A Drop Of Light From Andromeda Murano

Lighting in the home makes such a difference if it’s well placed, well designed, enhances the surrounding decor and is appropriate for it’s use.

This beautifully designed lamp entitled “The Drop Lamp” from Andromeda Murano exudes Italian style and is one of those homestyle accents around which an entire mood board and even room can be designed just to audaciously compliment the “Drop Lamp” itself.

Unfortunately, however much you love the “Drop Lamp” in the picture, Andromeda Murano’s policy is that no two of their creations are identical.

No that’s exclusivity…

… and style…

… and of course… Italian panache.

For more details visit www.andromedamurano.it

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Don’t Just Look Back…

Some of our front gardens don’t receive as much tender loving care as they could do. One reason could be because a front garden is often just considered to be a small transitional area that we pass through from the roadside to our front doors. Also many of our front gardens now have to accommodate off-street parking and are often paved or covered over with concrete.

Although our front gardens don’t often get as much attention as they deserve, with a little bit of imagination even the tiniest, shadiest or paved front garden can be transformed with some planting to make the setting and entrance to our homes more inviting and pleasant.

Even just by having two planters on either side of the front door you can enhance the entrance immediately. Take into account the style of your house and choose pots that will suit your type of property. Larger pots preferable to smaller ones as the scale and proportion works better, and besides, they also require less maintenance than small pots.

For security, I fill my pots one third full of stones, not only to add drainage, but also to make them very heavy to be picked up. If possible concrete in or secure the pots with some form of anti-theft anchor.

For easy care and stylish plants I’d go for topiary Buxus ball, cone or lollipop shapes as they look smart and elegant. Plant around the topiary Buxus with some trailing Ivy and seasonal colourful bedding plants to make a super display.

Hanging baskets also look petty and colourful around a front door but they will need constant feeding and watering. If you only have a small wall area by your front door then you could always put up an attractive wall planter with seasonal planting.

The smallest of front gardens can be given an instant stylish makeover by using gravel, some rocks, planting pots and a few small hardy shrubs. For vertical colour interest plant a manageable flowering climber or wall shrub around your front door.

Remember to plant the base of these plants more than twelve inches away from the wall of the property so their root get access to rainwater, while at the same time keeping the roots away from foundations.

If you must pave over your front garden for car parking, then how about incorporating raised planting beds somewhere?

If your car is going to be parked on a diagonal in front of your house, then how about having a fan or triangular shaped flowerbed in the corner of your front garden to create an attractive focal point?

So, if your front garden is looking a bit drab, give it a spring clean and get imaginative and creative… and give your front garden some kerb appeal.

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Vases From Realm Dékor

From my recent posting entitled “Flowers Indoors” you can probably tell that I’m all for “bringing the outside in” to our homes and creating an blend between the interior of our homes and the exterior to our gardens.

That’s why I love having plants and flowers inside my house, although sometimes it’s all too easy to take our indoor plants for granted and plant them in uninspiring looking containers.

These exquisite planters from Realm Dékor could quite well be considered as style accents by themselves, but when planted up they give a whole new vibe to having plants around the house.

Even just a single stem of a flower can be transformed into something special in one of these planters from Realm Dékor

Combining Japanese minimalism together with a contemporary style, these range of planters add such a touch of elegance to any home that there’s really no excuse for not “bringing the outside in” and turning a plant or even a single stemmed flower into a work of art in itself.

For more information on these planters and other products from
Realm Dékor

visit www.realmdekor.com

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A Cut Above The Rest

Some gardeners get confused about when and what to prune in their gardens, so this week let’s see what pruning is all about. In nature, plants don’t get pruned, so why do gardeners prune?

One reason is to keep plants healthy by cutting out the dead or diseased parts.

Another reason is to help the plant produce more flowers or fruits, to keep a good shape and also to keep the plant from outgrowing its allotted space. When pruning always take a neat clean cut on a diagonal, sloping away from the bud that you want to sprout.

The important reason for cutting on the diagonal like this is to enable rainwater to run off so that it doesn’t cause disease to enter the plant.

