0443 across the river-l'autre coté de la riviere, a photo by liboironh on Flickr.

Barbecued Vegetables

Its not just meat that you can cook on a barbecue - check out these great recipes for vegetable based dishes.

Ratatouille
25g butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 medium aubergines, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 large red pepper, desseeded and chopped
5 medium courgettes, sliced
1 can tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/ teaspoons black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a large flameproof casserole dish, melt the butter and oil over a moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the aubergine slices, green and red peppers and courgette slices to the casserole. Fry for 4-5 minutes, shaking the casserole frequently. Add the tomatoes with the can juice, the basil, rosemary, bay leaves and seasoning. Sprinkle over the parsley. bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Remove from the casserole and serve at once as a vegetable dish, as a basting sauce for meat and poultry or as a starter.

Stuffed grilled mushrooms

24 large open cap mushrooms

salad oil

2 cloves garlic (optional)

1 medium onion

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

salt and black pepper

Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and set aside. Wipe the caps to clean then brush with salad and oil and grill, over medium to low coals, for about 15 minutes. meanwhile, chop the garlic and onion until fine and mix with the parsley and seasoning to taste. When the mushrooms are almost cooked, put a spoonful of the mixture in the centre of each mushroom cap and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Check out our barbecues on Alfresia. Alfresia also sells a range of garden furniture and patio furniture.

Recipes for your Barbecue

The other day we discussed how you can get year round use out of your barbecue, so we thought now might be a great time to suggest a few new recipes you can try on the barbecue.

Ginger Teriyaki Steak

900g sirloin steak

6 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons sake or sherry

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon sugar

Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces. Mix together the soy sauce, ginger, sake or sherry, garlic and sugar. Marinate the steak in this mixture for about 1 hour. Drain well. Then, place the meat on six skewers and barbecue over hot coals for 6 minutes, turning from time to time. Baste with remaining marinade during cooking.


Sweet 'n' Sour Spareribs

1.75kg lean spareribs
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
150ml wine vinegar
150g brown sugar
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon grated root ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Rub the spareribs thoroughly with the salt. Place them directly onto the grill, over medium coals, and cook for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients to make the sweet and sour sauce. After cooking for 40 minutes start brushing the spareribs with this and cook for a further 40 minutes until done - the meat will pull away easily from the end of the bone. Basting and turning should be continuous process to ensure even flavouring and to prevent the ribs from becoming charred. Serve with honeyed pineapple and extra sweet and sour sauce.




Check out our barbecues on Alfresia. Alfresia also sells a range of garden furniture and patio furniture.

How can I use my barbecue in winter?

Everyone knows that barbecues are fantastic in the summer months, with warm weather and sunshine providing a perfect atmosphere for a barbecue. In Summer, barbecuing is both a culinary occupation and a social one. We have discussed previously, on this blog, how to care for your barbecue and given some suggestions of great summer recipes. However, does a barbecue stop being useful as soon as summer is over? We would say 'certainly not!'

We've heard stories of certain bbq lovers still cooking in the middle of Minnesota, during a sub-zero winter and in 2ft of snow. If they can manage there is no reason you cannot! Indeed, one of my colleagues swears by using her gas BBQ to cook all her meat, every day. She believes this is a better way to prepare the meat for several reasons:

1. Barbecued meat has a distinctive flavour which many BBQ owners find preferable to the 'standard' oven taste.
2. Barbecuing meat is much quicker than cooking it in the oven. If you're looking to put together a meal quickly, then barbecuing is the way forward.
3. Barbecues need much less cleaning than an oven - just swiftly wipe down the grill!

Of course, if its too wet or too windy and you don't want to face the elements, then barbecuing in winter isn't for you. However if you want to brave it, then perhaps investing in a barbecue shelter is a good idea. Either way, we hope we've proved that people do use their barbecues outside of summer afterall, and that there are practical advantages to doing this! Check out our range of barbecues on Alfresia. We also sell a range of garden furniture and patio furniture.

Christmas Plants

When we think of Christmas, several images spring to mind: beautifully decorated trees, snow covered hills, presents and, of course, the plants we associate with Christmas - holly, ivy and mistletoe. These three are intrinsically tied up in the mythology and imagery of Christmas and there are many creative ways to use them!

The European Holly is an extremely old species. Before the Ice Age, holly covered most of Europe. After the glaciers the plants adapted to the hot dry summers and cold winters. These days it tends to be found more to the north and centre of Europe than the south, but it is still prevalent. It is, however, often protected because of its widespread popularity as a christmas decoration.
That being said, holly is a great plant to create decorations with! Instantly recognisable, when you incorporate holly into your seasonal look, make sure to spray it with fire resistant spray (this will keep it fresh) and place it away from both direct sunlight and direct heat. Check your arrangement daily for signs of brittle leaves or dehydration. Remove the offenders regularly.

We all know about the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, however its mythology dates much further back than that. In the 1st Cenutry AD, Pliny the Elder (a Roman author, philosopher and historian) wrote about the reverence with which the people of Gaul (France) would treat mistletoe, particularly that which grew on oak trees. They apparently believed that it would be beneficial to sufferers of what we now call insomnia, high blood pressure and certain malignant tumors.

