Your lavender hedge has been a dream of beauty through the summer, but now, its charm is beginning to fade. The answer to this problem is to give it a haircut. The intention is to deadhead the flowers, working carefully along, removing each faded flower back to the base of its stalk. Secateurs are the tool for this job, as shears will do a pudding-basin job. This isn't the work of a moment and, after a while, your joints will set into apparently permanent numbness, but your reward will be the customary admiring remarks.
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Dawn Chorus: A Blue Plaque for Marc Bolan, holidaying in the Caribbean with Francis Ford Coppola and a history of the National Gallery in 25 picturesPlus the best of the property pages, and how the railways will save the countryside.
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Game, set, match: 12 of the world’s most beautiful tennis courtsFrom Italy to Indonesia, when it comes to hotel amenities, a picturesque tennis court will always trump a 24-hour gym. So, before you book your next holiday, take a look at our pick of the 12 best.
