IT'S long been argued that one of the big plusses of having plants indoors is that they help purify the air.

IF YOU'RE looking for a great boundary for your garden and want to save the planet, hedges are the most eco-friendly candidates.

IS IT just me or did the autumn foliage last longer than usual this year? And wasn't it especially eye-catching when the low sun lit the leaves of gold, russet, red, yellow, brown and green as they clung forlornly to our native trees just ahead of the winter winds' ruthless cull? As I write, the soggy leaves on the ground outnumber those on the branches and much of the garden is becoming permanently damp, a sure sign that the darkest, coldest months are upon us.

IF your spider plant has lost its lustre, you're done with your devil's ivy and have lost your appetite for your Swiss cheese plant, it's time to seek out some more unusual houseplants.

ACCORDING to the latest survey, there is just over 112,500 hectares of woodland in Ireland's six north eastern counties.

As winter begins to make itself known, you may want to hibernate in front of a roaring fire – but there are some jobs that just won't wait unless you're prepared to have to do more work, and spend more money, next year.

"WHAT we smell are light, organic molecules, tiny clusters of atoms bonded together.

AT 2AM tomorrow morning, summer time – or daylight saving time – will end for this year with the clocks going back an hour.