Add a touch of luxury to your garden with Dremel

Give your courtyard or small walled garden a hint of the theatrical twinned with urban roughness. Paint an ordinary garden seat black, then inset with mirrored and silver glittery mosaic pieces. Place it in a pretty spot for a contrast of opaque and transparent forms - a definite wow factor for a small courtyard! Just follow this easy step-by-step guide.

Step One
Prime and paint a garden bench black, using external paint.

Step Two
Mark around pieces of silver glitter mirror mosaic square, in a straight line on the arm, back and front sections of the garden bench with a pencil.

Step Three
Plunge cut using the Dremel 8200 multi-tool with router attachment, set to a depth slightly deeper than the depth of the piece of mosaic tile.

Step Four
Sand with the Dremel multi-tool and abrasive buffs. Use the Detailer's Grip to give you an easier hold.

Step Five
Then, inset silver glitter mosaic square or mirror diamond and stick into place using Dremel Glue Gun and 7mm clear glue. Fill around edges with multi-purpose filler slightly proud of the surface of the wood, then sand off excess filler using the abrasive buffs as above. Continue until pattern is finished. Paint in using black paint.

Planting
Add box spirals in tubs to your courtyard. Create the spiral shape by training box hedging around a steel rod placed in the centre of the tub and continually clip into shape with a shearer.

Materials required :

Dremel 8200 cordless multi-tool with router bit 654, SC 402, SC 511S/512S and the router attachment 335
Dremel Glue Gun 930 with its 7mm gluestick
Silver glitter mosaic squares and mirror diamonds
Shearer
Garden bench
Black paint
Plants

For details visit www.dremel.co.uk

Thats Health: Bupa care homes' residents have their watering can...

Thats Health: Bupa care homes' residents have their watering can...: "'Community Crops' is a Bupa care homes initiative which promotes the health benefits associated with gardening and growing your own fruit an..."

Research shows that our gardens are vital

A report, released today -Sunday- by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), confirms the vital role that gardens play in reducing city warming.

Gardening Matter: Urban gardens brings together, for the first time, UK and international research into how gardens affect the air temperatures of towns and cities. The report not only shows how important urban gardens are at reducing temperatures but also that they provide a range of other benefits.

Results quoted in the report prove that plants bring down energy consumption in winter by providing shelter and insulation; cool the air in towns and cities in the summer; help reduce the risk of flooding by absorbing rain water through soil and support increased biodiversity.

“Gardens are important for reducing city warming,” says Dr Roger Williams, Head of RHS Science. “We are concerned that with current trends for building apartment blocks with limited green space and houses with much smaller gardens the benefits from private gardens will decrease to the detriment of people living in cities. We hope this report will highlight the need to keep green spaces and that even they may even be increased for the benefit of the environment and future generations.”

Research shows that urban environments are prone to heating when vegetated areas are replaced with dark, impervious surfaces. Pavements and roads absorb more heat and reflect less than planted surfaces, making them warmer. This results in urban air and surface temperatures being significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas.

Gardens also provide valuable flood-reduction benefits. Trees help reduce the flow of rainfall by holding rain in their canopies. In addition water is filtered into the soil which helps ease demands on urban drains. Despite this the area given over to hard paving in gardens is increasing. For example, in Leeds over a 33-year period there was a 13 percent increase in impervious surfaces. This has been linked to a higher frequency and magnitude of flooding in the area.

“Although gardens provide immense benefits we also need to be aware that there are some potential negative impacts on the environment,” says Dr Tijana Blanusa, lead author of the report. “Gardening can contribute indirectly to carbon emissions through the use of powered garden tools and the manufacture and transport of horticultural goods. And the use of water in gardens is predicted to rise over the coming years.”

The report suggests ten tips for gardeners to improve the benefits of gardens to urban areas. The charity is also launching an online survey during RHS Chelsea Flower Show to see how people garden in urban areas. Anyone wanting to participate should visit – www.rhs.org.uk/urbangreening.