As I have mentioned before, good hygiene is always important in the garden, so when pruning, always keep your secateurs clean as you want to avoid transferring disease from one plant to another.

Different plants have different pruning times during the year and it’s always worth knowing when your particular plant needs to be pruned.

From mid to late March will be the time to prune bush, climbing, standard and miniature roses. With rambling roses remember to prune after flowering is over. The reason for pruning roses is that it stops them from getting old woody stems and it allows the plant to produce new young strong stems, which in turn will produce better flowers.

If you have an established apple or pear tree that is not producing good fruits, then the tree will benefit from pruning. Prune out any dead or diseased branches, also cut out any branches that are rubbing together or where there are too many branches and it is overcrowded.

The aim is to thin out the tree’s framework to let more light in and to allow more air circulation in between the branches to prevent pests and diseased getting a hold.

Also now is the time that you can prune the summer flowering varieties of Clematis back to about four inches to a strong bud above ground level. I know this sounds drastic, but this climber really benefits from a hard prune and will produce more blooms at the tips of the new shoots.

Hydrangeas, Hortensia and Lacecap types can be pruned in March. Cut off the dead flower heads down to just above the next green bud.

With older more established shrubs, cut out some of the old, thick stems at ground level to stop the stems being overcrowded and keep a healthy plant.

Home Spa Entertainment Taken To The “Extreme”

In my last posting I featured an innovative bargain product and so I thought I’d feature something more extravagant for this posting.

If you have a passion for spas…

… if you have the space…

… and of course if you have the cash, then why not splash out (pun totally intended) on a luxury spa from Coast Spas?

This particular model, the Extreme, seats up to 8 people while letting you bathe, listen to music and also watch your favourite movie all from the comfort of a luxurious spa.

The Extreme flaunts a built-in 17-inch LCD display, Sony Stereo System, DVD player, Bose controls for the stereo, 45/80 jets, and an obligatory towel-warmer.

As well as featuring all the multimedia gadgetry the unit also features an array of lights both underwater as well as on the surface which nicely sets the mood…

… lovely…

Available in various finishes, this spa from Coast Spas must be the ultimate in home spa entertainment.

Do I have a passion for spas? Of course I do.

Do I have the space? Not quite.

… and as for the cash…

… hmm… well, I can dream… can’t I?

Visit Coast Spas for their delicious range of luxurious home spas and spa entertainment centres.

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Instant Outdoor Sink—No Plumbing Required!

What a useful product!

There’s nothing better than being able to clean up outside after a session out in the garden before you go back into your house, but not everyone has space outside to have a clean up area with a sink…

… until now.

This simple-to-fit sink from Solutions.Com is perfect for a small space outside and there’s even no need to plumb it in.

Perfect.

Details:
Enjoy the convenience of an outdoor sink and potting bench! The 21″x15¼” work surface is ideal for potting plants. Slide it open to use the full-function sink. Has a built-in hose reel, soap dish and hooks for hanging your tools. Includes a 40′ garden hose, a 4′ connector hose for attaching to a spigot, and a connector that lets you use both the sink and garden hose at the same time. Durable plastic. 17″H.

* Outdoor Sink Station
* Wall mounted sink
* Fold away design
* Sliding cover protects the sink and provides additional work space
* Faucet with turn off/on valve
* Built-in soap area
* Drain on bottom of sink
* Full size hose reel includes hose measuring approx. 40′ L x ½” diameter
* 4′ connector hose included
* “Y” connector allows connection to sink and garden hose at the same time (included)
* “Y” connector has 2-on/off valves
* Two built-in hooks on the side
* Built-in towel bar on the other side and rectangular cut-out underneath
* Weight limit: 10 lbs.
* Instructions and hardware included
* Four mounting holes
* Assembly required
* Closed work surface measures approx. 21″ x 15¼”
* Overall measures approx 28″ W x 17″ H x 16¾” with handles
* Net weight is approx. 18 lbs.
* Gross weight is approx. 20 lbs.
* Made in China

Care
* Wash with soapy water and soft cloth
* Do not use abrasives
* Drain sink and disconnect garden hoses when not in use

Click here for more details of this handy instant outdoor sink from
www.solutions.com

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A New Awakening

Have you noticed how the birds are starting to sing earlier in the mornings? This is a true sign that the welcome spring is on its way.

