Green thumbs up!

Established in 2009, Hornby Garden Designs has bloomed, both figuratively and literally, into the place the discerning garden lover goes. Key to their success is their long-standing tenet – everyone needs something different from their garden. Jason Hornby, Managing Director and garden designer explains, ‘Hornby Garden Designs was founded on a simple premise – we do what it takes to ensure our clients enjoy the finest outside and inside spaces.’ This exemplary service ensures that customers are presented with an affordable, bespoke design, which complements their lifestyle and is practical yet aesthetically pleasing. This theme of elevated service and attention to detail is carried through to every aspect of the project – even the plants are sourced from specialist nurseries – not just to suit your garden’s soil type and condition – but also to add those all-important design details around benches, trellises, water features and plant containers. Well known in Shropshire and the surrounding areas for their unique blend of design excellence, creative planting schemes and a dedication to exceeding client expectations, Jason and his dedicated team of consultants take the hard work out of any project, large or small. They also offer a comprehensive range of services including construction management, planting and garden styling, garden lighting, water features and on-going garden maintenance. For more information, visit their website at www.hornbygardendesigns.co.uk or call them on 01743 241 706. Your garden will thank you for it.

Bang on trend

The Elwy Valley Shepherds Hut Company are tapping into the latest consumer trend this season with their twist on traditional Shepherds Huts. In bygone days, no two shepherd’s huts were ever the same. Each one was lovingly crafted using reclaimed items gathered from around the farm and local area, and carefully constructed to keep out the wind and the wolves. In keeping with this ethos and tradition, Elwy Valley Shepherds Hut Company build bespoke shepherds huts using skills and materials sourced from local suppliers and craftsmen. However, each hut comes with a unique decorative twist – each one features a unique and authentic, reclaimed Victorian stained glass window. Home trend gurus Trendbible.com are predicting this trend of utilizing reclaimed architectural finds will be big in Spring/Summer 2013 – a natural extension of the ‘make do and mend’ culture that has taken hold in the UK in the last few years. In addition, Trendbible.com claim that what they call ‘Botanical Discovery’ will prove to be a major trend this year. Reflecting the appreciation of natural resources through the choice of natural, rustic wood, interior design featuring reclaimed wood will become popular due to its environmentally-friendly ethos. Victorian influence will also feature with natural objects grouped together. Inspiration will also be taken from architectural salvage and antiques. The Trend Bible also predicts that consumers will continue to look for value for money. Steve Akred of Elwy Valley Shepherds Huts says, ‘People are increasingly looking for investments that will stand the test of time without compromising the environment. They also want to create more space for themselves and their family without having to move home, but with the knowledge they can take their hut with them if they eventually do.’ Each Elwy Valley Shepherds Hut is built on a solid oak chassis for strength and beauty and comprises pressure treated timber throughout. Built to last, owners can expect to hand their shepherds hut down through generations. Shepherds huts are suitable for a variety of uses; a handy home office, hunting or shooting base, luxury fishing hut, a teenage escape, or just a peaceful place to read, relax with a G&T and commune with nature. Warm, windproof and wired for the modern world, each one makes a practical yet creative addition to any garden, field, wood or lakeside. And best of all, they need no planning permission, though the Elwy Valley Shepherds Hut Company recommend that you double check with your local authority first. In an age where there’s a move towards preventing unnecessary waste and an aversion to ‘over-consumerism’, Steve sums up: ‘These days people care more about where something comes from and how it’s made. We’re proud that we’ve revived some of the old traditions. It’s a bonus that they happen to be bang-up-to-date.’ Elwy Valley Shepherds Huts start from just £9250.00. For more details, please contact Steve Akred on 07969 569541 or visit www.elwyvalleyshepherdshutco.com.

Erddig Gardens

What a spring we have had! Now the deep snow has gone, everything is growing and catching up in the garden and blooming wonderfully. All the young seedlings and cuttings are filling up the greenhouses. Sweet pea seedlings and other plants are being planted out, or sown where they are to grow. The Pleached limes and fruit trees are bursting into growth and blossom, and the gardeners are dashing to and fro with barrows and lawnmowers. At Erddig our spring bedding on the Parterre beds in front of the Hall is looking good. The Tulips are timed to flower in early May. Each season we try to produce a different colour scheme. The spring scheme this year is inspired by Erddig’s 40th Anniversary. Yes, it was all of 40 years ago that Philip Yorke, ‘the Last Squire of Erddig’, signed the deed of gift to pass Erddig and its estate to the National Trust. Philip had been presented with the deed for signing on at least two previous occasions, but each time wanted slight alterations. The night before he gave Erddig to us, he was wined and dined in the most salubrious surroundings Wrexham and the National Trust could offer, the local Chinese Restaurant, and afterwards taken to the old Wrexham Odeon cinema. I’m not sure Philip was aware of the film they were going to see, it was ‘A Clockwork Orange. Perhaps it was seeing this violent and disturbing film that tipped the balance and finally pushed Philip to sign the deed of gift? Our bedding scheme then is our ‘Clockwork Orange’, a homage in shades of orange, yellow and blood red, with the garden clock in the background. As we approach June, this is the time of year for herbaceous borders and roses. I’ll bet you didn’t know that Erddig has one of the longest herbaceous borders in the country? On the south side of the garden, it is 250 yards long. There is always a plant to spot along its length. May and June should see Geraniums, Nepeta and Hemerocallis in flower. There are more borders either side of the Parterre and dotted among the plants that grow here, we add sweet peas for later summer interest. Scrambling up and through wig-wams of hazel twigs, they should eventually grow into columns over 6 feet high. Traditionally, we always grow sweet peas in the garden and this year a silversmith is working on set days in the Hall, producing a piece of contemporary silverware to be won by a visitor. Sponsored by the Goldsmiths Company, the piece will finally be engraved with a sweet pea design. Erddig also has many different types of roses. Beds of floribunda roses in the Victorian Garden, many climbers trained on the garden walls and various different species of shrub roses in the Rose garden. And our main summer tasks of planting out the summer bedding and starting hedgecutting operations will soon be under way.

Early Summer Treatment for Your Lawn

GreenThumb Flintshire give us some hints and tips for getting the perfect lawn ready for summer! Currently here at GreenThumb we have just started treating lawns with the second of our regular programmed treatments, the Early Summer Treatment. This differs slightly from the spring treatment, incorporating the special polymer coated ‘no scorch technology’ granular feed. This is designed for the outer polymer coating of each grain to break down over the next ten weeks, slowly releasing the feed in a controlled manner over that period. Some of the more persistent, difficult weeds are treated at this time, to further improve the appearance of your lawn. Several things to remember at this time of year, if you haven’t already done so, raise the height of your mower to at least an inch and a half, adjusted on a level, hard surface. This is important for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that the longer the grass, the greener it will be. At this height the lawn will start to reseed itself reducing the possibility of bare patches appearing through the later part of the growing season, the remains of the moss which has flourished in ideal conditions over the winter period will be choked out by the self seeding grass, thus removing one of the causes of this annual blight. A further benefit is that the slightly longer grass can more readily cope with long dry spells such as we experienced last year. A timely reminder that during long dry spells your lawn needs watering regularly, a good soaking at least once a week should suffice. Hopefully we can look forward to long periods of good sunny weather over the next few months, giving us the opportunity to sit out in the evenings, perhaps with a glass of something cool, and enjoy the benefits of a beautiful lawn. For more information call your local GreenThumb branch on 0800 0111 222.