I have been wanting to add some water for increased biodiversity to our garden for a while but have been wary of open water due to small children concerns. 
I have recently had a thought due to some recycling opertunities coming along. 
I have a broken recycling box which is split down one corner and not useful as a recycling box any more. Also due to some recent house refurbishment and some hard landscaping I have some thick black plastic to use and a large quantity of rocks and stones of differing sizes. 
My thoughts are could I effectively make a submerged sump with the box and plastic, fill it with stones then fill with water? 
Could it be useful as a source of drinking water for birds, insects etc? Would it be useful at all and if so how?

I’m going to have to buy a few plants for my garden. At some point 
Where would you recommend buying from? Obviously not T&M .
I’ll use David Austin for roses 
I’ll probably be after some clematis & camellia and flowery shrub type things that take ages or don’t do well from seed.

I have to accept that one of my seed-grown artichokes is actually a cardoon. Last year I hoped and hoped, but when it made two plus metres and produced abundant tiny (but pretty) flowers I had to admit that this was no artichoke!
A quick interweb suggests the plants need to be harvested in late summer or early autumn, or another from December to spring! A friend from Provence says that they eat it as a gratin at Christmas, which fits with the winter harvest.
So, anyone grown, and more importantly cooked and eaten cardoons?

   

The beast in the summer last year. And now of course, instead of one giant there are three fighting for space!

After a flying start with fast germination I steadily pricked out seedlings of aubergines,  peppers,  chillies & tomatoes as the first true leaves appeared and while I expect everything to stop for a while I've realised that nothing is really growing on.
Most aubergines, pricked out in early March still only have a single pair of tiny leaves.  They have been indoors in the warm until about 10 days ago.  I know they were initially too dry, as I over-compensated for last year's fungus gnats,  but that was quickly rectified. 
I'm guessing the cheap compost is the problem,  do you think it's worth buying some better compost and repotting everything?  It all has to go in the ground by mid May as we'll be away then, so one month's time.
Thanks all.

I read today that some Portuguese country folk say that, if you have  Portuguese cabbage, onions and chickens in your garden you'll never starve.
On those lines, do you remember Desert Island Discs where you choose 10 records and a book and a luxury item to take with you when you're a castaway. 

My Nutty question is - what 10 items of food would you take with you to your desert island and what luxury food would you choose?

Ok I should know as I put it in the pot!

I'm pretty sure it's a herb, any ideas please?

   

What are these 2? I’ve just taken cuttings from them both. I’m pretty sure the cream/yellow/green one is an azalea? any idea on variety. Pink one I also thought azalea but not convinced.

         

Imagine that you were planting an Easter themed garden. Think lambs, eggs, rabbits and such like.
What appropriately named plants would you grow?

Hi Folks

Have you sown them indoors/undercover or outdoors?

Posting this under flowers - but it might be a vegetable. 
Has popped up just outside my back door.
Any ideas please?

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