(EDITOR: But some experts are of the opinion that the claims on so-called carbon emissions are, to coin an expression, just so much hot air...) 

Blue is the colour. The meconopsis trial at RHS Garden Harlow Carr shows its colours

Harlow Carr is one of several sites across the country that has been chosen to grow 23 cultivars of meconopsis – more commonly known as the blue poppy because of its beautiful, vibrant hue. The trial will run over a three year period, with the first trial assessment on 17th May, when the trials committee was assessing each cultivar. The first meconopsis to flower was Meconopsis grandis ex psw on 22nd April 2011.

All of the plants are derived from the Himalayan form of meconopsis poppy and the cultivars have been developed over a period of time. The plants require a slightly acidic based growing medium that is well drained and a sheltered site out of the wind, in a cool part of the garden that receives filtered and not strong, direct sunlight.

Most of the cultivars are in full bloom at Harlow Carr and with a life expected to extend for another couple of weeks, now is the perfect time for visitors to enjoy the sight of these rare beauties.

Recycle an old bicycle and put it to work in your garden!

Create a romantic garden feature with an old bicycle and a flower-filled wooden basketweave panniers.

Evoke an atmosphere heavily loaded with memories but reinvented using nostalgic creative planting of Spring/Summer flowers in a carved wooden panier - either standing next to an old bicycle, or clipped to it, leaned up against an old wall surrounded with trailing ivy.  A stunning garden feature that will create a true talking point no matter how large or small your garden or courtyard.  Allow the bicycle to rust and assume the patina of age, replanting your flowers as the years roll by.

Just follow the steps below.

Step One
Cut tracing paper to fit one side of a wooden box, planter or bin. Use a soft pencil to draw a basket weave pattern (ours is a ribbon weave which is the simple weaving under and over of raffia) on the tracing paper. Tape the paper in position and trace the pattern down.


Step Two

Fix an engraving cutter into the Dremel Hobby 7700 multi-tool and carve the pattern.

Step Three

Add detail to the carving with the multi-tool and engraving cutter.  If you want to attach the basket to the bicycle or garden wall, drill two holes in the top sides of the 'panier' using the multi-tool with the wood drill bit and attach with strong metal clips.  Alternatively, stand the basket to one side of the bicycle to form a 'picture' on the wall of your courtyard.  Then, either place chickenwire into the internal space within the wooden 'panier' and create a cut flower display - or fill the box with soil and plant with lovely roses and trailing ivy.

Step Four

Add box balls in tubs to your courtyard to continue the whimsical theme.  Continually clip into shape using a shrub shear.

Materials required :

Dremel Hobby 7700 multi-tool

Engraving cutters 106 and 107

Wood drill bit 636

Large wooden box or planter

Old broken bicycle
Soil (or suitable compost)

Spring flowering plants

For details visit www.dremel.co.uk

Black & Decker® Signs Ben Hillman as Brand Ambassador

Black & Decker®, the world’s largest producer of power tools and accessories has signed award winning TV designer and renovation expert Ben Hillman as its brand ambassador throughout 2011.

Ben will work with Black & Decker® across a series of projects including the launch of the new High Performance range of power tools. These new products are targeted at the confident DIYer that demands tougher tools for tougher jobs. The range of products offer power and high performance along with a number of other benefits that allow the user to successfully perform tasks that are traditionally considered jobs for a professional.

Says Black & Decker® Marketing Director David Osborne; “High Performance is a key launch for Black & Decker within the power tools category so we are really excited to have Ben Hillman on board. His fresh and innovative approach to DIY is an ideal fit for the Black & Decker® brand.

We will be working with Ben to provide our consumers with insightful and interesting information about the new Black & Decker® power tools. He will combine creativity with practical DIY advice, targeting not only our existing consumers but the wider DIY market.”

In 2010 Ben won a nationwide search for ‘The Next Big Thing’ on ITV’s This Morning and has since presented a series of makeover and DIY features on the show. Along with running his own interior design, decorating and renovation business in Brighton, he is also undertaking his own renovation project.

