Solar Decathlon - The Heat is on...

Lime Orchard is delighted to be associated with Nottingham University’s entry in the Solar Decathlon 2010, which will be held in Madrid, in June. The 40 strong team of students from the University are representing Britain in the first ever Solar Decathlon Europe and are hoping their Nottingham H.O.U.S.E (a family home optimizing the use of solar energy) entry will beat off stiff competition from 19 other universities from across the globe.

Our very own Design Director, Ian Dexter has been working closely with Michelin-starred chef Sat Bains. Ian’s brief is to design a garden capable of delivering ecologically sourced food which will be used to create a memorable dining experience in the house, during the competition. Click Here for a video of the team's tasting at Restaurant Sat Bains.

Ian’s garden sets out to provide a mix of fruit and vegetables planted amongst soft grasses and flowering herbaceous plants. The long term aim of the resulting succesion of food crops is to help sustain the family who might live in the house designed by the students. Fragrances and textures also characterise the planting choice thus heightening the sensory interaction of the family to their living environment.

Visit http://www.nottinghamhouse.co.uk/ to follow the team's progress

Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted

Summer = Al Fresco Entertainment

We’re about to enter the season where your garden really comes into its own as a natural alfresco entertainment zone.  Whether it’s a formal outdoor dinner party or simply an impromptu barbecue, a dedicated patio area is a must if you want to make the most of the warmer weather. With more and more of us looking to extend our living space, the garden has become a natural gathering place for friends and family, providing a spacious area for us to mingle and eat – without the hindrance of indoor walls!

 Gone are the days when patios were simply a concreted block outside your kitchen, today’s stylish and ultra convenient outside eating spaces now go as far as boasting their own outdoor kitchens! Whereas once the outdoor entertainment zone might simply feature a barbecue,  today’s more sophisticated alfresco kitchens might incorporate separate cooking and grilling areas, a wine cooler, specialist pizza oven and of course, a suite of outdoor furniture.  Combine this with the latest garden lighting and heating innovations and a super cool sound system and you are likely to find yourself spending far more time outside than in (weather permitting of course) this summer.  Why not speak to one of our Garden Designers to see how your garden can be transformed to enhance its outdoor entertainment credentials? Subscribe to Garden Living by Email

Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted
 

Ditch the Daily Commute

Whereas working from home used to be reserved for ‘mumpreneurs’ or retirees looking to make some extra money, this trend has been sharply reversed as more and more employers recognise the benefits of flexible working arrangements.  If you are looking to reduce the commute to your office and have the opportunity to work full or part-time from home, or, if you are looking to launch your own business and don’t want to incur pricey office rental costs - or maybe you simply want to create  a dedicated home office / craft project area distinct from your day to day living accommodation, then your outdoor space could provide the perfect solution. 

With websites such as www.shedworking.co.uk delivering ‘a lifestyle guide for shed workers’ it is clear that the home working revolution has gathered momentum but today’s home offices are a million miles away from the poorly converted garden sheds of yesteryear. Although the garden office has been around for quite some time now, its basic designs have evolved considerably over recent years. Indeed, modern garden offices, offer attractive, fully functional and potentially lucrative additions to the home,  equipped with solid walls, floors, cladding, electrics and even plumbing to provide a peaceful and pleasant environment for home workers.  And don’t forget, it’s not just money that is saved by avoiding rising petrol / travel costs -  you’ll also be doing your bit to save the planet by reducing your carbon footprint … 
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Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted
 

Lime Orchard on Show!

The official RHS garden show calendar is about to kick off, with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show just a month away.  This year Lime Orchard will be exhibiting at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live event which takes place 16-20th June at the NEC, Birmingham, attracting over 100,000 visitors.  Our exhibit  (pictured right) will be displayed in the smaller show feature gardens section and will clearly demonstrate the benefits of good design in a restricted area.

Recognising the growing trend for flexible working and the desire for a seamless trend from indoor to outdoor living, our garden will represent an inspirational and thoroughly innovative outdoor work space...

For details of tickets / how to get to the show visit http://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com.
 
 

Great Gardens Add £££s to your Property

As if we didn’t already know it, getting to grips with your outdoor room represents a worthwhile investment – and not just in terms of the enjoyment that you will derive from the project but also in relation to the £££s you will be adding to the value of your property.  According to a survey of over 2,000 British homeowners commissioned by QVC, an untidy garden can knock as much as £5,000 off the price of a house and a massive two thirds of Brits are put off buying a house if the garden is unattractive.  No surprise then that over 55% of house hunters reported that the state of the garden is as important as the inside of the house.

Features in the outdoor room which are deemed to add the most value to a property are privacy, ie a garden which offers sanctuary from the outside world, patios and a tiptop lawn.  Interestingly, decking definitely got the thumbs down in the survey, with 50% of respondents claiming decking was an off-putting ‘garden gripe’. Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted
  

Freedom for Kids!

Last April, Natural England released research that revealed we are raising a generation of ‘cotton wool kids’ with fewer than 10% playing in woodlands, countryside and parks. 

The same survey claimed that nature based activities such as pond dipping, climbing trees and playing conkers are enjoyed by children – that is when they are allowed to participate - and a whopping 81% of children wanted more freedom to play outdoors. 

 Given that 85% of adults agreed that they would like their children to play outside more often – with concerns relating to road safety and stranger danger holding them back, it seems the most sensible solution is to create a safe and secure outdoor play area within the confines of your property’s outside space.  An appealing play area for children need not be at the expense of a stylish outdoor room but a well thought out garden design is a must to help you achieve that all important balance to maintain good family relations!

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Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted
 

Invest in DFY!

A new book by BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Joe Swift highlights the plight  many city dwellers face when they embark upon a journey to secure their own slice of garden living, only to become quickly disappointed when their exclusive sanctuary fails to live up to expectations.

"City dwellers often pay a premium for a property with a garden, so that they can have access to their own highly prized 'private outdoors space'," says Swift. "Very quickly, however, most people become disillusioned, claiming that it's 'too much work', 'it's overlooked' or 'the kids have made it all muddy'. Their negative feelings lead to their garden becoming increasingly ignored and neglected”

In Joe’s Urban Garden Hand-book, he claims the real problem is a lack of motivation - and says, “who could blame those who've got a full-time job and don't have valuable time to spend on pruning and weeding”. Joe quickly quashes the view of the ‘keen gardener’ who can ‘get incredibly snooty” at the suggestion of paying an expert to help.  Instead the author advises to call for assistance – a method that he describes as DFY (Done For You). This might involve “finding a tree surgeon, who can cut any existing planting into shape; or, employing a garden designer, who can oversee the project”. Joe continues “If the cost puts you off, bear in mind that any outlay is an investment and will most likely be repaid when you come to sell your property”.

We couldn’t agree with you more Joe!


Lime Orchard - Your Dream Garden Designed, Built, Planted