Gardens

EU faces legal challenge from French lawyer over weedkiller sale decision

Corinne Lepage fighting decision to allow glyphosate to be sold in Europe for another 10 years

Garden waste disposal is free in Dordogne until November 9

Seven Dordogne déchèteries are offering green waste drops that do not count towards residents’ total

How to identify and destroy toxic plants that grow in French gardens

Some can cause illness or even be fatal if eaten

practical

Obligatory garden clearance in France: New campaign clarifies who is impacted

New residents will be told of rules from January onwards

Bees protected from Asian hornet attacks by award-winning French device

Frédérique Ripet has won a top business award for creating a device that protects hives from deadly attacks

Falling garden leaves: rules for neighbours in France and can you burn them?

Trees should be planted far enough away from garden boundaries to minimise their impact on neighbouring properties

Photos: Three seasonal autumn gardens to visit in France

Summer may be over but there are beautiful places to admire under the Open Gardens scheme

Get involved and join a local gardening club in France

September is the month when people of all ages join associations

How to keep hunters out of your garden in France

They can enter your land unless you take steps to explicitly state that you do not want them to

Checks, fines, help: rules for clearing undergrowth around French home

Both property owners and tenants must clear their land all year round

Explained: French garden rules on cleaning, bonfires, planting and more

Make sure you stick to the (many) rules if you want to maintain good relationships with your neighbours and avoid fines

Are electric lawn mowers popular in France? How expensive are they?

‘Robot’ lawn mowers are also on the increase

‘Unfair’: Anger over €6,000 bill for clearing neighbour land in France

Débroussaillement is the clearing of overgrowth from a property - and in some cases residents are legally obliged to clear a neighbour’s land at their own cost

France embraces the rise of the robot mowers

Automated robots can keep lawns looking clean with just a weekend of work, and basic models can start from less than €1,000

Does French law allow me to remove a tree growing next to my garden?

Neighbouring trees can be inconvenient or even dangerous to another property

No mow May: homeowners in France asked to let grass grow

‘There is no life in a 4 cm-long lawn’ warns one expert, saying that longer grass helps bees and insects to thrive

Grass clippings: what to do if the tip does not accept them in France

Rennes metropole is the first to bring in a ban - and has ended door-to-door pick ups - but other areas have followed

Can I burn trimmings from my French garden in spring?

Regular upkeep of your garden can result in a lot of déchets verts

Spring into plant swap season and visit a local French ‘TrocPlantes’

Columnist Sarah Beattie discovers the community spirit of swap events where gardeners exchange cuttings

Are there restrictions on building garden walls in France?

Sarah Bright-Thomas of Bright Avocats answers a reader query

Open Gardens France: Vibrant borders and crisp hedges in Mayenne

After two years clearing rubbish and brambles, Edward Moss and David Marsh delight in sharing their ‘garden rooms’

Grass cuttings are no longer accepted at some public tips in France

Increasing numbers of public déchetteries are asking you to take care of your cuttings at home

How to keep boars off land in France: natural ways or electric fence?

Homeowners are seeing more damage each year as numbers of the animals increase

What are the rules for collecting and using rainwater in France

Indoor use in particular is subject to strict rules

Must I remove ivy growing on my French second home?

Ivy can be attractive but can also be viewed as damaging

Land clearance in France: rules, fines and tax credits for garden work

Spring is coming and neglected gardens will soon get out of hand

Can our neighbour in France force us to replace a hedge with a fence?

Position, height, age are all factors which will need to be considered

Is home composting now mandatory in France?

New rules revolving organic waste came into force earlier this year

‘French gardeners love the Britishness of the Open Garden scheme’

Sue Lambert president of Jardins Ouverts talks afternoon tea, No Dig method and finding solace in her garden after losing her son

What to do if you cross a boar while out walking in France?

The animals can be aggressive but generally only if they feel threatened

Can I put up a privacy shield in my French garden?

