yardz

MORE FROM PATRICIA URQUIOLA

"Designed by Patricia Urquiola for Kettal, the Maia collection is “an industrial reinterpretation of handcrafted plaiting”. The collection moves away from archetypal plaited furniture through the use of new contemporary geometry. The furniture gains in lightness and modernity by combining high-tech fibre and a broad aluminium structure. It also has an interesting shadow!

Originally from Spain, Patricia Urquiola trained in Italy and is considered one of the most active designers of the new generation. She has been awarded prizes by great international design associations (New York MOMA USA, AFI-FAD Spain, Wallpaper international magazine). Patricia Urquiola currently designs for the best companies on the international furniture scene.

Frame made out of aluminium, polyester powder coated and high quality synthetic fibre hand weaved. Frame completely outdoors. Cushion made out of 3D thermo melted textile for an easy maintenance."

www.kettalgroup.com

CANASTA

The new outdoor furniture by www.bbitalia.it inspired by traditional techniques and patterns. This furniture is especially suitable for contemporary yard or garden You can make your barbeque party more passionate with these simple low backed chairs.

Furniture designed by Patricia Urquiola

THE 5 BEST VEG FOR MICRO-GARDENS

These are 5 of the best 'easy to grow' vegetables suitable for the micro-garden. All meet the criteria of being easy to grow, highly productive, quick growing and happy to grow in containers. The varieties have been chosen because they mainly have been bred to meet this criteria and also give great returns in flavour.

1. PEA HALF PINT  www.thompson-morgan.com

  This 30-37cm high pea is compact and does not need staking. Ideal for container and windowbox growing. The peas are ready to pick in about 14 weeks and regular picking prolongs cropping. Sow now and make sure to water well in dry conditions.

2.COURGETTE BLACK FOREST F1 HYBRID  www.thompson-morgan.com

Unique climbing courgette that saves space and is great in containers. Produces tasty dark green fruit in abundance, as the catalogues say! Besides producing great fruit, the courgette has large bright yellow flowers that are both decorative and edible.

3. LETTUCE BABY LEAF SALAD   www.thompson-morgan.com

This is a spicy mix of spinach, mizuna and red mustard. Sow every 3-4 weeks to have continuous cropping through the summer. Much nicer to pick your own baby leaves than buy the supermarket chlorine treated bags. Make great windowbox plants - decorative and edible.

4. SPRING ONION WHITE LISBON  www.suttons.co.uk

White Lisbon is on old variety of spring/salad onion but it fits micro-gardening conditions. It is very quick growing producing white skinned and mild flavoured onions.

Sow at regular intervals to have continuous supplies through the summer.

5. DWARF BEAN SPEEDY  www.suttons.co.uk

Compact and high yielding. Crops just seven weeks from sowing. Harvest when beans are young for best flavour.

Just one of the many varieties of veg for small gardens in the Suttons 'Speedy' range.

LIVING SALADS

www.livingsalads.co.uk produce trays of baby salad leaves ready to be freshly harvested at home. You pick the leaves as and when you need them, so they are as fresh as they could possibly be.They are available from main supermarkets including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose.

You could though easily grow your own baby leaf salad in small trays on a windowsill using a salad leaves seed mixture sown in a multipurpose compost. They should only take two to three weeks before harvesting. Try the Easy Salad Leaves seed collection from www.mr-fothergills.co.uk , these contain a mix of leaves including Mizuna, Mustard, Rocket and Salad Bowl Lettuce.

WASH DAY STYLE

 

SUPERB WASH DAY STYLE. Gone are the boring green airer covers and peg bags, www.alfrasia.co.uk offer a great range in 'Minky Pebble' design.

The Rotary Airer Cover is suitable for most models. Has a full length zip, is water resistant and UV stable. £4.00

   The Peg bag is water resistant to keep pegs clean and dry.

We could do with more of this type of thought put into the design of everday items.

TALKING RHUBARB

Rhubarb is the new healthy eating craze. During the second world war it was part of the countrys' staple diet, providing a fair amount of the nations vitamin C. Eaten in pies, crumbles and fools it kept the homeguard happy. After the war its popularity waned and people lost the taste for its acidic flavour. Now its back on the menu at top eateries where delicate forced rhubarb is served in all manor of dishes. Rhubarb, though is very easy to grow and plants can be easily bought now from local garden shops or centres. The best varieties are Champagne with sweet tasting pink-tinged stems and Timperley Early which is also very flavoursome and great for forcing.

Forcing rhubarb is a way to provide an early crop of very delicate fruit. A rhubarb forcer, rather like a large clay chimney pot, is placed over a rhubarb plant in early spring before growth starts and a lid put on the top. The warmth created by the forcer starts the rhubarb into growth. Once growth is well established the top can be removed to encourage the stems to grow towards the light. Once the stems have been picked the forcer should be removed and the rhubarb plant given a good feed. Plants should only be forced every other year so you'll need two plants to give fruit every year.

Seakale is forced in a similar way. Buy seakale as root cuttings in spring and leave them to grow for a year before forcing them in the same way as rhubarb. seakale plants don't need a rest between forcings but atfer three years it is usually best to replace them.

Rhubarb is great for the microgarden as it has wonderful decorative leaves and stems, is cheap to buy and no problem to look after.

NEW HOUSING AND MICRO-GARDENS

With changes in the planning regulations, new houses now have far less outside space than they did ten years ago. Even larger detached houses in prime areas can have less than 30 square metres - many new houses have less than 10. THIS VALUABLE SPACE THOUGH, IS RARELY USED TO THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE OWNERS. Most revert to the 1950 & 60's ideal of a central lawn with ribbon side borders and a paved access path. New house builders do not help - show house gardens are often poorly designed with no regard to how residents will use the space. The house interiors have state of the art kitchens and bathrooms, carpets in the required neutral hues yet the garden is handed over as a turfed square with a small paved area. THE DESIGN OF THE OUTSIDE SPACE SHOULD REFLECT THE LIFESTYLE OF THE OWNERS. Builders should put the same into the exterior design options for potential buyers as they do for the interior. Until more is done to help householders to use and enjoy their yards to the full through education and example, there will be many outdoor spaces wasted.

SPRING FAIR 1.

Great contemporary wall plaques from www.berde.net

YARDZ 2008

YARDZ vision for 2008 is to change the barren wastes of Limehouse balconies, urban roofgardens and new housing estate patios with cutting edge design into an outside living space that reflects the owners lifestyle.

Have an very eco friendly Christmas

Recycled and eviromentally friendly Christmas tree decorations. Made from recycled circuit boards and recycled CD's - the shiny metal bits catch the light,

www.nigelsecostore.com