I really do enjoy hearing the first solo song of a bird, which is then followed by the full dawn chorus. I’m sure that if we spent more time listening to nature’s natural sounds we’d be more relaxed.

Such sounds can help as a distraction to other modern day noises such as road traffic, trains and aeroplanes.

Birds are very useful in the garden and can help keep down the population of unwanted insects including slugs and snails. My father keeps several white doves and they do a magnificent job of cleaning up the small black slugs around his strawberry patch. However, when fruits start to form it is best to net them in some way to stop the birds eating them and just eat up the pests instead, although leaving a few fruits for the birds is one way to encourage our feathered friends into our gardens

One of the reasons why our gardens have become invaded by so many slugs and snails is that our towns have become over developed which in turn has unbalanced the natural environment of the wildlife.

Luckily we can give nature a helping hand by encouraging and sustaining the wildlife in our gardens, such as birds, hedgehogs, frogs and toads.

Around this time natural food sources are a bit depleted for the birds, so why not encourage them to become regulars in your garden with some extra food and water.

Buy a bag of mixed wild bird food, provide a birdbath or some sort using a container which has sloping sides and you might as well pull up an armchair, turn off the television as you’ll be entertained free, courtesy of mother nature. Beside, there’s nothing more wonderful than having a resident Robin in your garden keeping you company while you’re out gardening around this time of the year.

Blue Tits are very useful little birds as they eat several unwanted insects in the garden and one way to encouraged these sweet little birds is to put up nesting boxes for them. Either buy or make your own, but make sure that the entrance hole is a small one as that way larger birds can’t move in and the eggs and the new hatchlings will be safe from other predators.

There’s Something Astir In The Garden Already…

Early spring flowers are now awaking, starting to stir and will soon burst into bloom to give the garden some much-needed masses of colour to bring it alive. The sap is slowly starting to rise with the anticipation of a new season just around the corner and there are plenty of plants to look out for during the month of February.

Regular readers of my column will know that one of my favourite flowers is the Iris, and in February the early-flowering dwarf Iris makes its appearance. This dainty little flower grows only to a height of about six inches and comes in a variety of colours from yellow, blue or purple and usually has pretty markings on its petals. They’re best grown in a sunny spot and perhaps in a raised bed or container so that their beauty can be admired at close hand.

One early flowing Narcissus is the Narcissus cyclamineus, the Wild Narcissus. This is also a very dainty plant and grows to six to eight inches tall and has golden yellow flowers with swept-backed petals. Grow this vigorous perennial bulb in rock or a woodland garden or alternatively you could naturalise it in your lawn.

The Crocus has been a favourite in many of our gardens and there is an early variety to start colouring up the garden this month called Crocus tommasinianus. This pretty goblet shaped flower comes in a choice of colours of white, lilac and purple.

Primrose-Polyanthus primulas are a very diverse group of winter to spring flowering perennial that come in a wide range of bright colours. They are commercially grown for bedding or containers to produce early flowering plants and they remind me of pretty small Victorian posies and are plants to look out for during this month.

One particular Clematis that’ll be coming into flower around now is the Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’. This late winter flowering Clematis has creamy-white flowers with delightful red speckles. Grow this in sun, although it will tolerate dappled shade against a wall or through a deciduous tree to give winter interest.

A very useful early flowering shrub for the garden is the Chaenomeles, or better known as the Ornamental Quince. It’s quite a versatile shrub as it can tolerate a shady site and can be grown in a shrub border or be trained against a wall. This shrub has lovely dense clusters of cup-shaped flowers which come in a variety of colours from white to various shades of pink or apricot through to more brash shades of red. This shrub provides autumn interest when it produces its small apple-like fruits, Quince.

