yardz

FIRE FIRE

FIRE BUCKET BARBECUE

Long ago before fire extinguishers were scattered at regular intervals folks would rely on the trusty fire bucket to extinguish any impromptu conflagrations or occurrences of spontaneous combustion. Thanks to some bright spark this humble item has been given a new lease of life as a super trendy Barbeque.

Instead of water or sand this Bucket actually contains Fire. Perfect for those alfresco cooking situations, the Fire Bucket BBQ is great for taking out and about, you can even use it to carry all the equipment in. £24.95 

wwww.gadgets.co.uk

YARDZTALK

THE MANUAL

The design of very small gardens is not easy. It is harder than laying out half an acre or even your average sized suburban garden. Microgardens need structure, thrive on structure and will not be successful without it. So much valuable space is wasted through poor design and layout.

To find the perfect lead in design for the very small garden we must go back to the start of the last century and two pioneers in garden design. Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens.

 Gertrude Jekyll was originally an artist but very poor site lead to her broadening her horizons in the field of plantmanship and gardening. She had a amazing understanding of the use of colour and the relationships of planting different plants next to each other. Her partner in laying out gardens was the architect Edwin Lutyens, the designer of the London Cenotaph and architect of myriad country houses. Lutyens believed in strong structure and layed out the hard landscaping of gardens with a clear definition of pathways, seating areas and water features.

Together they created some of the best gardens ever made in England. We can learn from them in the design of our small spaces. Seating areas, patios, decks, steps, etc should be very strong in their design. Initially the should almost overwhelm the area. But then the strong planting around and between these features should then soften and complete the design. There is an excellent book about the gardens they created - 'Gardens of a Golden Afternoon by Jane Brown ISBN 0 7139 1440 8.

TUBS

 

 

 

MORE USES FOR TUB TRUGS

Tubtrugs® are the original 2-handled tubs that are the most useful tool for thousands of jobs around the home and garden. A Tubtrug® is great for carrying, mixing, pouring, scooping, plastering, storing, washing, gardening, pets – the list of uses for your Tubtrug® is literally endless!

Two extremely strong handles and flexible body make handling a Tubtrug® much easier than any normal bucket or tub.

• Frost & UV proof means your Tubtrug® won’t degrade in sunlight or frost
• Super-strong handles
• Tubtrugs® come in a massive range of sizes and colours
• Flexible yet very, very strong
• Tubtrugs® are suitable for everyone

Available in 15 fantastic colours, across 5 superb sizes, Tubtrugs® Flexible are the containers you can trust to help you get the job done.

Tubtrugs are great for garden and home use but in the smaller garden they make superb containers for growing veg in. They are deep enough to grow root veg such as carrots and pototoes and the bright colours contrast amazingly against fresh green foliage.

The tubs are available at most garden centres and DIY stores and the cost varies on size but normally around £5-6

www.tubtrugs.com

HOT PATIO

THE WORLDS HOTTEST PEPPER

www.thompsonandmorgan.com supply the worlds hottest chilli - the chilli/hot Tepin(Atomic). This extremely hot birds' eye pepper can be grown from seed and will fruit happily on the patio in a sunny position. Beware - make sure you handle the seeds carefully.

IN YOUR DREAMS

THE SATURN DAY BED

The Saturn Day Bed, Suitable for 2 adults. This stylish item is great for relaxing in the sunshine or even under the shade of one of our Gazebos. Constructed with an aluminium frame and an outdoor pvc wicker. This item is weatherproof and fade resistant

Diameter: 176cm
Height: 30cm
Back height: 79cm

Available in cappuccino,2.5mm round weave in Cappucino or Natural Rattan Colour (price excludes cushions)

Price: £499.99

Delivery: £19.99 www.poshgarden.co.uk

TEA TIME

A tea garden is a great asset to those that like herbal tea. Mint and lemon balm make delicious herb teas ( simply cover a sprig of leaves with hot water and leave to infuse for five minutes). Both these plants are thugs and can easily take over a garden but when confined to a container they are easy to keep under control.

Chamomile tea is made from the daisy-like flowers - choose 'flore plena' which has more petals and less bitter.

