The 16 London areas tipped for growth
Price ripples spreading from prime central London are driving up values in surrounding districts, so where should you buy? We reveal the 16 lower-priced areas with new homes and growth potential over the next 10 years.
Waterloo and London's South Bank: 2,000 new homes
The South Bank's residential population is about to get a significant boost with nearly 2,000 new homes underway on the doorstep of Waterloo station - including 877 flats with spectacular views next to the London Eye at the iconic Shell Centre.
Banbury spotlight
The small town of Banbury in Oxfordshire is a home-hunter's dream, with good-value elegant family houses and charming cottages surrounded by attractive countryside villages - all within an hour's commute to London.
Rochester spotlight
Rochester sits close to the river Medway in Kent, 30 miles south-east of London. The cobbled streets of this ancient city have set the scene for some of Dickens's most famous works, while its mix of period homes and riverside flats attract Londoners.
Home aboard the Mary Rose
Henry VIII's famous Tudor warship capsized more than 500 years ago. Now, the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth is a time capsule that reveals the elegant simplicity of this astonishingly well-preserved early English oak furniture.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Fulham, SW6
This smart Victorian garden flat in sought-after Sands End, Fulham, has two double bedrooms and an open-plan reception/dining space opening to a stylish walled garden.
Out of town: Lower Slaughter, Glos
This Cotswolds cutie is in Lower Slaughter - one of Gloucestershire’s prettiest villages. The three-bedroom home has a spacious drawing room, a fine conservatory and stunning views over clipped gardens.
Life-changer: King's Lynn, Norfolk
City living might become a distant memory once you up sticks to The Old Coach House in the village of Ingoldisthorpe. There is bags of potential with this 4,000sq ft house to turn its seven bedrooms into guest suites.
Spotlight on Berkhamsted
Nestled in the rolling hills of Hertfordshire, Berkhamsted is 30 miles north-west of the Londonand has a pretty high street, a picturesque canal and a good mix of family houses and town centre flats.-
Buy of the week: Fulham, SW6
This smart Victorian garden flat in sought-after Sands End, Fulham, has two double bedrooms and an open-plan reception/dining space opening to a stylish walled garden. -
Out of town: Lower Slaughter, Glos
This Cotswolds cutie is in Lower Slaughter - one of Gloucestershire’s prettiest villages. The three-bedroom home has a spacious drawing room, a fine conservatory and stunning views over clipped gardens. -
Life-changer: King's Lynn, Norfolk
City living might become a distant memory once you up sticks to The Old Coach House in the village of Ingoldisthorpe. There is bags of potential with this 4,000sq ft house to turn its seven bedrooms into guest suites.
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Gardening Q&A: magnolia cuttings
Horticultural advice from the experts at the RHS
Question: My grandfather planted a magnolia in 1964. It is very important to me but I have moved house and I would like to take a cutting for my new garden. Could you advise me please?Answer: Magnolia cuttings are not the easiest to root, so the first piece of advice would be to take lots of cuttings. At least then, you’ll be able to share them proudly around the family if you get good results.
You need to take vigorously growing shoots 8-13cm long to make what are known as softwood or greenwood cuttings. Late spring to early summer is the best time to do this, so now is ideal. Cut just above a leaf joint (node) and trim all the leaves off except for the top two.
Cut the lower leaf in half to reduce the amount of moisture lost through the leaf surface and pinch out the bud nestling at the tip. Place the cuttings into pots of proprietary seed and cuttings compost in a shaded, but warm place.
Keep moist and they should have some good roots and growth on them after 8-12 weeks, but you’ll still need to keep the young plants in frost-free, cool conditions over their first winter.
Send your questions for the RHS to: gardenproblems@standard.co.uk.
Only a few questions per month can be answered. For further advice on handling problems in your garden, visit www.rhs.org.uk/advice/index.asp.
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