Mistletoe plants are a variety of hemi-parasitic shrub. This means that they grow on other trees/plants and derive much of their sustenance from them. Depending on locale, Mistletoe can be found on Oak (as by the Celts), on Polars, Apple trees and Limes and Hawthorn trees too.

Ivy is representative of paganism, a symbol of fertility. It, like Mistletoe and Holly, is deeply entrenched in folklore and legend, particularly in pre-christian religions. Even in Christian times, Ivy has been used as a decoration in churches at christmas for many centuries and mentioned in traditional carols, like 'The Holly and The Ivy'  and 'Sans Day Carol'.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture and patio furniture.

Planting Nut Trees in your Garden

December is the time to be planting trees in your garden, and so we thought it was the perfect time to look at a group of fruit trees that get much less press than their apple or pear producing cousins. In the UK, several types of trees that produce edible nuts can be grown though the most popular tends to be cobnuts (hazel), filberts nuts and walnuts. Sweet Chestnuts are also suited to our climate, though they do take up lots of space. In warmer areas, Almond trees can also be grown.

Cobnuts and Filberts

These two are very similar though do actually come from separate species. The filbert has a far longer husk than the cobnut, often encasing the nut completely. Some have frilly husks. Both trees prefer a cool situation, preferably partially sahaded. The soil should be free-draining and reasonably moisture retentive. It should not be too rich. When planting, set the trees at 4.5m intervals. They tend to reach up to heights of 2m. If you need to prune, leave it to late winter. Cobnuts and Filberts ripen in autumn and they should be picked and stored in a cool, dry place away from mice and squirrels. The latter can also take the nuts of the tree, so be on the lookout.

Walnuts

Walnut trees can eventually grow very large, and they need a reasonable amount of space. They are ornamental and create a pleasant, dappled shade, however, so they can be used as specimen trees on a lawn. If space is limited, choose a self-fertile variety, otherwise you may have to plant a polinator. Most trees take years to produce nuts, though some might after five years or so. Choose a warm site for your Walnut tree, away from frost hollows. The soil needs to be well-drained and retentive of moisture, with plenty of organic matter added to it before planting. The tree may seem to take a while to establish, but it will suddenly begin to grow speedily. Apart from the removal of dead or damaged wood, no pruning is required.

Sweet Chestnuts

There is not much point in growing sweet chestnuts unless you have plenty of space as the trees are likely to grow up to 30m high and half that across. If you have the space however, they're not difficult to grow and don't require pruning. They prefer a moist, woodland-type soil but will grow in any fertile, moisture retentive ground.

Patio and Container Gardening Ideas

Patio gardening (or container gardening) is, quite  surprisingly, often overlooked, considering it requires no special tools or expert knowledge. Its actually quite easy to suggest ideas for your container garden or your patio garden because the rule of thumb to follow is that most plants that grow in your garden will also survive in a pot – anything from the smallest bulb to the largest tree, with a large enough pot. For vibrant and colourful flowers, a selection of bedding plants is ideal. For longer lasting solutions, a single plant such as the New Zealand flax has a contemporary feel, and bamboo looks great whatever the season. For those wishing for a productive patio, fruit and vegetables can easily be grown in pots, such as potatoes and blueberries.

           

There is a huge selection of plant pots and containers available, however several aspects to consider when choosing. Larger patios can obviously sustain more pots, however it is beneficial to choose larger pots over smaller ones, as these will require less watering. Another tip to reduce watering is to line any terracotta plant pots with a plastic bag, as the clay is porous and will allow water to seep out. Other common pots include wooden barrels, lightweight plastic, and glazed pots. For a more modern approach try metal or fibreglass containers, which are available in most garden centres. These however may need a drainage hole drilling at the base, if one is not already provided.

           

Deciding on the compost is generally a matter of quality, as this can vary greatly. Therefore the cost is also an important factor to consider, when deciding how many pots to plant. Peat-free alternatives are available and more environmentally friendly, but the quality between these tends to vary even more between brands. Compost generally contains around 6 weeks worth of fertiliser, so it is probably worth adding extra fertilizer to keep your pots flourishing all summer. A fertilizer that needs adding only once, mixing into the compost at planting time is a slow-release fertilizer. This should last the whole season.

Another thing you should consider depending on the climate and plants being potted is the addition of a water-retaining gel. The crystals are not crucial, however tests show that the amount of watering required is reduced, as the gel crystals swell and retain many times their own volume of water, which is released as the compost dries out.

           

After all that hard work, the only thing left is the maintenance. The main problem is watering, as this is a weekly task, and possibly up to daily in the hottest part of the summer. Irrigation systems with a digital water timer are the most convenient, as they allow for holidays. After setting up, they can be left to look after your patio plants for as long as you like, delivering a required dose of water to each of your plants.