We've found a great window box thats just right for growing a tea garden. It's nickel-plated powder coated in a super green. It stands out thanks to its plain functional style.

www.radius-design.com

YARDZTALK

Can micro gardens be environmentally friendly? If small gardens are composed only of hard landscaping without any planting, how do the help the environment especially in urban areas. Some pundits expound how by just creating an outdoor area that is a retreat from society and an 'owned' space then we are more likely to use that space for recreation and not travel increasing our 'carbon footprint' to find recreation space.

The problem with plant free yardz is that they do not create conditions to attract or sustain wildlife. The baron wastes of new estates, where minimal planting in gardens exists do not allow the creation of green corridors where birds and mammals can forage out and settle. So to this end plant free yardz do not assist in aiding the environment. It is though not always the owners fault as there is not a lot of information to help. Gardens centres have been very slow in promoting plants, containers, composts, etc that are suitable for micro-gardens as most are still grounded around horticulture and not lifestyle.The only area that is changing is in the growing of vegetables with new ranges of grow bags, fertilisers and even vegetable plants bred especially for quick cropping on smaller plants. 

In the future this space we call our own will become more and more valuable to us - and also to those retailers who can understand the needs of those whose gardens are less than fifteen square metres. YARDZ champions the use of plant material in micro-gardens in the hope that small exterior spaces be they urban or rural can provide more than a base for the sun bed and BBQ.

BLITZ GRILL

THE BLITZ GRILL

The »blitzgrill« with its powerful 9.2 kw burner is ideal both for catering and private use.
it is ready in just five minutes, is infinitely adjustable and, thanks to its gas firing, makes for hitch-free barbecue enjoyment.
the removable cast-iron barbecue plate is simple and easy to clean. comes with tubing, controls and barbecue plate. gas cylinder not included.

www.radius-design.com

METALLICA

Eryngium x zabelii Jos Eijking

A longlasting sea holly with the most stunning electric blue flowers. It starts flowering in June and lasts well into the autumn. Great as a container stand alone plant.

www.crocus.com   £6.95

NEW LOOK OUTDOOR COOKING

Earthfire Ceramic Pizza Oven

Homemade pizza, cooked to perfection. Delicious.

A lazy afternoon in the garden. Good friends. And freshly cooked pizza, hot from the oven.
Few things are more enjoyable.

It’s made from a unique ceramic material that retains heat to create the perfect pizza
cooking temperature of over 350˚C. Using either seasoned wood or charcoal, it’s ready
to cook in just half an hour and gives 2 hours of cooking time before you need to refuel
(although surely everyone will be full by then!).

Handmade in South Africa, this pizza oven is exceptional quality and, with its glazed finish, oak
handles and zinc coated steel stand, you’ll love the way it looks as much as the way it cooks.

• Portable, outdoor pizza oven
• Unique ceramic material means the oven heats up fast to a high temperature
• Porous cooking surface ensures even, perfectly crispy bases
• Half hour warm up time and two hour cooking time
• Also suitable for baking bread, barbecuing and smoking food
• Supplied with zinc coated steel stand, easy to follow instructions, easy to make pizza recipes plus lots of handy tips

£249 not including delivery

THE AFRICAN IMBAWULA

The sophisticated way to barbecue

On the balcony or veranda, on board the yacht or at the beach. Wherever you go, take your Imbawula
with you (pronounced Im-bough-oola).

Handcrafted in Africa by local craftsmen, the Imbawula is made using a special kiln fired ceramic.
The unique design, handed down from generation to generation, creates an efficient barbecue which
uses less fuel, gives a hotter fire and is easier to clean.

To make your Imbawula even more practical, it’s supplied with a sturdy stand. The cooking
grill is stainless steel, which makes it easier to clean and longer lasting and we supply a
black iron wok to give you even more culinary options. The wok can be used for stir frying
or as a lid for roasting, smoking or keeping food warm.

This portable and versatile barbecue not only cooks to perfection, it also makes an attractive
centrepiece. Available in vibrant ‘Earth’ and rich ‘Ocean’, the glazed finish is simply beautiful.
As each is hand crafted, the colours will vary on each piece, making them individual works of art.

The Imbawula is a wonderfully sociable way to cook and entertain. Just make sure your friends
don’t sneak off with it; make them order their own!

• Handmade African portable barbecue
• Unique design creates a hotter fire using less fuel
• Supplied with sturdy zinc coated steel stand and stainless steel cooking grill
• Black iron wok can be used for stir frying or as a lid
• Available in a choice of two colours

£75 0ffer price not including delivery