Wayne and Gerardine Hemmingway have designed affordable homes for the last 8 years and have now turned their attention to the British institution of the shed. Trading as www.shackup.co.uk they have produced sheds that are both stylish and fun. they are available in various sizes including a bike shed called 'bikeinabox'.
Heucheras are wonderful groundcover and container plants. Most of the older varieties are either green or burgundy but breeders have in the last decade presented us with an amazing range of bright colours from yellow through peach to almost black.
One of the best though is Heuchera Key Lime Pie. It forms mounds of lime greenfoliage that curls up at the edges.If planted in full sun a silver marbling appears on the leaves and attractive pinky red flowers are produced in early summer.
To bring out this bright lime foliage try planting with burgundy foliage companion plants such as Berberis Bagatelle,Berberis Hellmonds Pillar or one of the dark leaved phormiums such as Phormium tenax 'All Black'.
Other lime coloured heucheras include Heuchera 'Lime Rickey' and Heuchera 'Citronelle'.
Spring hanging baskets can be rather obvious - pansies, primroses, ivy, etc.
This year I've gone for a more minimalist look using low growing evergreen grasses underplanted with grape hyacinths. The effect has worked well with the flower heads just bobbing above the waving grasses. Ready grown bulbs can be found in garden centres in pots and trays in spring which saves the trouble of planting dry bulbs in autumn.
The grape hyacinth I've used is Muscari armeniacum which has bright blue flowers and are only about 8" in height. They should flower for several weeks if the weather is cool.
Coldframes are generally not the most picturesque garden item and especially not the type of thing you would want in a small yard. Many are made from aluminium with glass or polycarbonate, all very functional but not very stylish.
These coldframes from www.lichfieldplanters.com are chunky and bold with great over sized handles and hinges. They are made from solid Scandinavian pine or Cedar. Prices start from £259.00 for the double frame and £159.00 for the single.
Coldframes are perfect for growing more tender veg in the summer such as melons and for growing salads over winter.
I saw this 'water bottle' water butt at B&Q last weekend. At present most water Butts are of a very traditional design that arn't very stylish. A few years ago at a garden trade show I saw standard water butts in bright primary colours. They were a great talking point but I don't think they were put into production.
These Drum Planters from www.urbisdesign.co.uk show how really good design in such a simple object as a planter can make so much difference in the look of a small area. I know they are top of the range but it is well worth the investment. Check out Urbis Design, it will make you look at plant containers in a new way.
The Solargrow from www.greenhousesensation.co.ukis a solar powered hydroponic growing system. Plants are planted in a clay granule medium above a reservoir of water and nutrient. The nutrient medium is then directly pumped over the roots and as this drains away into the reservoir, oxygen is pulled to the roots.
Plants grown in a Solargrow typically produce 3x more yield than plants grown using soil, growbags or irrigation kits. This is because the Solargrow makes sure that plants aren’t under any stress, so they grow strong and healthy and can focus on producing fruit.
Is this the future of growing plants in small spaces?
I have a passion for well designed bird feeders and bird houses.
This one is by Gary Cruce and is available from www.twentytwentyone.com
'It is designed to accommodate common cavity-nesting birds such as house sparrows, wrens, and swallows.
A natural structure of bentwood and laminate gives this birdhouse a light-hearted yet sophisticated form. Made entirely of European Birch laminate, this birdhouse is weatherproofed by a high quality oil, composed entirely of natural elements. Nest is easy to hang from a nail or screw mounted to a wall or post. A removable back panel makes cleaning easy.'
Dimensions
18w x 17d x 28h
£49.00 plus p&p
Couldn't resist posting this photo.
Polyanthus are looking good at the moment adding a great splash of colour to any container. I prefer them to primroses as they hold their flowers above the foliage. They look amazing mixed as all the colours are so strong and really do not need underplanting with bulbs. They are perennial lasting from year to year but in small gardens its best to compost them after flowering and buy new plants in the autumn.
Cowichan Polyanthus have the brightest of flowers for spring containers. They are well worth searching out as most garden centres won't stock them.
These stunning polyanthus have flowers with very small 'eyes' which results in distinctive blooms of deep colours including wine reds,ruby and salmon.
Underplant them with simple deep coloured tulips chosen to flower at about 20-25cm high to give an amazing result.
