yardz

DYNAMIC COMPOSTER FOR LOOKS AND BENEFITS

Composting in a small space is not easy. The very nature of composting means that you have material sitting about in some form of composting bin for a long period. Most of these composters are not very stylish. The www.keter.com Dynamic Composter is for a new age with a very classy black and lime green finish.

Having filled the Dynamic Composter with any suitable kitchen waste, garden cuttings, leaves etc. the composter is rotated using the handle. This aerates the mixture helping it to decompose much quicker than in a normal compost bin. By rotating the mixture every 7-10 days realy good compost can be obtained in a relatively short time.

GIVING A FIG

 

Choosing fruit trees for small outdoor areas is not easy. There are many top fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches and nectarines that can be grown in containers on dwarf rooting stocks. But one of the problems with these is that they look wonderful in blossom in spring and again when fruiting in the late summer and autumn but over the winter months they just look like twigs not giving a lot to the yard.

Figs on the otherhand seem to offer plenty of advsntages, They are evergreen with large glossy deep green leaves, hold their fruit twelve months of the year and are perfect for container growing as they need their roots restricting to fruit well.

One of the best varieties to grow is Brown Turkey (Ficus carica Brown Turkey) which fruits well with fruit having a good flavour. They are on offer at www.floraselect.co.uk from £12.00. www.floraselect.co.uk will deliver nationwide for a fixed rate of £8.50. They also stock a wide range of plants as well as an extensive range of containers. Well worth checking out.

GLOBAL WARMING HITS SPRING BEDDING

Having planted my spring bedding a month ago I was suprised on returning from a few days away to find that the Muscati Misty Skys planted amongst small Buxus plants had already grown. They have formed quite a rosette of leaves but I am sure that now the temperatures are dropping they will stagnate until they produce their flower spikes in late January and February. Muscari Misty Skys are a mixture of grape hyacinth from whites through to dark blue. They can still be planted now if you can find any left at garden centres.

TULIP ICE CREAM SUMMER MEMORIES IN SPRING

 
 
 
  Here is another great Tulip for those that like something a bit different. It's Tulip Ice Cream which is on offer from www.gardeningdirect.co.uk at £14.99 for 5 bulbs.

Tulips,unlike some other spring bulbs including daffodils, can be planted as late as January and still produce amazing results, These eye catcing bulbs 'resemble a scoop of raspberry ripple ice cream overflowing its cone'. They are a real talking point, bringing colour to any container or windowbox in a sunny spot. Go on amaze your neighbours!

BLOOMING BASEMENT GARDENS

Yardz tends to look outwards and upwards when considering how to use outdoor space. This week the problems of basement gardens came to light with a visit to Bath. Most visitors look up at the splendour of the Georgian architecture and forget that all these town houses have basements with small yards. These were designed to allow steps to go down from the pavement to the kitchens below.
Many have been left as just a paved yard to store dustbins, bikes, etc, while others have created green havens with shade and damp loving plants.

GARDEN MUMS AUTUMN DOMES OF COLOUR

Garden Mums or Yoder Mums as they are sometimes called are a great easy way to provide stunning colour to any outdoor space. They can be bought ready to plant in flower from late summer. The real benefit of these dome shaped outdoor chrysanthemums is that the are bought fully grown and flowering so no waiting for them to grow - you get instant impact! One plant is normally enough for an average container and at around £6 they are very cost effective. Colours range from deep pink through reds, bronzes and yellows to pure white. They flower through the autumn until the first heavy frosts.

BORIS'S BALCONY DREAMS

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has recently been outlining his views on the provision of balconies for all new build apartments in both the private and social build sector. Boris believes that it is imperative to provide personnal outdoor spaces for all residents no matter how small that space may be.
I'm not so sure. Looking recently at apartment balconies in Docklands, in the east end of London, all I saw was that balconies were being used for storage, mainly for bikes. Few were set up for leisure activities, dining, etc. So is Boris right or are we not advanced enough in the design and provision of furniture and leisure items especially for balconies.

LIGHTWEIGHT PAVERS FOR GREENER GARDENS

New from the USA are these pavers from www.vastpavers.com that are a green alternative to concrete. They are made from 95% recycled tyres and plastic. Sitting neatly on a grid system, they are easy to lay and also take up. The pavers are available in a range of muted and natural colours and in three thicknesses.

Great for roof gardens and balconies as they are lighter than concrete or stone.

http://vastpavers.com/products/composite_paver/general_information.php

A PINE WITH SCULPTURAL QUALITIES

Pinus strobus Horsford is a compact form of the Eastern White Pine. It has amazing greeny blue thin needles that form a rounded bun shape. Being dwarf and only reaching about 24" high it makes a perfect container plant. Make sure any old needles are cleared out of the centre to keep it shape and allow movement of the needles in the breeze.

STEPS TO BETTER GROWING WITH A LADDER ALLOTMENT

This simple idea from  www.ladderallotments.com allows for a large growing area in a small space.

Up to a 5m of growing space is gaining using the Ladder Allotment which can be attached to walls or fences.This unique design can be attached to sheds walls and fences. It is constructed from pressure treated timber which has been FSC sourced.The Ladder Allotment comes in flat pack form and should take about 30 minutes to assemble.

A new free standing version is also available.

 

http://www.ladderallotments.com/index.html

Prices from £27.99 + £7.00 P&P