Planning Pays - Design your Garden Now, Enjoy it in the Spring!

Although you may feel Spring is a million miles away, if you want your dream garden to be completed in time for the beginning of next year’s improved weather, you need to start planning NOW!  All too often we only evaluate our gardens when the temperatures begin to soar and then suddenly the pressure is on to get the work completed at break neck speed.
 
The best approach to achieving your ideal garden is not to rush it.  Allocate time to thinking about the key criteria for your outside living area and plan well ahead.  Autumn is a great time to plan the  transformation of your house’s exterior living space for a whole host of reasons:
 

• Firstly, there are fewer restrictions on what work can be undertaken – for example, the ground is not so hard that it becomes difficult to try and break up – nor is it (traditionally at least!) so water logged it’s impossible to work with

• Most plants are dormant at this time of year so if the proposed garden make-over project involves a lot of cutting back of existing stock,  it is more likely that the trees / plants will be able to survive this intervention and any other disruption caused by machinery etc 

• Rather than having to plant out new trees and hedges from pots, in winter it is possible – and preferable – to use bare rooted stock.  In addition to establishing early successful growth your pocket will benefit too , as bare rooted stock is traditionally cheaper to buy than pot grown trees and hedges 

• Getting to grips with your garden now will save you having to join the queues next  year – and when those around you are struggling to find a landscaper with time to take on the job,  you can sit back and enjoy your stylish newly transformed outdoor space

 
So now’s the perfect time to realise the true potential of your outdoor space, book a consultation with Lime Orchard’ to benefit from our unique total transformation service, visit us at www.limeorchard.co.uk

Go Eco in the Garden

The term 'green living' no longer simply applies to a niche sector of our population.  Today, the whole nation has a responsibility to demonstrate a heightened awareness of the need to adopt a more environmentally friendly approach to day to day living in an effort to  save the planet.  So here’s some eco friendly strategies for you to consider for the garden this autumn:

• Reduce the use of pesticides and weedkillers in the garden, as these will eventually make their way into rivers, lakes and groundwater
  
• Be careful with the disposal of pesticides and weedkillers – don’t pour them down drains but dispose of them carefully at official sites
  
• When pruning trees and shrubs, keep sturdy sticks and use them as rustic poles for climbing plants like beans or peas. Try using willow to reinforce hanging baskets and dry out twigs to use as kindling. 
  
• Avoid using patio heaters, now recognised as a climate-busting way to keep warm outdoors.  Instead consider a fire pit or chimenea. Chimeneas burn wood, which may be a carbon-neutral fuel and if you wan to be really green try and get hold of some Heat Logs, (made from natural sawdust and shaving residues from sawmills that use 100% virgin timber from sustainably managed plantation forestry) 
  
• Install a water butt to collect rain water for watering the garden - many water companies and local councils offer some good deals
  
• Buy a composter and compost your kitchen and garden scraps
  
• If you have to buy new wood, make sure it is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified
  
• Plant drought-resistant plants, e.g. mediterranean herbs including lavenders, sage & rosemary, especially if you live in a part of the country that will become much drier in the summer (such as southern England)
  
• Opt for solar rather than traditional mains powered lighting
  

Securing your Outdoor Room

With most of us spending more and more time in our outdoor room – and year round to boot, so the value of the items in our garden has risen making them increasingly attractive to the opportunist thief.  According to a report in the Guardian last  May, we now spend £4bn each year on making the land around our homes more beautiful, but insurer Churchhill Insurance claims that as many as one in seven households will be affected by garden crime, saying that the British lose nearly £300 m per year in garden thefts. If you want to minimise the risk of unwanted visitors gaining access to your outside space there are a number of factors you should consider:

• Natural defences - think about planting prickly or inhospitable plants and bushes around the garden. This is natural defence in its purest form! This way you can still achieve an attractive backdrop and make the thief's job more difficult (and uncomfortable) at the same time! Hawthorn or holly are two of the best plants to ward off thieves
• Fighting fit fences - ensure your fencing is fit for purpose and capable of withstanding any attempts to push it over, remove any panels or parts, kick it through or climb over. An ‘average’ garden fence is designed to provide attractive demarcation and can easily be compromised.  A total fence height of less than 1.8m is generally ineffective as it can easily be scaled and allow objects to be passed over it.  Where possible, and subject to planning permission, a fence should be 2-2.4m high.  Fitting a trellis on the top of a fence also makes it harder for thieves to gain access
• Grab some gravel!  A gravelled drive and path makes a great noise deterrent
• Weigh it down -  put bricks in any expensive garden pots outside the house to make them too heavy for anyone to walk off with
• Working undercover – prune trees and shrubs near sheds, greenhouses and garages to prevent thieves from working undetected
• Let there be light – keep the garden well lit and consider investing in security lighting to make it difficult for a thief to work unobserved

Family Friendly Outdoor Rooms

A successful family garden  needs to cater for the demands of family life and fulfill a number of uses - from a play to planting area. The priority for most families is to incorporate a safe play zone and a comfortable patio eating area, with of course a splash of greenery courtesy of lawns, trees, hedging and planting displays. The challenge is how to create a desirable space for children without compromising on your aesthetic requirements.   While the kids may think there's nothing wrong with the array of toys strewn across the entire garden, parents don't want to lose their stylish barbeque area for entertaining. The solution to this dilemma is quite simple: plan your garden carefully before you spend a fortune. Alternatively, work with a garden design or landscaping company that also has the relevant expertise and experience to create your family's dream outdoor area.

 As part of the planning process you'll also need to take into consideration some important safety factors:

•       If your garden is hedged, it will need to be checked regularly for gaps. You might want to run chicken wire down the base of a hedge if it isn't bushy all the way to the ground, to keep children or pets contained

•       Secure, robust fencing and a well-hung gate are vital to keep your kids within the safe confines of the garden.  Pressure wash patios & paths ahead of the onset of winter to remove any moss or algae that may form a slippery patch. Clear away wet, slippy leaves from paths & paving and use for composting or mulching a shrub border.

•       Beware of dangerous plants in the garden and educate the children on the hazards of eating them. Some plants have sharp stems which are quite capable of delivering a nasty cut (such as pampas grass), while the pointy leaves and thorns of holly or roses can give a nasty prick

•       You'll definitely win brownie points if you install a climbing frame or a playhouse in the garden. Be careful where you position these features, they should be well away from concreted areas and not too near any walls, fences or large bushes. Ideally, you should set up any play equipment on a dedicated play surface

•       Take a good look at the condition of the paving in your garden and be sure to repair any broken or loose pavers