apple tree that was barely taller than my little girls when I put it in the ground 25 years ago and now towers over our tiny patio. It bursts into pale pink glory every year then drops its petals like snow on a Buddha I bought with a dear friend who died four years ago of cancer. There are delphiniums, tea roses and ivy which adorned my mum's casket, clusters of blue forget-me-nots from a new and unexpected friend. A poppy from my sister. Potted vegetables include pickling cucumbers grown from my next-door-neighbour's seeds, a beloved friend who was there from the beginning and recently died. And each year, my husband plants pods dried from his dad's garden which yield Italian flat beans that would have made my father-in-law awfully proud. It still takes work and I'm grateful I no longer have to do it all alone. But every year, I wink at Mother Nature and thank her for doing the heavy lifting, leaving me free to marvel at new growth, and to reminisce over the many people whose flowers have been transplanted into my garden, and whose spirits have touched my life. Shirley Phillips lives in Toronto.
The Sun
07-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
Lavender will double in size and produce loads more flowers if you add 45p kitchen staple to soil this spring
THERE'S nothing quite like that relaxing scent of lavender during a warm spring and summer evening. Although it is a quintessential product of Provence, the sturdy shrub has been a gardeners' favourite all over the world and has been cultivated since Ancient Rome. 2 2 May is the perfect time to cultivate this beautiful yet low-maintenance shrub in the garden - and now one expert has revealed how to make the plant double in size thanks to a 45p kitchen staple. The whizz and YouTuber MIgardener explained that to make your lavender plants look fabulous this season you should fertilise it. In the informative clip, the guru recommended liquid nitrogen which can be found in fertilizer. But the amount of nitrogen varies significantly, typically ranging from 15% to 40%. Coffee grounds also contain liquid nitrogen and are a cheaper alternative to fertilizer, costing you around 45p. But coffee grounds typically contain around 1 to 2 percent nitrogen. They also contain small amounts of phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients. So while not a major source of nitrogen, they can contribute to plant nutrition, particularly when composted or added to soil as a soil amendment. Make sure to dilute the coffee grounds with water before applying them to flowerbeds as otherwise they can be too acidic and harm your plants. Another added bonus of using coffee as a fertiliser over synthetic ones is that it won't damage your l awn. The £14.50 Wickes buy people are swearing by to get rid of weeds on their driveway for GOOD If synthetic fertiliser is applied incorrectly it can reek havoc by burning the grass or contaminating the water, which coffee grounds won't do. On top of that, coffee acts as a slow-release fertiliser, the opposite of synthetic ones. Worms also love coffee and will eat it up along with the soil which in return aerates the lawn to stimulate even more growth. While fertilising your plants and flowers is a must for all gardeners and goes without saying, another key element is picking the right time, he added. According to the green-fingered YouTuber, whose lavender had expanded twice in size, you should fertilise it twice a year. May gardening jobs The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to crack on with in May. GARDEN growth can go from nought to ninety in May, depending on the weather. The last UK frosts are generally seen at the beginning of the month, so all of a sudden there's so much more to do and grow. Plant out dahlia tubers It's a joy to finally plant out your dahlia tubers. Remember how big they can get - and space accordingly - anything up to half a metre apart. It's a good idea to put your support stakes in now instead of trying to work around them. And make sure you include lots of well rotted manure or decent compost to feed it and then mulch to keep it moist and suppress weeds. They generally start blooming in July. Final feed to Spring flowers You can give a cheeky feed to all your remaining tulips and daffodils. Although the majority of bulbs aren't guaranteed to come back year after year any more, as long as you've left them to die back naturally there's a good chance they'll have stored enough energy to come back again. Tomato feed is fine. Tie up climbers Your clematis, honeysuckle and rambling roses should be well on their way by now - try to use plastic free string to tie them back into their support, or tuck them round each other to make sure they don't sprout off in crazy directions. Feed the lawn It's not too late to give your lawn a good feed. Whether you use granular or liquid, it can give it a good boost to see it through the harsher summer months. While mowing, don't go too low with your cut length yet and never take more than a third off the grass height. Get creative It's also time to get creative with hanging baskets and pots. Trailing pelargoniums, which a lot of people call geraniums, and Begonias are a good, low cost way of getting lovely returning blooms throughout the summer in your baskets. And pots can be planted with spring bulbs. Don't forget the greenhouse! Give your greenhouse a good tidy and clean the glass inside and out. The improved light will help plants grow quicker inside and tidying is good for the soul. You can just use a household white wine vinegar and water solution - or even neat if you're feeling spendy - which gives a really good shine. Dropping his knowledge bombs online, the whizz explained that the first fertilising should take place in spring. ''The goal is to get the plant out of the dormancy, to get it growing very fast. ''And when it grows really fast, all of that new growth is what it's going to flower on. ''We want to get lots of new growth to encourage lots of flowers.'' Once the flowers are gone and the lilac shrub is getting ready for winter, it's time to follow up with the second fertilising about a month or two before the first frost date. While during spring and summer the shrubs need more phosphorus, a winter fertilizer should be higher in potassium to ''help them set up better for spring''. For this, he advised to apply the fertiliser a month or two before the first frost to the base of the plant. ''We pull the foliage up, we dig up a small little trench about an inch deep, sprinkle the fertiliser around the base of the plant. ''Then we simply scratch it in, we water it in well - and that's all we do.
