Outdoor and Conservatory Furniture Blog
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Garden inspiration: lessons from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
For garden inspiration, a major resource is the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It is wonderful. And rather daunting to ordinary gardeners like me. But press and TV coverage offers great ideas and lasting images of wonderful plants and garden designs that, with a little effort, could create ‘the look’ and a corner of Chelsea in your (and […]
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Salad leaves – plant and sow now to enjoy all summer
Home grown salad leaves are so much tastier than shop bought packets. They are fresher and crisper, less waste (because you pick what you need when you need it), easy to grow, good for you and good value. So many reasons to grow a range of salad leaves in gardens and pots. Here we go! […]
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Inject a little glamour into your garden
A difficult word to pin down, glamour. You probably know it when you see it but teasing out its components somehow detracts from its essential nature. And that’s because, once upon a time, ‘glamour’ meant enchantment, magic. It encompasses allure and captivation, charm and spell. It’s a very hard thing to capture. Perhaps glamour lies […]
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Lawns in May - the summer starts here
Mowing lawns The sound of lawnmowers on sunny evenings means summer has arrived with me. Just as lawns are central to summer gardens, so is mowing them. Mowing lawns once a week is usual from May to September or October. In damp, warm weather grass grows faster and you may want to mow more often. […]
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Vine weevils: act now to stop autumn damage
Gardens are looking lovely – new growth and blossom and every shade of green. And happy gardeners listening to BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time on 7th May 2017 will have frozen with horror at the description of slugs munching their way through more plants than many gardeners could imagine. The RHS ‘top pests’ list is […]
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Choose bedding plants for a bright summer display
The garden centres are full of summer bedding plants, tempting you to buy and plant to brighten up your gardens now the bulbs are mostly over. The late spring bank holiday is the traditional time for a bedding changeover. In this post, we dig down (sorry!) for a little information to bring your summer garden […]
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Storage! Create extra storage space in your garden
Today, we’re talking about storage. Specifically, storage in the garden and we’re not talking about getting a shed. Having what you need close at hand really helps when you’re out on the patio or the decking or in the garden. Scenario 1 You may have started the evening in deliciously warm weather but later on […]
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Summer flowers - get ready with summer flowering bulbs!
Summer flowers in garden centres are so tempting at the moment, but late frosts may damage summer bedding planted outdoors too soon. If this weekend leads you to thoughts of summer flowers in your garden, get ahead with summer bulbs instead. Depending on how tough they are, summer flowering blubs can be planted in autumn, […]
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Is Your Garden Dog Friendly?
Summer is nearly upon us and for many this means spending as much time in the garden as possible. We understand that like the home, the garden has to be a safe place to be for us and our children. But what about our beloved pooches? Are there dangers lurking in your garden that could […]
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Afternoon tea in the garden
In these days of excess, there is something beautifully simplistic about the classic British afternoon tea. Tempting as it may be to ‘lay on a full spread’ and cram the table with all sorts of unBritish extras, this is how we used to enjoy food before we got fat. Consisting largely of carbs and dairy, […]
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6 tips to help you keep on top of the weeding this spring
Spring is now well underway and everything is growing fast, weeds included. Weeding now stops weeds getting well established. It makes all the difference! Here are six tips to help you. 1. Know your enemy A regular stroll around your garden will show you where the weeds are and where action is required. Get to […]
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Creating the perfect decking area for your garden
Decking can turn difficult, steep or uneven spaces into something very usable. It also softens the line between indoors and outdoors, enticing people outside onto the deck and beyond into the garden. With care, it can shake up and revitalise the whole way you use your outdoor space. Just walk out of the house and […]