           

 Towards the end of the summer, if your plants begin to wither, it may be worth giving them an extra boost of fertiliser. Add a soluble one this time with watering, and watch your plants flourish once again.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Garden Doctor: Solutions to common problems in the winter months

Looking after a healthy garden can be time consuming so it is no wonder that when the garden is less than healthy it is easy to despair! At Alfresia we want to alleviate any sense of despair when it comes to your gardens (and that doesn't just mean making our products easy and reliable). So allow us to share some information about three common garden problems which occur especially frequently in November, December and January.

Grey Mould (left) is a fuzzy grey fungal growth topped with vast quantities of dust-like spores that develops on dead or dying plant parts. It is encouraged by damp conditions and so often thrives at this time of the year. An infected plant may show browning, softening and/or dieback.

To cure Grey Mould cut off or pick off affected areas promptly and ensure better general hygiene: never leave dead bits of plant lying around and if possible keep the atmosphere a bit drier too. Try to avoid overhead watering as the spores are readily spread by rain or water splash as well as on air currents.

Apple Canker is formed when loose areas of bark develop in concentric rings, forming cankers, which can be sunken or swollen. If the canker rings the branch, it causes dieback. In extreme cases whole limbs may be killed. In the summer, tiny raised white fungal pustules develop on the cankered area and in winter tiny red raised fruiting bodies develop. The casual fungus Nectria galligena commonly attacks pears and apples but may also attack other trees such as willows, poplar and sorbus. To get rid of Apple Canker, prune out infected areas completely, cutting back to healthy growth, and bin or burn the prunings.

Coral Spot Fungus are bright orange raised spots on woody stems. They are the fruiting bodies of coral spot fungus. During damp weather the spores of this fungus spread rapidly and can colonise dead or damaged wood. Once coral spot is in a stem on some plants it may show more aggressive tendencies and cause dieback. This is a common problem, seen especially frequently on acers, figs, magnolias and elaeagnus. To cure Coral Spot Fungus you must prune out infected stems as soon as you notice them, cutting right back to completely healthy wood. Bin or burn the prunings. Try to remove dead stems regularly even before the fungus appears.

What to do in your garden in December

What should I do in the garden in December? By now, your space will have taken on a definite winter look. The wind has definitely been keen recently, and soon the frost will be sharp. Thus, now is the time to consider how to protect your garden from the excesses of the weather. It is important to alleviate the wind and protect the plants from frosts. When the soil and weather conditions are good, keep on top of your chores.

In our previous article on this subject, "Garden Maintenance in November", we talked about the importance of composting and shredding old herbaceous material. These are ongoing jobs that still need doing! It is equally important to drain down or lag exterior water pipes, again see the previous article.

Frost can be both good and bad for the gardern: it helps to break down the soil, but severe frost can kill or damage plants. The most dangerous areas are in 'frost hollows', an area of ground where frost collects. These tend to be in valleys or dips, but they can also occur when air is blocked by hedges or walls. When it is practical, leave a gap in said structure so the air can filter through.

Now is also the time to lay new turf in your garden. Preparing it from seed is cheaper, but laying from existing turf is far quicker and means you don't run the risk of having birds or pets disturbing it before it has chance to establish. It will only take a few months for new turfs to let their roots down into the soil and from then on they can be in use. To lay the turf, once you have prepared the ground, use string stretched between pegs to mark the boundaries of the area to be turfed. Lay out the turves against a straight edge and butt the second row tight up against the first. Use additional compost to eliminate any irregularities in the turves or to fill any depressions you missed when you prepared the soil. When you have laid all the turves, mix a lawn top dressing and sprinkle it over the surface. use a rake or besom to work the top dressing into the joins between the turves.

As far as planting and sowing goes, now is a good time to put sweet pea seeds down for example.

Alfresia is an online supplier of garden furniture.

Designing a Japanese Garden

The beauty of Japanese gardens is clear and it is equally clear why someone should want to design a Japanese garden for their home. However, if done incorrectly, 'Japanese' gardens can be easily ruined. Here we present some useful advice.

It should be obvious to even the casual eye that Japanese garderns are vastly different from Western ones. Traditionally, our gardens have been celebrated for their formal beauty; their careful geometrjes celebrating the rational precision of their makers. Conversley, the rhythms and patterns of Japanese gardens reproduce and symbolise the landscape of Japan and are established in a way to hide the human hand behind them.  

To achieve this effect, garden stones and trees are laid out asymmetrically to suggest the rugged wildness of nature. Permament greens, grays, and browns predominate, but they are counterpointed by scattered flowers and fruits that mark time's passage with cycles of change. Empty space, wind, periods of dormancy, shadows, and viewing angles are subtler but full-function design elements that deepen the garden's relationship to it's site. Abstract renderings of moving water in solid stone and gravel provoke the mind with their union of seeming opposites. Such dense interplays produce the effect of seeing nature whole, even though the garden may take up no more than a corner of a yard and consist only of bamboo, a shrub, and a stone.

