On day 12 of advent we’re offering the chance to win a hand painted fern bin and tissue box from Master the Art, worth £180.
24.11.2023 - 14:53 / gardencentreguide.co.uk / Garden Centre Guide
There’s nothing quite like coming home to your own slice of paradise, such as a pocket of greenery in the backyard. But transforming a drab garden into an oasis is not everyone’s area of expertise and can be costly if it’s attempted without a little know-how.
In this article, discover a few tips and tricks for creating a unique space in your backyard and somewhere that will be used as a retreat by the dwelling’s occupants. For more home and garden ideas, check out what other owners are doing at Rentola, which gathers rental listings of private properties across the United Kingdom. With high-quality photos visible on the search page itself, you can easily flick through to get inspiration from others and see what might work in your own space. It’s also a trustworthy resource for those searching for UK rentals on their journey to homeownership.
It’s easy to just grab every plant that takes your fancy at the nursery, and then hope they work cohesively once established in the garden. But ask any landscape designer and they will say that the planning of plantings is key.
No matter what the theme is, do some research about the types of plants to incorporate, including small shrubs, medium-sized plants and large evergreens to layer the space. Also, think about the seasonality of flowering plants so that something is in bloom throughout the year or select plants with varying textures that will contrast against one another.
An extra tip for those living in areas with low rainfall is to consider drought-tolerant species that won’t require constant watering. When it comes to establishing them in the ground, be sure to put smaller plants at the front and taller ones behind. If you’re unsure, check the plant’s label, which should give a
On day 12 of advent we’re offering the chance to win a hand painted fern bin and tissue box from Master the Art, worth £180.
Dramatic and elegant, amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are bulbous indoor plants that cheer us through the coldest months. The huge flowers bloom atop tall, sturdy stems, opening like colourful trumpets, as if about to blast away the winter blues with a clarion call.
Day 10 of our advent prize draw gives entrants the opportunity to win a DNA’24 DB26 Bread Knife from Savernake worth £199. Please note you must be over 18 to enter this prize draw.
Our eleventh prize is a Gold Smokebox, worth £105 from Lambton & Jackson.
Day 9 of our Christmas advent prize draw gives you the chance to win WOLF-Garten’s Bypass Loppers worth £119.99.
The Isles of Scilly are like an idealised version of England – where the sun always shines, the food is wonderful, there’s no traffic and no one locks their doors! To say the sun always shines is an exaggeration, but they’re among the sunniest and mildest places in the UK – sea breezes mean it’s never too hot or humid and thanks to the Jetstream, they almost never have frost.
Hidden behind the door for day 8 of our advent prize draw is a bundle of tools from gardening brand Wilkinson Sword, worth £114.97.
Karen Delahay
Enter our day 7 prize draw for your chance to win ‘his and hers’ Buckingham wellington boots worth £109.98 from Harbour Lifestyle.
Offering some of the closest beaches to London, Essex has a reputation for kiss-me-quick resorts and dormitory commuter towns. The truth is that this flat county, defined by slow-flowing rivers, estuaries, salt marshes and oyster beds, abounds in subtle charm. The Romans settled in Colchester and evidence of their occupation can be found in many coastal settlements. In the 1560s Flemish protestants brought their silk-weaving skills to the town, while the Dutch reclaimed swathes of land for farming.
Boasting some of Britain’s most beautiful countryside, the Lake District, in the north-west corner of England, is a draw for anyone with a love of the outdoors. Its hills and mountains, including England’s highest, Scafell Pike at 978m, attract walkers and climbers, while in the valley bottoms, vast lakes, such as Windermere and Ullswater, invite quiet contemplation.
Robins can lose up to 10% of their body weight keeping warm over a single winter’s night. With reports that the La Nina weather system may bring harsh cold spells in winter 2022-23, added to the problem of disappearing food sources and habitats over the UK, robins – and other garden birds – could do with some support this season.