The AnswerBank Articles

There are so many forms of outdoor and garden lighting available these days. How do we choose the right one for our garden

A. First consider the size of the garden and the proximity of others. Too much lighting in a small garden can make the ambience about as relaxing as sitting in the middle of an airport runway, while01:00 Tue 24th Jul 2001

What is a property hot spot

A. There is no definitive definition even though the term is one of the 'buzz' phrases is of the turn of the century. It can be used to describe somewhere where property is always popular like say01:00 Tue 24th Jul 2001

The nation seems to have gone barbeque mad. Where did this enthusiasm for outdoor cooking come from

A. The word barbeque is thought to come from the Spanish. Although meat has been roasted over an open fire since time immemorial. The technique of filling a tray with wood or charcoal and then01:00 Tue 17th Jul 2001

Why are roof gardens all the rage at the moment

A. There are plenty of good reasons why. While there is so much emphasis on moving people back into urban areas and making them better places, one of the things keeping people in the suburbs and the01:00 Tue 17th Jul 2001

Are there any garden plants that are poisonous

A. Yes. In fact the majority of garden plants have the potential to cause problems to humans, from those that can cause mild irritation or rash to the particularly sensitive, to those that can be01:00 Mon 16th Jul 2001

What is leylandii

A. Leylandii, or the Leyland Cypress, is the most popular hedging plant in Britain. It is a hybrid between the false and true Cypress tree and is extremely vigorous. This vigour and the ease with01:00 Tue 10th Jul 2001

What is the best time to cut flowers for the house

A. Now is the time our borders should be full enough to be able to spare a few flowers for the vase without spoiling the garden. Try to cut blooms when they are still in bud, not when they have01:00 Tue 10th Jul 2001

Why do standard household light bulbs blow

A. The thin tungsten filaments in a standard light bulb aren't designed to last forever. Although bulbs are meant to be perfectly sealed air will get in somewhere over time, the filament will get01:00 Tue 10th Jul 2001

Why have floor rugs become so fashionable again

A. The advent of cheap and affordable carpets saw a decline in the number of rugs in the average home. However, with the realisation that carpets can harbour all sorts of allergy-causing mites and01:00 Tue 03rd Jul 2001

We ve just moved into a new house with a very over grown hedge. How should we trim it and when

A. That depends. Evergreen hedges should be tacked in mid-late spring whereas deciduous ones, ones that shed their leaves in winter, need to be dealt with in winter. Try to stick to these times,01:00 Tue 03rd Jul 2001

They re not usually private enough to use, so what s the point of beautifying a front garden

A. Apart from just wanting to have something pleasant to look at as you pass through the gate to the front door, there are good practical reasons. By choosing the right plants you ensure privacy from01:00 Tue 03rd Jul 2001

How popular are garden tours

A. They've come a long way since that pre-Alan Titmarsh hardy perennial of a TV gardener Percy Thrower first offered tours of Westcountry gardens from the Imperial Hotel in Torquay. Themed01:00 Tue 26th Jun 2001

Can we sit back and relax in the July garden

A. Just about. July is one of the best months in the garden, plenty of colour, good weather (touch wood) and all that earlier hard work paying dividends. However, July is also the month to01:00 Tue 26th Jun 2001

How popular is solar heating in Britain

A. Although we are still lagging quite a way behind our European counterparts, solar heating is on the rise here, partly driven by government and EU funding. Homes account for about a third of our01:00 Tue 26th Jun 2001

Is Chelsea the only major gardening event the RHS hold

A. By no means. Chelsea is held in May which, if you think about it, is very early for the majority of plants, both common and rare. Chelsea is as much about garden design and high society as it is01:00 Tue 19th Jun 2001

What is the best way to kill flies in the house

A. Fly sprays are generally pretty lethal, but the pungent chemical aroma, plus the fact that many contain organo-phosphates, which have been linked to health problems, make them increasingly01:00 Tue 19th Jun 2001

What does NCCPG stand for

A. NCCPG stands for the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens. Q. How long has it been going and what does it do A. The NCCPG was set up in 1978 with the expressed01:00 Tue 19th Jun 2001

Is it possible to grow fruit or vegetables from the seeds and pips of things we ve eaten

A. Yes, perfectly possible. There are three kinds of gardener; the ones that don't have the time to raise things from seed and buy the plants ready germinated from the garden centre, the enthusiasts01:00 Tue 12th Jun 2001

Do all climbing plants need supporting

A. There are basically three types of climbers; self supporting, climbers and twiners and those that have no natural means of support at all and need to be trained. The latter two need quite a lot01:00 Tue 12th Jun 2001

Why is air conditioning so common abroad and in our cars, but not in British homes

A. Basically because of cost. Installing a fully integrated air conditioning system into a home or office will set you back around 20,000. Let's face it, in this country we may moan and groan when01:00 Tue 12th Jun 2001