Construction & Home Improvement
I have been away from my home and garden rather a lot this year – mostly on house & dog sitting duties. This in itself has presented quite some challenges in that the lovely large grassy area that the dogs used to romp over has temporarily been dug up and/or covered by heavy plant earth moving gear, tipper trucks and concrete mixers. The owners of the property have decided to…
Oh my word what strange weather we’ve been having this last few weeks. It can’t make up its mind whether it wants to be hot, cold, wet, blisteringly dry. In one day last week I think I experienced every season available in this country. I started off with shorts and a hoodie when taking the dogs out for early walkies. Not going too mad, the hoodie because it was still…
I have been thinking long and very hard about getting my kitchen replaced. At one time I would have happily gone down the local DIY emporiums, checked out the choices of flatpack cabinets and selection of worktops and more or less done the job myself. Today however, the sheer cost of such an undertaking is massively out of the realms of DIY. The cabinetry is so much better, lots of…
Gardening throughout the autumn and winter months can be a tad dispiriting at times. That heavy clay and mud that accompanies evry foray into the borders only serves to prolong the tasks. There are products on the market that can help break down clay – pellets or small lumps of this are tossed liberally over the borders and anywhere needing to be dug next spring. These pellets can be lightly…
Ahh the mellow fruifulness of autumn – it’s fantastic to have a lare patio window and door combination so the garden is visible from every chair in our family room. We all appreciate being able to sit and while away the odd few minutes just taking in the seasonal changes, the wildlife activity and make mental notes on what needs doing in the garden next. Nost newer homes have patio…
If one tries to record all the changes that occur in life of a garden over a year, it’s pretty much impossible. There are definitely stages of activity that will happen regardless of the weather. The house always looks more cheery when the spring sunshine comes in earnest and the same goes for the garden. Early bulbs poke through, lawns start to look and feel springier, and regrettably the weeds…
The best of the new design patio doors have much greater effect on the way the family use the house than in the old days. they do allow access in and out, but more than that. A really beautifully installed system will reveal the outer space in more glory – no hefty and cumbersome frameworks getting in the way. There is something truly relaxing about being able to look…
I was watching a programme about two English sisters trying to buy a holiday home in France. It was one of the usual day time life style fodder that many have got used to over the months. Usually they feature hot places like Spain, Portugal or Cyprus and I’ve not seen that many from France. The difference of course being the buyers usually seek a balcony or outside space with…
Several positives have come out of the most recent lockdown restrictions. Instead of folk just getting totally fed up with it all, there have been strenuous efforts to make the most of the family time together, wherever that may be. The greatest change for some families has been the chanceto plan, shop, cook and eat together. Over the last twenty or so years, the sheer number of diversions available to…
Ah, now that Christmas and the new year festivities have passed, somewhat dully this time it must be said, our thoughts pass on to the soon to be joy of spring arriving. Already the garden is beginning to show a few signs of positive growth. The hellebores are really going great guns this time, although the dreadful wet conditions sometimes look as though they’re going to give up the ghost…