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Can hedges in French garden be trimmed over summer?
Gardens must be cleared of undergrowth and debris to reduce risk of fires in summer months
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Why your garden in France may look unusually ‘yellow’
Crops in northern France have been harvested early due to warmer temperatures
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Must authorities be informed over Japanese knotweed infestation in French garden?
Plant is known to cause harm to local ecosystems in France and cannot be bought or sold
Grower’s digest - January 2020
Tips and tricks for gardeners indoors and out. This month: lemon entry, garden trends and winter bargains....

Lemon entry, my dear gardener
Fruit-based fun aplenty will be had in Menton, Alpes-Maritimes, from February 15 to March 3 as the annual Fête du Citron sees the seaside town awash with citrus-themed parades and sculptures.
Taking inspiration from this love of lemons, why not introduce a citronnier into your own garden or terrace?
Truffaut sells a four-season flowering plant which is fruitful for eight months of the year, in a 5-litre container for €59.95.
Jardin trend-identifiers going for gold
Gardening trends firm Chlorosphère have their green fingers firmly on the French jardinage pulse.
Their latest predictions for what will be hot in 2020 include a return for military-style camouflage colour clashes, such as very dark and variegated greens set against black screens in your garden.
Their other tip is a return to 1980s-inspired pastel pinks and even golds.
Bag a winter bargain
Thoughts of the sunny days of summer may be long gone, but for bargain-hunters now is the time to trawl websites and garden centres for off-season offers as companies clear unsold stock.
A great place to start is the website of Leroy Merlin, which has a wide range of outdoor furniture and barbecues.
For example, as we went to press this Panama pine hammock/chair was listed at just €99.90, a saving of €79.10.
See leroymerlin.fr and click on Bonnes Affaires at the top of the page.
Insta-jardins
Social media app Instagram is a brilliant way to enjoy other people’s gardens in France, with everyone from chateau visitors to chambre d’hôtes owners posting seasonal snaps and quirky updates from their gardens (users can search using the hashtag #jardins or #jardinage).
This month’s image captures the very essence of Provençal garden elegance, with a stunning Lourmarin terrace spotted by maisonandjardin