Our fourth advent prize draw comes with your chance to win a beautiful kiln-dried Carved Oak Rope Swing, worth £379 from Sitting Spiritually.
14.11.2023 - 10:27 / gardencentreguide.co.uk / Garden Centre Guide
Carving a pumpkin is a quintessential part of the Halloween experience, and with a few expert tips, you can transform a simple pumpkin into a spooky or whimsical masterpiece. Let's delve into the step-by-step process of creating your own carved pumpkin.
Start your pumpkin-carving journey by selecting a fresh, firm pumpkin. Look for one with a flat base to ensure stability and a stem that's intact. A smooth surface will make carving and detailing easier.
Equip yourself with the right tools for the job. A serrated knife, a large spoon or scoop for removing seeds and pulp, and smaller carving tools or saws for intricate details are essential. Pumpkin carving kits are readily available and can make the process smoother.
Before diving in, sketch your design on paper or directly onto the pumpkin. This helps you visualise the final product and ensures a smoother carving process. Simple designs work well for beginners, but as you gain confidence, you can tackle more intricate patterns.
Begin by cutting a hole around the stem of the pumpkin. This will serve as the lid. Angle your knife inward so that the lid can sit on top without falling inside. Once removed, set it aside to access the interior.
Use a large spoon or scoop to remove the seeds and stringy pulp from inside the pumpkin. A clean interior provides a better surface for carving and prevents premature rotting.
Tape your design onto the pumpkin or use a washable marker to trace the outlines directly. Ensure the design fits well within the pumpkin's dimensions and allows for easy carving.
Start with the larger sections of your design. Use a serrated knife to cut along the outlined areas, working from the centre outward. Take your time and make smooth, controlled cuts to avoid
Our fourth advent prize draw comes with your chance to win a beautiful kiln-dried Carved Oak Rope Swing, worth £379 from Sitting Spiritually.
Enter our prize draw on day 3 for your chance to improve your garden tool collection with Henchman’s ARS KR-1000 shears worth £95.
A is for annual membership of one of Ireland’s world class great gardens open to the public. Examples include Blarney Castle in Co Cork (12-month adult pass, €100, blarneycastle.ie); Mount Usher in Co Wicklow (€40, mountushergardens.ie); Killruddery in Co Wicklow; (killruddery.com from €60-€100); and Mount Congreve in Co Waterford (from €70, mountcongreve.com).
Day 2 of our “12 Days of Christmas” advent calendar gives you the chance to win a 26cm leaf green light garden, worth £125 from elho.
This month, we’re collaborating with some brilliant businesses to bring you our very special “12 days of Christmas” prize draw, offering 12 generous prizes to 12 lucky winners throughout the month of December.
Cobra, the garden machinery experts, are delighted to offer readers the chance to win a CS1024V Li-ion Cordless Chainsaw, worth over £115.
Not everyone’s house is suitable for large gatherings. Although it may have felt big when you bought it, even a relatively large house can start looking smaller the moment you add three, two, or even one extra person into the mix.
Last week, I told you about a garden talk I attended at the Robert Mills Carriage House and Gardens in Columbia, SC. Jim Martin (The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens Director of Horticulture & Landscape) was the second presenter. He discussed using bulbs to create “special little moments” every day.
In late winter and spring, usually before the leaves appear, catkins hang from the bare branches of trees like alder, hazel and silver birch. The first known use of the word ‘catkin’ is in an English translation of a Flemish botanical guide written in 1554 by physician and botanist Rembert Dodoens. He uses the Dutch word katteken meaning ‘little cat’ which was translated as ‘catkin’. Catkins are also known as ‘aments’, derived from the Latin for ‘strap’ or ‘string’.
If you're looking for how to get rid of carpenter ants, you've come to the right place.