 These two images (above and right) show a Japanese Tea Garden. The stones, particularly the central one linking the paths, are weighty in feeling but low plantings provide needed balance to make the garden comfortable to view. The yukimi-gata lantern is framed by Japanese cypress, little leaf box, and camellia. The bench by the entryway is where guests would wait, prior to a tea ceremony.

Trees and water as seen as letting the garden open vertically and horizontally with growth and activity. The gardener lets evergreens predominate because they suggest the constancy and endurance of nature and keep the garden green all year round. But he will add a flowering tree or one whose leaves turn brilliantly in autumn to mark seasonal change and suggest the cyclic process of all life.  When he shapes trees and shrubs he does so to expose their natural character and habit, not to bend them to his will. Water is a free element, always in motion, captured only by the shape it adopts. The gardener uses it for sound. He counts its reflecting properties as a part of his design. He lets it fall, run, or gather in a pond. So important in fact is the idea of water to a garden that it will sometimes be represented by stone, gravel or sand, in a waterless version called kare sansui. Water will always be represented.

In the image to the right, running from the gate to the entryway in the rear, the L-shaped path is the main focus of this garden, and it is given plenty of room. In the rear is a little-leaf box. Note the almost mirror-like use of stone in front that brings the outside directly into the property.

Japanese gardens are great for creating a relaxing space for you to inhabit. They are calming and also assisst your creativity. Don't be afraid to chance on this interesting style: the individuality of the garden is always a benefit.






Alfresia is an online supplier of garden furniture.

Gardening Golddust: The Benefits of Organic Composting Material

One of the most important ingredients at the disposal of the gardener is well-rotted organic material. This covers a wide range of materials, from farmyard manure and garden compost to spent hop waste and old mushroom compost. Whatever material you have, it should be capable of breaking down into a rich, fibrous substance that will not only help feed plants but also improve the structure of the soil. Most organic materials are rich in nitrogen and usually in other nutrients as well. The fibrous material helps to break up the soil as well as holding a certain amount of moisture. It frequently also has the effect of darkening the soil, which, in turn, helps to warm up the ground more quickly in spring.

One source of organic material that is available to all gardeners is garden compost. This consists of the remains of all vegetation that is not required. Grass cuttings and the remains of plants are the main source. weeds can also be used as long as they are not in seed and not perennial variteies that will continue growing. In theory, the compost heap should get hot enough to kill both the weed seeds and the perennial weeds, but in practice a lot always escapes and becomes a nuisance on the ground on which compost is used. Non-cooked, vegetative kitchen waste, such as peeling and discarded leaves, are another good source of compost.

Tougher stems and hedge-cutting should be avoided unless you have a shredder. This machine is invaluable if you have a lot of such material because it will chop it up into fine pieces and it can then be composted and returned to the garden as mulch or soil conditioner. It can be either kept in its own bin or mixed with other compost.

Cottage gardeners used to throw everything in heap for a year, but although this works, it is not the most efficient way. A properly constructed compost bin, either purchased or homemade, is ideal. This keeps the compost together, allows air in at the sides and keeps the heat in. Make or buy at least three bins - the first is the one to which you are currently adding material, the second is rotting down, and the third is the one from which you are taking compost to use on the garden.

Material is added to the compost bin as it becomes available, but try not to put too much of one type of material into a thick layer, especially grass cuttings. the process can be speeded up by the addition of a chemical activator, which can be purchased at a garden centre. Alternatively and preferably, you can add a layer of farmyard manure. Add water to the heap if it is dry, but cover it with a sheet of polythene so that the pile does not get too wet. some bins have lids to help keep the heat in. As the compost breaks down it is likely to get very warm - this is a natural part of the composting process and is, in fact, to be encouraged.

There a number of other sources organic material if they can be found. Farmyard manure is one of the best, but it must be well-rotted, because if it is left to decompose in the ground it will extract nitrogen from the soil to aid its progress and thus deplete, rather than supplement the nutrients. Bear in mind that some farmyard manure will contain a lot of weed seeds from the hay that was given to the animals.

Waste from various processes is also useful, but some kins will have involved chemicals, which will still be present in the waste. Hop waste, which is available from breweries, is excellent, as is spent mushroom compost. However, you should be aware that the mushroom compost incorporates horse manure, and to counter the acidity, mushroom growers add chalk - do not use this near lime-hating plants. Waste from the forest industry is becoming widely available in the form of chipped and composted bark. Chipped bark has not broken down far enough to be used in the soil but it makes a good top dressing. Composted leaves are an invaluable material in the garden, but make your own and do not raid the woods.

 Alfresia is an online supplier of garden furniture.

Garden Maintenance in November

Late autumn and winter are the most vital times of year in the garden: true spring is the busiest time, but your actions in November and December will set the agenda for the rest of the year and if you do manage to get a lot done, then your garden will be better for it.


Whilst there are many jobs that need doing this month, today we shall focus on the less glamorous, yet essential maintenace jobs that you need to do this month to ensure your garden's success in the spring/summer.


You should only really get on with jobs when the weather allows you too: it is not always suitable. Never try to get onto the soil when it is wet - you will do more damage than good to the garden. Don't use this as an excuse though: if you are able to work steadily through November and December you will make life much easier later on.


