yardz

LONG LASTING ASTRANTIAS

 
Astrantia major Roma is a great plant for containers. It will flower from now until September if planted in semi shade or at least not full sun and deadheaded regularly. It only grows to about 70cm high. Astrantias have always been popular with flower arrangers as they make excellent cut flowers. 
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FLAT DWELLING HENS

www.chickenco-op.com supply the perfect house for city living chickens.

This high rise coop consists of a ground floor 'scratch'n'run area, a first floor with four egg laying units and the top floor is a roosting zone. The design allows plenty of storage for bedding and food whilst the sliding base aids easy cleaning. There is a built in solar powered to fan to help control temperature within the coop in summer.

 

 

CEMENT BAG PLANTERS

 
Supplied by www.turtlebags.co.uk, these recycled tomato planters have been nominated for the RHS Product of the Year Award. They are made from recyced cement bags with sturdy webbed handles by the Womwns Uplift Programme in Bangladesh. These bags are from a range that includes herb and potato planters.

 
 
  
 

SMALL YET STYLISH BBQ

I just love Bodum products and that includes this dinky Bodum FYRKAT bbq. Its available in five colours including lime green, orange, and yellow as well as black and white. 

At £49.50 from www.bodum.com its a perfect buy for using on the patio or balcony as well as taking down the beach.

BAGS OF COLOUR

The Koziol Taschelino Bags were designed in Milan and are manufactured in Germany - linking great design with perfect manufacture. 
They are available in a range of colours from www.homegardenliving.co.uk for only £4.99. Made from 100% recyclable plastic they are great for planting herbs or bedding plants.

SMALL CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

 

PEA SHOOTS - THE NEW LEAF GREENS

 
Growing salad greens in small spaces is easy today. There are many selections of easy to grow salad greens available as seeds or as small plants from garden centres. But for a change try growing pea shoots.

Plant 3-4 pea seeds in a small pot and germinate on a windowsill or in a growhouse. Once germinated and they have grown about an inch, plant outside into large containers - Potato Bags are perfect. After about three weeks you are ready to start picking the top shoots which have the crunchiness of lettuce and the sweet flavour.

Try using Pea Alderman or any Mangetout or Sugar Snap varieties

 

  

MINI CLEMATIS FOR INSIDE OR OUT

These mini Clematis Flora are available from www.dobies.co.uk. They are great for pots inside or out. Use them as houseplants then once flowered cut them back and grow them outside where they will flower all summer. They are available in a choice of three colours. 

BUMBLE BEE SUMMER

The Beepol Garden Hive from www.dragonfli.co.uk houses a live colony of bumble bees in a maintenance free hive. These native disease free bees will help polinate your flowers fruit and veg including tomatoes, peppers and aubergines. Though they only last till winter new queen eggs laid will help build the native bumble bee population. 
 

TWO TONE GRAPE HYACINTHS

Grape Hyacinths, Muscari, are great bulbs for containers and hanging baskets. These are Muscari latifolium, the two-colour Muscari, that flower in March and April. Growing to about 20cm high they are perfect to mix with bedding plants though being non-invasive they are great for borders.