Town & Country Gardener

No matter how small your garden, or outdoor living space, you should always find some room for plants to attract butterflies, for there is nothing more evocative of an English summer than the sight of a beautiful butterfly flitting from flower to flower on a warm sunny day. Every gardener needs to create a wild area to attract butterflies, as well as birds and bees, into their garden to make up for the number of natural habitats that are rapidly dwindling in the countryside because of modern farming methods and… read more > >

Sitting in a deck chair in the sun, eating an ice cream while listening to the sound of children playing and strong waves rolling towards a sandy cove is a typical ‘postcard’ depiction of the British on holiday in this country. Somehow without hundreds of deck chairs sprawled all along the sea front, or on the beach, it just wouldn’t feel like summer at the seaside; such is our love for a very simple yet effective form of outdoor seating that has long stood the test of time. Deck chairs… read more > >

Placing a garden seat, or seats, in woodland area of your garden can create a beautiful sanctuary where you can sit quietly listening to birdsong or watching squirrels scampering up the trees. This said, it is important that you choose the right style of seat and put it in exactly the right place to blend well with its surroundings, otherwise you may kill the very ambiance you are trying to create. There are several considerations before choosing your seat, namely size, shape and material; so let’s start with material. Natural… read more > >

Garden hammocks are a great way to relax in any outdoor space. Putting a hammock in your garden immediately creates somewhere to tuck yourself away from the outside world and simply enjoy the pleasures of reading, listening to music, enjoying the birdsong or sleeping a hot afternoon away. There are many styles and colours of hammocks from the basic cotton traditional type slung between two convenient trees to the real luxury freestanding models that are fixed to strong hardwood stands. Be sure to buy a hammock that is tough enough… read more > >

Building a garden pond to attract wildlife is not as difficult as it may seem. These days there are so many choices and a plethora of modern materials to ensure that you can build a pond to be proud of. Be sure to spend time considering the size of the pond, as well as the shape and construction method. Ponds should on the whole be designed with simple shapes and flowing curves to allow good water circulation. Very often a pond is built from concrete blocks, with a rendered surface… read more > >

Feeding wild birds and other wildlife, especially during the winter months is a national pastime that appeals to all age groups and to people from all walks of life. Once you have established yourself as a regular source of food you will find that many kinds of beautiful birds and even rare shy mammals start to arrive in your garden. So how which is the best way to feed the wildlife that visits your garden and what food is best to give them? During the colder winter weather wild birds… read more > >