The first maintenance task is to clear up leaves and use them for composting. You should endeavour to collect leaves as soon as they fall. This is because the longer they lie on the ground, the more difficult they are to clear up. Not only do they smother plants, they create perfect conditions for fungal diseases and slugs to thrive, both of which will damage your garden. Leaves can be used to make leaf-mould, and thus should always be composted as this is a valuable commodity. Never burn them or throw them away, instead put them into a leaf pen. Knock four posts into the ground and stretch mesh wire around and over the top. Fill the pen up with the leaves. They should rot quickly giving you space. What remains of them can be used to make the soil moisture retentive, make the perfect mulch or as potting compost.



You should also look at draining down or lagging all outside water pipes. Frozen pipes can cause major disruption to you and your home. You could find yourself without water, being forced to brave the cold because your central heating stops working or having to deal with an expensive clean up operation if your water pipe bursts. Use appropriate lagging to insulate your pipework. Lagging can be purchased from most DIY stores but simple household items such as towels can also be used to wrap up pipes and keep frost at bay. If you are wanting to lag outdoor pipes you need to make sure that the lagging you are using is waterproof or your pipes will not be adequately protected.




Now is also the time to shred wooden material  like hedge trimmings and the remains of herbaceous plants. By shredding them into small pieces, they can be composted for three months and then spread back on the garden as weed-free mulch.


Also, think about your vegetable crop for next year: most of it won't need to be planted yet, but planning in advance is always a good idea!




Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Why own a patio cover?

Purchasing some outdoor patio furniture is a great way to turn your patio into a comfy and welcoming space for you and your family. If you have bought some furniture, you will know it isn't necessarily cheap. This means that you'll want to protect your investment. The easiest way to do this is by also buying some furniture covers. These give your furniture crucial protection against a number of threats.

 

#1 – Protection from the elements – Bad weather is extremely damaging to patio furniture, and keeping it in a decent condition despite this threat is a priority. If your area tends to experience snowfall and frost, then you definietly need to keep the furniture protected. Indeed with snowfall becoming ever more unpredictable, you need to be sure this winter that your furniture will be kept safe. Equally, if you live in a more tropical region that snow never affects, you will want to have covers because they protect against rain too!

 

#2 – Prevent Fading – Another important task that patio furniture covers perform is to protect your furniture from the sun. It might seem strange that, after extolling how important it is to protect against rain and snow, we suggest protection against the sun but following prolonged exposure to the sun, your furniture may begin to fade and look old. This is a natural process but it is not unavoidable. Patio furniture covers are actually designed to protect your furniture from the sun, as well as wetter weather, and they will ensure that your furniture will not fade in the summer.

 

#3 – No Animals – Animals can easily damage your patio furniture. If the furniture is not covered, you may have stray cats on your furniture tearing at it with their claws, or if you have a lot of birds your furniture may get covered in bird excrement. Patio Furniture Covers prevent this.

#4 – Prolong Life – Having spent already on your furniture, you probably don’t want to have to purchase it all again the next year. After spending so much money, you must ensure that you get as much use as possible out of the patio furniture. Thus purchasing patio furniture covers can help to prolong the life of your patio furniture. Even though the covers will cost a bit of money, the price is no where near the amount you'd pay for a new set of furniture!

So if saving money seems a sensible idea to you, take a look at our range of patio furniture covers on Alfresia.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

FSC Timber & Pressure Treatment

FSC Timber

Whilst you have been looking at garden furniture on Alfresia, you might have spotted that many of our wood products are manufactured from FSC Certified Timber. This is all very well and good, but what does it actually mean? FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. Across the world, destructive deforestation occurs every day, resulting in habitat destruction, pollution of the water and air, the displacement of inidenous peoples and violence against both people and animals in the forest.

A growing number of companies reject the idea that this is the only way to source timber, and instead believe that forests can be both managed and protected simultaneously. The FSC certification means that timber has been taken from the forest in an ethical manner. If all logging was forced to apply for FSC certification, through pressure from consumers like yourself, then we would be able to preserve enormous areas of the vital resource that is the forests: still supplying ourselves with timber, but doing so in a safe and sustainable way.

The FSC has a list of 10 principles that must be met by companies who want this certification:

1. That the forest management in question complies with all local, national and international laws to which the country with the forest has signed up to.
2. Long term rights and tenure to land must be well documented and legally obtained.
3. The legal rights of indigenous peoples to the lands for living or gathering resources must be respected and given precedence.
4. Operations shall endeavour to maintain or enhance the long term social and economic wellbeing of both workers and forest dwellers.
5. Operations shall encourage the efficient use of the forest’s multiple products and services to ensure economic viability and a wide range of environmental and social benefits.
6. Management must maintain the biodiversity of the forest and protect and respect its associated resources.
7. A management plan — appropriate to the scale and intensity of the operations — shall be written, implemented, and kept up to date.
8. Appropriate to the scale and intensity of forest management, monitoring to assess all aspects listed above and any further effects to the forest.
9. Management activities in high conservation value forests shall maintain or enhance the attributes which define such forests.
10. Plantations shall be planned and managed in accordance with Principles and Criteria 1 – 9, and they should complement the management of, reduce pressures on, and promote the restoration and conservation of natural forests.

