Garden designs/Garden

What’s the Goal for your outside space?

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Who knew wanting to redo your outside space came with so many choices and things to consider. The first and most important step is to think about what your goal is. What is it to be used for? Is it for the children/grandchildren to play? Is the space purely for decoration? Or is it to be used for outdoor entertaining? 

Write down all the things you want to be able to do in the garden once it’s completed. Having this all written down will help you when you start to plan, or if you are looking to hire a landscaper, you will be able to tell them exactly your goals for the space. 

Involve the whole household in the planning stage. You may not all want the same for the space. Everyone’s opinion needs to be considered. You don’t want to find out when it’s almost finished that someone else in the household doesn’t like it. Work to resolve any issues at this early stage. 

Garden

How To Create The Perfect Fall Garden

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This article will give you tips on creating the perfect fall garden with autumn landscaping ideas.

Prepare your garden for the new season.

Clear out dead leaves and plant a nutrient-rich garden bed. Either dig up your old plants or place them in containers to make room in the ground for new ones.
Consider planting annual flowers such as dahlias, zinnias, and sunflowers to give your garden a burst of colour for the fall.

Planning

Determine your budget: Creating a large garden will require more money and more time. Consider the size of your property and the amount of time you are willing to devote to your project.

You should also consider whether or not you can take care of all the plants yourself so that you don’t have to hire someone or spend a lot of money.

If you are willing to do a lot of gardening, consider buying some plants from a local nursery.

Garden designs/Garden

Tips for Creating the Ideal Summer Garden

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Creating the perfect summer garden is a difficult task. It requires a lot of research, planning and some patience. Many factors need to be considered, such as climate, soil type, and the available space. A good start is to think about what you want your garden to look like. What kind of animals will you have? Will it be a place for relaxation or play? Is it for growing food or simply for aesthetic purposes?

The following tips will help you design your perfect summer garden:

– Research the climate in your area and choose suitable plants for those conditions. Is your soil chalk or clay-based? How much rubble or stones are in the soil?

– Consider what kind of animals you would like to see in your garden and think about building in some habitats

– Think about how much space you want to dedicate to the garden, i.e. how big is your current patio, or do you wish to build a shed?

– Think about what purpose the garden will serve. For example, will you be entertaining, or is it for the children to play in?

Garden

Gardening Advice

Posted by Sam on

Here are some quick gardening tips to help you around your garden:

Using composting bins will save a lot of money and can reduce food waste
Shop at local nurseries as you can often buy plants cheaper and your supporting independent local business.
Learning about your garden including light levels, soil quality and moisture content of the soil will help you to choose the right plants and vegetables that will thrive in these conditions.
Ensure that your hose pipe is long enough to get to all areas of your garden, this will save you trips back and forth with a watering can.
Giving plants enough space to thrive and grow is essential.  Plant them too close together and they are competing for the nutrients in that area meaning one plant may not survive.
New plants can be very delicate, so handle them gently.
Weed your garden regularly especially within flower beds and vegetable patches to make sure the flowers and plants you wish to grown gain all the goodness from the soil and feed.

Garden

Tips for Beginner Gardeners

Posted by Sam on

If you are looking to get into gardening, here are a couple of tips to get you started. 

You don’t need a lot of space when it comes to gardening.  It’s better to start with a small plot or some pots while you see if it’s for you. Think about how much space a fully grown plant will take up, versus a small seedling. Think about your plants – do you want to save money and grow plants from seeds, which is cheaper, but takes longer and requires either a greenhouse or lots of window sill space, or do you want to buy small plants from the garden centre?

Set a budget. Whether you’re on a tight budget or not, it’s a good idea to know how much you can comfortably afford. Do some planning and don’t get enthusiastic and buy lots of seeds and plants from the garden centre and bung them anywhere when you get home.

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How to Keep Garden Fountains Clean

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Having a garden fountain or water feature in your garden brings a calming and pleasant ambiance that is hard to top, but you do need to perform a little maintenance on them, to keep them looking nice and properly functioning.

1. Keep any plant debris such as leaves cleared away.
2. Remove any algae growth with a bristle brush.
3. Use an algae cleaner regularly to stop algae growth.
4. Do NOT use chlorine as this could damage the rubber tubes and seals in the pump.
5. Ensure that you top up the fountain with water when needed, so that the pump is always submerged.
6. Clean the water pump once a year to keep it operating properly.
7. Always keep water running, they are meant to stay on, so as to reduce the chances of algae build-up, unless emptying for winter.

