Latest Articles - lakeviewlandscaping.co.uk

Person planting a holly plant with red berries in a terracotta pot on a balcony table.

Plant a Holly Shrub by Early March: Evergreen Red Berries and a Lucky Start

Oliver Whitfield • August 22, 2026

While many borders still look bare and grey, seasoned gardeners are already turning to an evergreen classic: the holly shrub....

Woman wearing boots sitting on doorstep near a happy dog in a sunny garden with flowers and green grass.

A Mulched Garden Path to Keep Mud Out of the Hallway

Oliver Whitfield • August 22, 2026

The dog rockets in from the garden, grinning, tongue out… and peppering the white hallway tiles with tiny brown splashes....

Person harvesting fresh lettuce from a raised garden bed in a sunny backyard.

Buttercrunch lettuce: how much sun it needs (4–6 hours)

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Many home gardeners grow Buttercrunch as they would any other leafy lettuce-then later wonder why the leaves turn bitter or...

Person pruning basil plant on balcony with other potted herbs, watering can, and open gardening book on table.

The One Pruning Habit That Makes Balcony Herbs Thrive

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The basil gave up first. One day it was a thick, fragrant cushion along the balcony rail; the next it...

Hand in wool jumper filling a bird feeder with seeds on a wooden table outside in winter.

Winter bird feeders: why wet seed can harm garden birds

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Winter can look deceptively calm: crisp dawns, still gardens, and birds puffed up on the feeder. For wildlife, though, the...

Three people measure and discuss a newly planted tree in a sunny suburban garden.

Practical guide to Hedges and Trees on the Property Boundary: Distances, Height and Neighbour Rights

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Anyone planning to plant trees or shrubs along a property boundary needs to think about far more than looks and...

Man planting seeds in a garden bed surrounded by growing plants and flowers in a backyard garden.

Soil Fatigue: Why Crop Rotation Revives Your Garden

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The earliest warning is almost never spectacular. Not a cloud of insects and not some biblical curse. It’s far more...

Young woman planting flowers on a wooden deck with gardening tools and colourful potted plants around her.

Nine Fast Flowers for Borders and Pots in Spring

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Between the last frosty nights and the first truly mild days, many borders can look bleak. If you plan sensibly...

Tabby cat with a colourful collar watching a feather toy in a sunlit garden near a birdhouse and bushes.

Protect Garden Birds from Cats with Refuge 3-2-1

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Spring brings the garden to life - and, all too often, it also wakes up the hunting drive of the...

Woman harvesting fresh carrots from a vegetable garden while holding a planting guide.

Safer vegetables in UK garden soil: lead, PFAS and other contaminants

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Before the spring sowing begins, plenty of gardeners find themselves wondering the same low-key thing. Could the soil beneath your...

Person pruning a potted herb plant on a wooden table with a steaming cup of tea nearby.

Early spring pruning: how to cut thyme back so it stays compact and productive

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The year’s first properly warm day always feels slightly suspect. The sunshine seems kind, yet the ground is still chilled...

Person sprinkling green lawn fertilizer powder on grass in a sunlit garden yard with gardening tools nearby

Eisen(II)-sulfat in March: the simple powder that stops moss and greens your lawn

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

In March, there’s an unassuming powder that can change everything. When spring arrives, many hobby gardeners think first of the...

Person measuring long grass with ruler beside red and black electric lawn mower on sunny lawn.

First lawn cut after winter: the right spring mowing height and timing

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The sun is making an appearance again, the garden is slowly drying out, and that familiar machine is waiting in...

Snow-covered wooden bird feeder with five great tits flying and feeding on sunflower seeds in winter.

Wooden platform bird feeder: the simple winter feeder birds prefer

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Icy dawns, brittle grass, and a garden that seems lifeless… until a single, no-frills piece of timber becomes the place...

Hands shaping a wire heart around a potted spider plant on a sunlit wooden table by a window.

Turn a spider plant into a living sculpture at home

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Most people relegate the spider plant to the role of easy background greenery rather than treating it as a focal...

Person gardening in a raised bed, planting a small tree with a watering can and rake nearby.

Seasonal Mulch Thickness: The Right Depth for Calm, Happy Roots

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The first time I pushed my hand into the mulch at the base of my tomatoes in July, I knew...

Young man tending to tall potted plants on a balcony with city buildings in the background on a sunny day.

The New Asian Plant Replacing Bamboo on City Balconies

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

On many city balconies, the long-celebrated bamboo is facing serious competition – an unassuming plant from Asia is currently turning...

Two small birds feeding from a wooden feeder on a garden railing near a person holding binoculars and a bird guide.

How Tits in Your Garden Reveal Local Environmental Health

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

A tit that settles into your garden and returns day after day is doing far more than providing a pleasant...

Person planting seeds in labelled seedling trays on a wooden table near a window with a calendar.

March sowings that shape your summer harvest

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The days are stretching out, the ground is stirring, and gardeners everywhere start to feel that familiar urge to sow...

Hands holding a terracotta pot with a small plant showing glowing roots inside, on a wooden table near a window.

The Natural Root Signal: Why Plants Hit the Brakes

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

The greenhouse had a gentle kind of clatter that only living plants seem to make: extraction fans droning, slow drips...

Person scrubbing moss off patio tiles with brush, blue bucket and yellow cleaning bottle nearby.

Terrace moss and algae: the washing-up liquid trick instead of a pressure washer

Oliver Whitfield • August 21, 2026

Many homeowners don’t realise this: you don’t need a pressure washer or harsh chemicals to get rid of that slippery...