If all this seems reasonable to you, then why not start ensuring that the products you buy are made from FSC timber?
What is pressure treatment?
Pressure treating is a process by which chemical preservatives are forced deep into the timber. As an aside to its preservative benefits, this process makes the wood unappealing to vermin, insects and fungus, accounting for its 20+ year lifespan under even the harshest conditions. A preservative coating should be applied, however, to prevent slight weathering.
When working with pressure treated wood, remember that it does have a chemical inside and exercise these cautions:

• Wear a mask when cutting – the sawdust can be an irritant to nose/eyes/mouth.
• Try to collect sawdust for disposal – put a tarp down over the whole area.
• Do not burn this wood. Give it to professionals.
• Under no circumstance use this wood for surfaces that will come into contact with food.
• Only use outdoors.

Alfresia is a supplier of garden furniture.

Planting In November

Sow and Plant

Towards the end of November start planting bare-root trees, shrubs or hedging, or get your order in now for plants to be delivered in early winter.

For much of this month conditions should be good for planting, so provided the soil is neither unusually wet or cold, get any new plants in the ground promptly to allow them to establish before the onset of winter.

Bare-root and container grown roses can be planted now, and make great additions to any garden. Specialist rose nurseries offer a far greater range of bare-root roses than most garden centres. Climbing or rambling forms can transform a pergola or archway and if planted now establish particularly well. Ramblers have stems that are somewhat more flexible than climbers so are especially useful over arches and pergolas. When planting a bare-root rose, make sure that the roots are spread out really well in the planting and prune out anything that is much longer than the majority or diseased or damaged. incorporate plenty of bulky organic matter into and around the planting hole. Place a cane over the top of the planting hole to help you gauge the correct planting depth: the slightly swollen area or graft point needs to be just at soil level.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Deluxe 3 Seater Hammock

Deluxe 3 Seater Hammock, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

Lawn Care: How to Treat your Lawn

Treating the Lawn
There are a bewildering number of lawn fertilisers available. This means that people can struggle to know when to use different fertilisers. If you want to use just one kind for the year then growmore, containing equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, is a good choice. Sprinkle on about 2oz per square yard in early April as the growth starts, the same in June and the same in September. If it doesn't rain within two days of sprinkling, water thoroughly. This pattern of feeding will be adequate for a family garden. Don't expect it to give you a perfect lawn though.

Grass ideally needs a different treatment at different times of the year. During the growing season, from mid-March to September, it needs a good supply of nitrogen. This will keep it growing strongly and give the rich green colour we look for in a lawn. A high nitrogen fertiliser will mean regular mowings too: nitrogen makes the grass grow faster.

From October to mid-March, the aim is to keep the grass in good condition but not to encourage growth. Give it a fertiliser high in potassium. This will toughen the grass and prevent the lush growth which is more likely to suffer disease and cold in a harsh winter. In essence, the aim is to make the grass grow up in spring and summer, down in autumn.

Summer feed can be applied in granules or liquid. Most granules need to be watered in: check the maker's instructions and scatter the granues just ahead of rain if possible. Granules release their constituents into the ground more slowly than liquid feeds, so you won't need to treat the lawn so often - every 5/6 weeks from early April instead of every 3/4, as would be ideal with a liquid feed. Apply an autumn feed of high-potassium fertiliser, at the rate recommended by the maker, only once - in October.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture, and lawncare products like lawnmowers.

Lounger with Cushion

Lounger with Cushion, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

Gardeco Tia Steel Chimenea with Swivel BBQ Grill

Gardeco Tia Steel Chimenea with Swivel BBQ Grill , a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

Desinging a Alpine Garden

The thing about alpine plants is that they are very hardy and can grow in a number of difficult locations. Have a look at just a few ideas for planting with them...

Can anything be done with a rocky bank with little soil?

If you have a rocky area in your garden, which seems to contain more rock than soil, you can still try planting on it, by designing a scree garden. This type of garden is devoted to those alpine plants which thrive naturally in the rock-strewn slopes of mountains, where soil is exceptionally sparse and rains drain away quickly. Such plants can be a bit tempremental, but, once established, put down deep probing roots which grip onto even the most perilous slopes. Erinus alpinus is the easiest scree plant to grow, seeding itself and producing neat little mounds of foliage which bear masses of starry flowers. Some are a deep lilac-blue, but there are pink varieties and white ones, too - all flowering from late spring well into the summer. Many saxifrages are natural scree plants, as are alpine violas such as Viola biflora. The white-flowered Arenaria balearica clings to rocks and stones in a minature green carpet, while Gypsophila aretioides, which is also white-flowering, grows in hard green hummocks.

The genera draba, sempervivum, rosularia, azorella and raoulia all include species suitable for a scree garden and are worth trying in your setting.