Using these tips will help to keep your water fountain or feature from experiencing an algae build-up which will eventually clog the pump and cause it to burn out.

Garden

Top 6 Plants for Hanging Baskets

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Hanging baskets are an excellent way to maximise space in a small garden by providing beautiful displays at eye level. Having the right plants in a hanging basket can really add an astounding atmosphere of elegance to a garden.

Top 6 Plants for Hanging Baskets

1. Fuchsia- have an exotic-looking multicolour bloom that is very eye catching

2. Million Bells- are small petunia-like flowers that bloom in large clusters for an incredible pop of colour

3. Petunia- have beautiful medium size blooms that come in a variety of colours and can create a cascading affect in hanging baskets

4. Begonia- like a partially shaded location and should not be over-watered

5. Geranium- is an evergreen perennial which provide a bold splash of colour in any garden

6. Lantana- has tiny flowers that grow in bunches and like plenty of sun

All six of the beautiful flowers would be excellent for growing in hanging baskets to give your garden an alluring burst of colour.

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How to Repaint Your Wooden Garden Furniture

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Eventually there will come a time when your wooden garden furniture will need a fresh new lick of paint and maybe even some repair. If you are wondering how to go about sprucing up your rundown wood furniture, here are the steps on how to do it.

Repair Damage

Firstly, if there is any damage to the wood, you will want to start with this area and scrub the area down with a stiff wire brush so as to remove any old paint, rot or small wood bits. You can then repair that area with a high-quality wood glue and allow it to fully dry. Some areas may need a good quality filler which will need to dry and be smoothed down.

Repainting

Before repainting you will need to sand off any old varnish or paint and then use a fine grit sandpaper to rough the wood up a little. Be sure to thoroughly wipe off the wood furniture before painting. You should ensure the furniture is in a well-ventilated area and not in direct sunlight. With paint, it is best to prime the wood first to ensure the colour of the paint will be its best. Ensure you are using good quality exterior paints, stains or varnishes to best protect the wood beneath. You should allow the items to dry fully before doing any additional coats.

Giving new life to your wood garden furniture will brighten up your garden and help you enjoy it more.

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Best Container Plants for Brightening Up Winter

Posted by Sam on

Winters in the UK tend to get pretty dark and grey at times but right now is a good time to be planning ways that you can ensure you have some colour in your garden. One of the best ways is with winter bloomers that work well in pots or containers so that you can reposition them as needed, so as to have whatever is blooming at the time in the most prominent positions.

Some perfect ideas are:

• Winter-flowering Heather
• Winter-flowering Pansies
• Violas
• Ivy
• Ornamental Cabbages
• Gaultheria Procumbens
• Snow Drops
• Skimmia Japonica
• Cornus (dogwood)
• Phormium
• Ajuga
• Christmas Rose
• Carex
• Hardy Cyclamen

You could also use a large pot and mix some of these items to have a nice variated planter. Having the tallest item in the centre and working your way out with descending plant heights to create a unique display. Keep your garden looking alive and vibrant during the winter months with some of these hardy options.

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Maximising a Small Garden Space

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Having a small garden does not mean you cannot have a flourishing, green space to relax in. There are several ways to achieve a gorgeous oasis by taking advantage of what you have.

One way to maximise your planting space is to use a ‘layered’ affect. By using plants of various heights, i.e. ground covers, flowers, shrubs etc, in an organised way, so that you can fill a small space beautifully.

You can use walls and fences to create vertical gardens by using a trellis and climbing plants or hanging planters and window boxes. You just may want to be cautious as some climbing and creeping plants can become very invasive or garden ‘bullies’.

Utilising hanging planters, ‘dwarf’ plants and columnar plants (plants that grow more vertically) are other ways of saving space. Always remember to leave some space, as there needs to be a balance. You do not want to create an over-crowed, claustrophobic environment.

Metal driveway gates

Gates for your driveway will offer you security and privacy, making your home safer and a more pleasant place to be. There are various gates you can choose, but metal driveway gates are one of the most popular options. Metal is a durable material that will last well out of doors, and you can choose from different decorative designs to suit your home. Metal gates will complement all homes and driveways, whether you are looking for a modern or traditional aesthetic. You can choose something as simple or as ornate as you like – generally, the gates will be made from a quality metal like steel, and will feature an attractive wrought iron design.