Even in the last month of winter our gardens can produce a cheery colourful sight with early flowering plants… a sure true sign that spring is on its way.

It’s A Love Thing

This is the time of year when lovers send each other flowers, however nature too bestows us with gifts of flowering blooms.

Looking out of my living room window I can see my garden beginning to stir from its winter slumber.

Groups of purple-blue dwarf Iris reticulata, are starting to give a welcome splash of colour to my back garden. In my front garden I have the bright yellow dwarf Irises.

I really adore these lovely early flowering bulbs and I have to admit that the Iris is one of my favourite flowers.

Around this time you can expect Crocuses to put on a lovely cheerful show and as they come in a wide variety of colours they are super to grow in front of a sunny border or perfect for naturalising in grass.

One shrub I’m on the lookout for to plant in my garden is the Stachyurus praecox. This is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to about ten feet. It has wonderful arching red-purple shoots, which this time of year have strings with lots of really pretty little lime-yellow bell shaped flowers which are up to four inches long.

If you are looking for a small garden tree to give you some early colour then you could go for the Cornus mas, common name of Cornelian cherry which can grow up to fifteen feet. This time of year it will have lovely cluster of frothy yellow blooms on bare twiggy branches and in late summer this tree will produce bright red cherry-like fruits.

Rhododendrons can put on a magnificent display of colour and that’s why they’re a favourite for many people. If you would like a showy vivid rose pink one for February colour, then you could go for an early flowering one like Rhododendron dauricum. I would advise that you plant it in a large pot, with lime-free, peat soil.

The Pulmonaria is a useful plant for any cool shady spot and the Pulmonaria rubra ‘Redstart’ has redish funnel shaped flowers and has a long flowering period from late winter to mid-spring. This is an evergreen perennial which is very useful to grow as groundcover and so help cut down on weeding.

So, whether you’re giving or receiving flowers this Valentine’s day, look out for some wonderful colourful gifts from Mother Nature herself.

 

Goodbye January!

I don’t know about you, but I’m always glad to see the back end of January. It always feels such a long dull month, however as we’re now into February, the days are getting noticeably longer and spring is just a month or so away.

The crown of bulbs and herbaceous perennials are now starting to break through the ground, which is a welcome sign that the garden is starting to stir and wake up after its winter slumber.

As the days hopefully get a little milder and warmer we can start to get out and potter in the garden. There’s always the general tiding up that can be done anyway this month, and if you haven’t already, then you can now cut back your herbaceous perennials.

At the moment my own Clematis armandii has such a lot of new buds on it and I know it will look gorgeous next month when it will be covered with scented white tinted with pink flowers. This Clematis is a vigorous evergreen climber and only needs to be pruned to keep it in the shape that you want, whereas late-flowering Clematis should now be pruned back hard to a strong new bud about twelve inches from the ground.

One question that I am quite often asked is when and how to get a Wisteria to flower? A young Wisteria plant can take up to seven years to flower and the way to get it to produce more of its wonderful scented pendent flowers is by pruning twice a year; now in February and then again in the late summer.

Check your fruit trees this month if you haven’t done so and prune out any damaged or diseased branches or any stems that are crossing and rubbing together. You can then prune to give your fruit tree an improved shape, the aim being to open up the centre of the tree to allow in more light and to allow more air circulation in order to keep the tree nice and healthy.

This month we can already start some lawn maintenance and when the lawn is dry enough to walk on, it’s worth brushing off any worm casts. Another job worth doing this month is to dig over flower or vegetable beds so that the soil can settle during the winter rains.

If you’re keen to get your vegetable garden going early then you could buy or make your own cloches with strong wire and polythene. Use cloches to cover up the soil to allow it to warm up for some early sowing of your crops.

If you have any shrubs that may have outgrown their place, then this is a great month to move them to another part of your garden. This week in my own garden I’ll be moving a large Hebe and after the long January we’ve just had, it’ll be great to get back outside into the garden, dust off those winter cobwebs and get some fresh air.