New range of British-made, weather-resistant outdoor seat pads and tablecloths

British company, LilyMatthews, has launched its first range of outdoor soft furnishings for summer 2011. In cool grey and white or classic nautical navy, the timeless design and classic shades will give year after year of style and comfort. Water resistant, sun protected, mould- and rot-proof without a hint of plastic, these soft cotton-feel cushions, made in the UK from a world leading performance fabric, are the chic solution for outdoor living.

All LilyMatthews covers and cloths have UV resistant fibres to protect against the bleaching effect of the sun and will look good all summer and for many summers to come; ideal for outside dining, glass rooms and conservatories.

Talking about the new range, founder and owner of LilyMatthews, Jane Cowdry says: "I was tired of having to refresh the previous year's tired and faded seat pads every summer and frustrated by not being able to use a tablecloth and parasol at the same time. In trying to come up with a solution, I looked to the international marine market and took inspiration from luxury yacht dining."

The white edged tablecloths are available with or without a hole for an umbrella. Cloths come in two stock sizes, small and medium, with a large size available to order. And, to enable use with a parasol, a discreet opening allows the cloth to be slipped onto the table without having to remove or lift the umbrella.

All seat pads have a smart piped box cover with a discreet, non-rust zip and co-ordinating ties and have been carefully sized to fit most formal and informal dining chairs both inside and out. The outer covers and cloths are water resistant with a special flow through finish to allow water to drain and the cover fabric to dry quickly. After a heavy downpour any surface water can simply be wiped away with a towel. Each cover is stuffed with a plump polyester inner pad that can be quickly tumble dried if wet.

If accidental spills occur, the stain resistant finish will protect the fabric and liquids can simply be dabbed away. Any marks that develop over the years can usually be wiped away with a mild soap and, for anything more stubborn, most household cleaners - even bleach - will do the job without harming the appearance of the fabric.

Plain or striped, these gorgeous pads and smart cloths will bring a touch of the Riviera to any home and garden.

The range is available to order now at www.lilymatthews.co.uk

Chelsea Flower Show 'sold out'

The nation is in love with gardening, says the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), as tickets to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show sell out earlier than ever, on 5 May 2011, 18 days before the show opens to RHS members on Tuesday 24 May.

“Gardening is so in tune with what’s important to people at the moment” says Sue Biggs, who is the director general of the RHS, “We’re breaking visitor records at our gardens, 19,000 new members joined the RHS in the last three months and more people visited our show at Cardiff in April since it started in 2005.

“And it’s not just the beautiful weather that’s getting people outside - research by the Horticultural Trades Association in March showed over a quarter of people with a garden want to spend more time gardening. Interest in horticulture is also being reflected by media with ITV committing to more gardening coverage in 2011 as well as BBC’s excellent coverage.

“Gardening has always been popular in this country, but I believe this increased interest can largely be attributed to a desire to get back to the simpler pleasures in life and also to benefit from the huge trend to grow your own food, which has been a great boost to reach new audiences and people of all ages.

"Gardening is the perfect way to indulge yourself without any guilt and it’s good for both you and the environment – what more could you ask for? So in these tough times, it’s clear to see that the more people we can lead into this great pastime the better.”

Tickets to the world’s greatest flower show, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, have sold out the fastest since visitor numbers were capped at 157,000 in 1988. Demand for tickets are also strong for the world’s largest annual gardening event, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in Surrey (5 -10 July 2011) and the RHS show at Tatton Park, Cheshire (20 - 24 July 2011).

One last word of advice from Sue, “RHS Chelsea tickets have now sold out, so can I please ask people NOT to spend extortionate money via ticket touts on tickets that may not be authentic and risk being refused entry to the show?

"The best thing to do is visit our other events at Malvern, Hampton and Tatton for gardening inspiration, advice and ideas. Also, everyone can tune into the 12 hours fabulous coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show on the BBC.”

To buy tickets to RHS Shows at Malvern, Hampton and Tatton visit www.rhs.org.uk