A cantilever parasol is fantastic for providing shelter from the sun (or even the rain) when you’re outside enjoying the fresh air. A parasol is one of the things that contribute to comfortable, long, leisurely lunches or extended work meetings. Over time, though, parasols do get dirty and they can get mildew if they are […]

I’ll be on the terrace! Rattan furniture is perfect for a terrace, whether the weather is changeable or settled. Sitting at a table to read the paper in the morning, catching a few rays on a sun lounger, resting on a comfortable sofa with a cup of tea – all are possible with rattan garden […]

If you’re not converted to the power of cushions to make you feel comfortable then I urge you to think again. They really are superb multi-taskers. How can a simple cushion make you feel stylish, cosy, comfortable and supported – all in one go? Well, I don’t know but it’s true. And this magic can […]

It's obvious: while you are away on holiday your garden isn’t, and is likely to miss your TLC. Not just a sorry sight when you come home but, as Alan Titchmarsh suggests in his book 'The Gardener's Year', possibly a security risk. Here are his tips to reduce security risks while you are way. "It's […]

To my mind, a garden party is something rather more than just a party in a garden. It has a more – how can I say this? – grown-up or mature feeling. Let’s look at three types of garden party and three possible themes. Three types of garden party We all know about the garden […]

It’s that time of year when we really love being outside but sometimes we have to be indoors. What to do? One answer is to bring the outdoors in and create your own green oasis. We’ll give you some pointers. ‘Borrow’ the view from outdoors This is an old garden design trick and it works […]

Bold use of colour can play a big part in making your garden look great. Repeating the same colour across your garden gives it a rhythm and helps it hang together. The colour can embrace the buildings too. It’s a trick that many of us have learnt. Let’s talk about especially bold colours, like we […]

Good news! It's not difficult to clean woven rattan furniture. Keeping your lovely rattan garden furniture and your beautiful rattan conservatory furniture spick and span is an easy job. Both natural and synthetic rattan are durable materials that don’t need much cleaning and care to keep them in good condition. What do you need to […]

Reclaimed furniture is very shabby chic and part of the current fashion trend. You’re giving rein to your creative side, paying attention to the environment and creating a softer, gentler, less gritty world at home. And you’re not spending loads of money! In a two-part blog, we look at how to use the shabby chic […]

Space – I love it. In part, that’s because I live in a small space – both house and garden. But I also love it because of the air and light it lets in and because it helps me think straight. That’s not to say that my living is minimalist – it isn’t. Some of […]

Today is the longest day of the year. With sunrise in southern England just before 5am and sunset after 9.30 pm there must be time to enjoy your garden! The longest day is the summer solstice, called the longest day because it has the greatest number of hours of daylight of any day in the […]

Seeing the sun really does lift the spirits. A sunroom is a warm, comfortable place to enjoy the sunshine, all year round. It’s a more solid structure than a conservatory. Light and warmth come into the room through the windows and glazed doors but the roof is tiled or slated, occasionally with rooflights or skylights. […]