Fancy constructing a 'sink garden'?

A sink garden is a great way to brighten up your patio or paved area. Get hold of an old kitchen sink, throw the plug away and stand it on raised bricks. It should stand in a fairly sheltered, yet sunny, corner of your space. Fill the lower third with a layer of broken crocks covered by a layer of gravel or shale. Top up with a mixture of soil, peat and grit or sand in equal parts.

Go for smaller alpines to make the most of your space. A dwarf conifer and perhaps a small rock or two among them can radically improve a design. Alpines are usually bought as growing plants in small pots from a nursery or garden centre - try to find one which stocks a good collection. They can be transplanted from pot to sink at any time. When choosing, give special consideration to dwarf species of aethionema, campanula, dianthus, gypsophilia, sempervivum, saxifrage and sedum.

Alfreisa is an online supplier of garden furniture.

Preparing your Garden for Spring

Autumn is the wind-down season when it comes to gardening. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t things to do in your garden to prepare it for the colder months. Here we share some tips on how to care for a few plants and vegetables in your garden, however be sure to act quickly, before the snows and frost come.

Out With The Old…

Heavy dew on autumnal nights encourages rot and botrytis which can eat away at your plants. Dead head any dahlias to prevent botrytis attacking blooms that have not come yet (this way you will get autumn flowerings). Equally, thin autumn lettuce to prevent the spread of botrytis. If you have any courgettes, pull dead flowers off them as they can damage the fruit under the damp leaf canopy. If the weather is dry, to water your pumpkins just so you get the last of them before harvesting.

Now that the sun is no longer heating your garden, tomatoes are prone to fungal attacks. Pick them daily so that the unripe ones get a chance to ripen up. Another trick is to make sure to remove at least half the foliage on the plants. This allows good airflow and as much sun to fall on the fruit as possible. Towards the end of the month you can remove complete trusses and ripen the fruit on the vine, on the greenhouse staging, or on a sunny windowsill.

Plants can rust, especially zonal pelargoniums. To avoid this, move them from damp areas to ones that are brighter and more warmer. Spray any rust affected plants with a systematic fungicide. To keep up general hygiene I will also remove and dispose of any foliage that has fallen into the pots, and re-pot every year to avoid any build-up of the spores in the ground.

If you took any cuttings over the July/August period, these should have rooted nicely by the start of autumn. Prioritise any new cuttings before it gets too cold by using a loam-based compost with the addition of perlite to keep the soil free-draining and leaving them in an airy cold frame. Water on the light side to avoid rot.

With autumn moisture, the time could not be better for growing lawns and meadows. Rake weed-free topsoil into any bare patches after scarifying a scruffy lawn, and over-sow now to green up areas that are looking tatty before winter.

…And In With The New
By preparing for spring in autumn, you avoid your garden looking tatty for those first few weeks of spring. Sowing a number of plants in Autumn and scattering them throughout the garden will bring some lovely colour in early spring and the plants, because they were sown early, gow bigger and more robust with brighter flowers and a longer lifespan. Autumn seeds germinate before winter and so, when going into semi-hibernation and above ground growth halts, growth under the soil continues, giving long roots.
We recommend certain plants for your Autumn sowing, but don’t be afraid if you have a preference:

• Ammi majus (flowering mid-may)
• Indian Prince (early may)
• Eschscholzia californica (mid may, re-sows itself)
• Purpurascens (the whole of spring)
• Centaurea cyanus (mid may)
• Euphorbia oblongata (April, then throughout the year)
• Orlaya grandiflora (mid may)
• Salvia viridis (May to September)
• Scabiosa atropurpurea (May to December)

3 Seater Chelsea Teak Bench

3 Seater Chelsea Teak Bench, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

Minky Steamflow Ironing Board

On our website, Alfresia stocks a variety of homeware goods, from kitchen utensils to laundry products. We have recently massively extended our range of laundry products - we offer triple the number of ironing boards for example. The premier model among these is the Minky Steamflow Ironing Board.

The major advantage of  this board is that it gives you completely professional results in a much shorter time than it should normal take to iron properly, and with a lot less effort too. A major design feature of Steamflow Ironing Board is that it incorporates "Triple Action Steam Flow". This feature operates by directing steam right to the very centre of your piece of ironing. The steam is pulled deep into the fabric and this relaxes the fibres. This means that creases simply disappear.



Another critical design feature is "the reverse airflow system" which creates an air cushion on the board. This allows delicate fabrics, like satin or silk, to float on the board. The advantage of this is that steam is able to breathe through the fabric, removing creases from it without even being touched by the iron.

Completing this top of the range board is an onboard power socket (for convinience), wheels (for mobility), an adjustable iron rest and infinite height adjustment (with twin locks for added saftey).So, if this state of the art technology appeals to you, order your board today on Alfresia.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.

How to clean a Stainless Steel Barbecue

If you've bought a stainless steel barbecue, or are thinking of investing in one then please be aware that even though it is made from 'stainless' steel it may still stain, discolour or even rust. To keep it shiny and new looking you will need to use prevention, cleaners and elbow grease!

