The bark of a tree is its own protection against the weather. While we shrug on a coat when it’s wet or cold, a tree will grow its own to insulate itself, keeping moisture out when it’s raining and in when it’s hot. Touching or hugging a tree can help us feel closer to nature and more content. Its rough textured comfort causes the release of oxytocin, known as the love hormone, for a feeling of warmth and wellbeing. In my opinion, the beauty of bark shouldn’t be overshadowed by colorful...

Jump to category: What is bucket gardening? What you will need Best crops to grow in buckets How much space do you need? How to maintain a bucket garden FAQs By Alison Jones in Advice The bucket is a gardening essential when it comes to fetching and carrying, whether it's water, earth, new bulbs to be planted or weeds for the compost heap. But there are more uses to it than just being a portable pail. It can become a compact container garden for cultivating flowers and vegetables in the...

Jump to category: What makes a French provincial garden? Delight in informality Pick painterly colors Planting choices for a French-inspired garden By Alison Jones in Advice Perfume, color, and joie de vivre are synonymous with France, and all these words could sum up the delights of a French provincial garden. The French are famous for their love of gardens; the immaculately landscaped grounds of the Palace of Versailles are a national treasure and one of its most beloved tourist...

in Advice Rhododendrons are real showstoppers in the yard. When in bloom, the large bushes are covered in colorful, ball-like clusters of bell-shaped flowers. Most varieties are evergreens, and will retain their glossy, dark green leaves through bitter winters. It is these leaves that have earned them the nickname of nature’s thermometers. The leaves are thermotropic – the colder it gets, the more they protectively curl and roll up, unfurling once the weather warms up again. Their reaction to...