Reports in the past 24 hours suggested that the UK had recorded its biggest ever wave, at Penzance in Cornwall. It later turned out to be an anomaly. But how do you measure the height of a wave, asks Tom Heyden.
Trim away dead or damaged parts in spring. If you live in a place with heavy snows and harsh weather, your lavender bush is likely to lose a few branches over the winter. Examine the shrub in early spring, before it begins producing new shoots. Remove any broken or rotting branches to make way for new growth.
Water until the roots take hold. Establishing lavender plants takes diligence, and you'll need to water new plants when they're dry to the touch. But once lavender is growing well, the plant is extremely drought-tolerant and doesn't need pampering or fertilizer. The fragrance everyone loves also makes it unattractive to rabbits and deer.