yardz

UP TO SCRATCH FOR CHELSEA WEEK

Is your garden up to scratch for Chelsea Week?

The highlight of the garden design year started yesterday after perhaps the toughest build up period that garden designers have had to put up with. The weather has been a nightmare with cold days, colder nights and then a sudden few days of heatwave. But what ever they have to face the gardens always reach the Chelsea standard and amaze us with the designers professionalism. 

All the tickets are sold out for this years show - so make the most of the superb BBC TV daytime and evening shows.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/
 

KEEPING CONNECTED WITH FIGO

Even in small gardens there are times when you need to cover and protect plants against frost, birds or pests. One of the easiest ways is to use bamboo canes joined by connectors. www.figoframes.com is a great, easy, versitile system that is designed for this purpose. They are available in 3 and 4 arm connectors on a very trendy lime green.

Available on line or from garden centres. 3 arm £1.99 4 arm £2.49 Starter pack £19.99

http://www.figoframes.com/your-figos.html#content

A CURVY SAMOAN FOR STYLISH OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING

The Samoa range from www.johnlewis.com is a curvy design made from FSC certified teak and tubular steel. The lovely drop end slatted table top is echoed in the matching backless bench.

Table £355.00  Backless Bench  £175.00  Chair £125.00

  http://www.johnlewis.com/14733/Range.aspx?SearchTerm=RecentlyViewedList

HAVING REBECCA ON THE PATIO

The new patio clemetis Rebecca has stunning red flowers from early summer through to late summer. It can be grown in a large container in a loam base compost such as John Innes No.3. Needs an obelisk or simple frame for support.

Look out for it now in your local garden centre. £14.99 

KANGAROO PAWS FOR A REAL WOW

The Kanagaroo Paw, Anigozanthus flavidus, has brightly coloured 'antler like' flower stalks that are like nothing else you've seen. They can be grown outdoors in well drained sheltered gardens in full sun. In city yards they would be great in containers - a real talking point at any barbeque party and a superb feature if spot lit at night.

Not often found in garden centres so try www.athelasplants.co.uk 

ON CLOUD NINE WITH A LAVA BENCH

The Vondom Lava Bench by designer Karim Rashid. Just a thing of beauty.

 'LAVA, is an undulating, cloud-like bench, a really huge organic blobular sculpture which is very difficult to obtain with the manufacturing process such as rotomoulding technique.
LAVA, its avant-garde and original shape creates a pleasant, natural and relaxing gathering spot or connection in any interior & exterior space; a different & original way of interacting furniture & users.'

www.vondom.com

 

OUTDOOR CUSHION COMFORTS

This super outdoor cushion from www.runawaycoast.com is made from treated cotton that allows spills and splashes to run off. Perfect for hot days lazing on the deck. It is available in a summer Lighthiuse Stripe Denim that would not be out of place in the lounge or bedroom when not on yard duty. It measures a huge 150 x 150cm.

It's available now on a Telegraph offer at £69.00.

http://www.runawaycoast.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=463
 

SITTING ON THE FENCE

The Corsica Flower Bridge from www.elho.com was a great introduction last year. The 30cm planter fits neatly on a fence or railing with a universal fixing system. It is now available in a selection of brighter colours including fuchsia, lavender purple, metallic blue, and forest green. £6.99.

New for this year is a longer 60cm flower bridge that is great for vegetables as well as flowers. It is only available in white,terra and anthracite. £13.99.

FIRST SALAD LEAVES

The first salad leaves grown in large trays in my yard are ready to harvest. Salad leaves are without doubt the most productive veg to grow in restricted spaces. These were sown in a tray of multipurpose compost in a small polythene growhouse. Before they become ready to harvest another tray is sown to provide a continuation of cropping.

Blog posted here.

AGAPANTHUS IS ALL WHITE

Agapanthus are great container plants that will grow and flower for many years in the same pot. They have wonderful strap like deep green shiny leaves that last from early spring to the first frosts. Above these leaves the flowers are bourne on tall stems, normally in shades of blue but look out for the more stylish white varieties. The flowers start in late spring on into early summer so fill a gap between spring bedding and summer bedding.

Blog posted here.