Diary Dates 2010

RHS Show Cardiff – 16-18 April 2010
Malvern Spring Gardening Show – 6-9 May 2010
RHS Chelsea Flower Show – 25-29 May 2010
BBC Gardeners’ World Live – 16-20 June 2010
Solar Decathlon - 18-27 June 2010
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – 6-11 July 2010
RHS Show Tatton Park – 21-25 July 2010
Malvern Autumn Show – 25-26 September 2010

Beware Rogue Traders

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has received a record 4,000 complaints about rogue traders – that’s 18% up on 2008 - representing a massive £8m cost to householders!  The most common complaints related to dodgy driveways, rip off roofs and imperfect cavity wall insulation.  The OFT is now launching a Your Doorstep, Your Decision campaign to help the general public steer clear of unscrupulous landscapers. The campaign advises householders that if they pay £35 or more for a service and sign a contract on the doorstep, traders legally must say they have seven days in which to cancel. Other advice includes not handing over a cash deposit, shopping around and getting a second opinion before letting work begin.

Get High from Green Living

Why not transform that dull roof into something spectacular with a low maintenance living green roof that offers some really worthwhile environmental benefits? Now you can use your flat roof – or a roof with a slope of up to 45 degrees - to grow a fabulous range of sedum products or eco friendly wildflowers to create a dramatic roof top sensation.

With the increasing concern about the impact our development of the planet is having on the worldwide environment and the UK government calling for sustainable development, green roofs offer a number of benefits over more traditional forms of roofing, helping to meet sustainable development objectives:

Flooding floored
Following a heavy rainfall a green roof will initially retain more rain than a conventional roof. This minimises the initial heavy run-off, which can cause localised flooding and put pressure on the sewage system. The remaining water then drains off more slowly, allowing more rain to remain in the natural water cycle and less in the sewage system.

Ssh …
The soft layer of sedum blanket growing on a green will absorb sound, as opposed to hard conventional roofs which can reflect noise. The same layer improves the buildings sound insulation properties, reducing sound pollution within the building.

Thermal Insulation
The addition of a green roof layer to a property increases its thermal insulation properties, making it warmer in winter, cooler in summer and reducing those all important (and rising!) energy costs.

Home sweet  home
Green roofs can help compensate for the loss of green surfaces, sacrificed to building developments. This helps to provide an environment for the development of wildlife, especially bird, plant and insect life, increasing the biodiversity in our towns and cities.

Canine Design!

Julia Everett, the winner of our recent ‘win a £1000 garden design’ prize draw  had an unusual motivation for wanting a garden transformation.  One of the main issues associated with the current layout of her outdoor space related to Molly, Julia’s beloved rescue dog.  Molly, a foxhound cross had been terribly abused by her previous owners and as a result, when she first came to Julia she was extremely timid and nervous.  Three years on and after lavishing much TLC,  Molly is now a boisterous, mischievous pooch, prone to leaping over the fence and any gaps in the hedge to pursue adventures beyond the safety of the garden!  Julia’s main priority is for a design that is not only aesthetically pleasing but which also removes any opportunity for Molly to make a quick getaway!  Watch this space!

Lime Orchard - Garden Design. Planting Plans. Garden Build 
 

Alfresco Play

With talk of Britain raising a generation of ‘cotton wool kids’ denied the pleasures of traditional outdoor play as a result of over anxious parents too scared to let their children out alone, the pressure is on to allow kids the opportunity to indulge in some traditional free play in the safety of the home garden.

The risk of a potential knock or fall in the garden pales into insignificance compared with the dangers or raising a child whose experiences are defined by websites and computer games. That said, there are definite guidelines to follow to limit the risk of an accident in the outdoor play room :

• Play surfaces for gardens need to comply with safety standard EN1177, and basically this means that it should be self draining and non slip in order to do things like safely stop muddy patches under swings
• Play equipment must satisfy the British Toy and Hobby Association to standard no EN71-8, which covers swings, slides, and similar activity toys for indoor and outdoor family use. If it does it will display the CE and Lion mark on it as an indication that it has passed the relevant stringent tests and is fit for purpose
• It makes sense to create a dedicated children’s play zone rather than have activities taking place in the middle of your outside entertainment zone! Be sensitive to the need to provide shelter from the sun and also avoid placing any equipment close to walls or a concrete surface
• As well as specific outdoor play equipment consider investing in some specially adapted outdoor games. Giant Pick Up Sticks, Giant Dominoes or the classic kids favourite board game Snakes and Ladders can all provide endless hours of fun

Shed Life!

According to an article in the Guardian earlier this year, garden offices are cheap, chic, eco-friendly and above all, do away with the dreaded daily commute – so the trend for ‘shedworking’ is becoming increasingly commonplace. With more than 2.5 million businesses being run from home, the creation of a garden building represents the second most popular siting for a home office, although the spare room retain the no1 slot.  Aside from the practical advantages of a garden based home office, the decision to invest in an alfresco work space can also add value to your property – up to 5% according to some experts - and installing an office in the garden is certainly far cheaper than buying a house with an extra room!

Garden offices can be home built, designed by an architect or purchased from the myriad of suppliers competing in this growing market.  Latest models sport not only ultra chic and stylish designs, but also boast added green credentials such as power generation through solar panels in the roof and solar light generation.

Christmas Comes Early!

Christmas has come early for North Lincolnshire based Julia Everett, who is the lucky winner of our free prize draw and receives a free garden design worth £1000 prvided by Lime Orchard’s own Chelsea Flower Show Medal-winning Design Director, Ian Dexter. 

Commenting on the win Julia  says  "I can’t believe our luck, we've never won anything before! We’re all absolutely thrilled to bits and can’t wait to see the design! We have been in the house for 20 years but have some problem areas that a professional pair of eyes will really be able to sort out. We are looking forward to having our  dream garden ready for the Spring” 

Follow the progress of Juila's design in coming issues of Garden Living  from Lime Orchard