Barriers may have additional requirements for installation, particularly if installed at the border of your property

How to keep hens as part of a self-sufficient life in France

Tips on choosing the right breed, food and shelter from part-time paysanne Sue Adams

Obligatory new home waste rules in France: items not to compost

We look at items that pollute, do not decompose or kill helpful worms and bacteria

‘Dangerous’ trees, scams, vineyards to buy: French property round up

Our recap of recent property articles

Family may have to move as cannot uproot ‘dangerous’ tree in France

100-year-old cedar could destroy home, says family, but local authority officials at standstill over rules

Gardening in France: New Year’s resolutions and jobs for January

Take time to assess last year and get excited about the gardening year to come

Snowdrop display is perfect showcase for French Open Gardens charity

We visit a founder member of the scheme and learn of her obsession with snowdrops or ‘perce-neige’

Rats are not attracted to compost heaps, assures French waste expert

The new food waste law means many people are thinking of composting but worry about vermin and smells

Can we build a natural pond at French home if cannot have a pool?

Reader’s question is about a pond which has filtration by reeds and does not use chlorine

Best plants to add a pop of winter colour to your French garden

We share the winter-flowering plants that can brighten up your garden on the greyest days

Are you (and your council) ready for obligatory compost law in France?

Different areas have different policies - we take a tour of some

Do not put biodegradable plastic bags with compost in France

Many contain chemicals that can only be decomposed by industrial means

French gardens to delight visitors in the bright, cold days of winter

Where to see frosty topiary, magical light shows and tropical glasshouses for a December gardening fix

How to build a snake hotel in your French garden as population falls

Jonathan Kemp makes snakes welcome in his garden in spite of his phobia

Who must cut overhanging branches in French garden?

France’s civil code is strict and can be confusing to navigate

13 tree fairs and arboretums across France to visit this November

No matter where you live, there are events, exhibitions and markets centred around the cultivation of trees - we have listed several for your diary

What can I do to stop my French neighbour’s regular garden bonfires?

Burning garden waste is normally illegal in France. We look at what you can do if your neighbour breaks this rule

Can we claim on house insurance if boars damage our French garden?

It is important to specify what cover is required when buying insurance

Man fined €6,000 for cutting down neighbour’s tree in northern France

He claimed the 70-year-old tree impaired his sea view

Visit epic Terra Botanica - France’s magical biodiversity theme park

Like the Eden Project on steroids, glow-in-the-dark plants and environmental ideas with a Disney twinkle

Discover the aesthetic joys of a super ‘dry’ French Occitanie garden

Cathy Thompson visits a stunning garden in the Aude where layering, minimal watering and constant evolution are wonderfully combined

When and at what times can you mow your lawn in France?

We look at the rules surrounding grass cutting and other garden-related noise

Visit: stunning dry garden in Aude wakes up like spring in Autumn

Two horticulturists experimented with minimal watering and created a beautiful garden packed full of the toughest plants

French law: Can I cut an overhanging branch from neighbour’s tree?

France’s Code Civil includes specific rules on encroaching branches and trees

Plea to plant local flowers in your gardens in France

Gardeners can play a significant role in helping to maintain the country’s biodiversity, a new study suggests

How often must I empty my septic tank in France?

There are regular checks to ensure septic tanks are being maintained and kept in good condition

What can I do about weeds growing from French neighbour’s garden?

There are a number of options which can be explored

Orioles, butterflies, broom: see all things yellow in France

Golden orioles brought enchanting melodies while facing challenges and successfully raising chicks

France garden tips: try agapanthus, it is hardier than you think

The evergreen types are ideal for a Mediterranean climate, coming as they do from the western and eastern cape in South Africa

‘Solid metal fences hiding French gardens are a mystery to me’

Attitudes to fencing might highlight a difference in French and American culture, ponders Peter Wyeth

French town’s drought ‘solution’: painting its dried-out grass green!

Grass in Mandelieu-la-Napoule near Cannes is being coated with an organic dye that also helps to replenish it with nutrients

Major road and rail delays as wildfires are sparked in southern France

A blaze at Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice, saw rail services suspended between Cannes and the Italian border

French vegetable gardens offer fresh job prospects

The Restos du Cœur charity is known for distributing food to people in need in France, it also runs a network of community gardens

Discover the splendid gardens at Chenonceau, France

We talk to the man responsible for the gardens about what work goes into their planning and upkeep

Follow your nose on a scent-sational tour of France’s spring flowers

Explore the national and regional floral specialities of France, and sniff out the best flower festivals and horticultural events taking place around the country this spring