Barbecue Covers: The most simple method for taking care of your barbecue is to purchase a cover and fit it onto it. Alfresia stocks a range of good quality barbecue covers for each of our barbecues. They are designed to keep the elements off your BBQ and protect it from this most common form of damage. It is important to ensure that you buy a durable, good quality cover because one that lets in moisture is pretty much worthless. Similarly, one that traps moisture beneath the cover is more worthless, and will actually damage your barbecue. Thus ensure that the cover will let moisture out, but not let it in. These tend to be made from thick vinyl or polyester. Such covers also protect the barbecue from aesthetic damage, like fading. Our range of covers is quite extensive, suitable for most of our barbecues.
 
Regular Cleaning: A cover is all very well and good but it isn't going to protect your barbecue from damage caused by the remnants of the cooking process. If given time, even the highest quality stainless steel can be coroded by grease and food particles. This can be a particular problem if you use marinades or sauces when cooking because they are quite acidic. Sadly, other than cleaning it or not using it, there is no way to stop this damage. Make sure after ever barbecue to clean off the grill and wipe off any cooking remnants. Obviously you should clean the cooking areas after every barbecue, but cleaning the whole barbecue from time to time is not a bad idea.

How to Clean Stainless Steel: It is imperative to remember, when cleaning stainless steel, that it scratches easily. If this happens you can either ignore the scratch or use a power buffer to get rid of the mark. To avoid scratching don't use a steel wool or metal brushes when cleaning. Additionally: make sure that you don't use abrasive cleaning agents. The best kind of cleaner to use, perhaps unsurprisingly is a stainless steel or kitchen appliance cleaner, but make sure you read the small print to check that they're suitable. You could also clean the BBQ with a soft cloth and a good qulity non-abrasive cleaner. There are stainless steel polishes available, but remember than anything that leaves behind a film or finish will be subjected to the heat of your grill. Stainless steel polishes can discolor under intense heat and make your grill look worse, not better.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.  

How to care for Hardwood

On your property, you might have all sorts constructed from hardwoods - doors, frames, benches, tables, loungers etc. Without proper care your hardwood furniture can get damaged, especially in the winter months. By following a few simple tips on how to care for hardwood, the life of your wood products will be significantly extended.

Your timber products will usually have been sanded before they are supplied to you. However, wear and tear always occurs during transportation and assembly/fitting. This means that sanding down your furniture, very very lightly, is extremely important. When you are sanding, ensure that the movement of your hand follows the grain of the wood, be it side to side, up and down or diagonal. You can sand the wood with either sandpaper, a sanding block or wire wool. Some people believe the latter gives the best effect and reduces the risk of scratching any glass surface.

Following the light sanding, brush off the dust and apply the first coat of protective paint as a primer. Once dry this is followed by two other undercoats and then a final top coat. Inbetween each coating, lightly sand the wood and brush the dust off. If you are just varnishing the wood, three coats should be enough to finish it. Ensure that you coat the end of the grain, i.e. the tops and bottoms that you might not necessarily see. When you are painting or varnishing, ensure that you follow the grain of the wood.

How often this process needs repeating depends upon the woodcare products, so make sure you're aware of this.

Garden Fencing

A fence is no stronger than its weakest part, so the detailing of a fence to make sure that it has no weaknesses is important. A well-detailed fence will not only be more resilient, but will last longer too. Consider both the types of infill and support, the way in which you intend to fix the supports in the ground and, with timber fences, the way in which you can further protect against rot with cappings and gravel boards.

In your garden, a fence serves the same function as a wall, although its construction need not be so solid. Like a wall, its type and height should be dictated by situation and location - urban or rural. Strict attention should be paid to the sitting of a fence which is set up along a line of demaraction between two properties. It is usual practice to but the best side of the fence facing outwards, with the supports on the inside.

The materials most often used in fence construction are timber, metal and concrete. The latter is usually reserved as a supporting material while there is an infinite variety of combinations of materials for possible infills, see through or solid, which you can either design yourself or buy ready-made. Some types of pre-fabricated, fixed length panel are widely availabe. Local types of panel are made on the spot and easily adapated to non-standard intervals.

The type of wood used in fence construction will considerably alter its lifespan. The principal European woods used for fencing are oak, larch, western red cedar and sweed chesnut, although other woods may be used when suitable, such as Douglas fir, Scots pine, ash, elm or beech. Redwood or cedar are used in the United States, split redwood being referred to as grapestalk since it is used traditionally to support grapevines.

Bark must be stripped from timber to prevent premature decaying of the wood, and the exposed grain must be treated with a preservative or sealed and painted. After using a creosote preservative on wood it cannot then be painted. Plants will not grow against it for a season, as newly applied, creosote gives off fumes which burn vegetation. Exposed metal components liable to rust, should be galvanised, zinc-coated or painted. Use screws rather than nails for fixings for a longer lasting finish.

When using pured concrete as a supporting material to fix fence posts, there are two alternative methods. The posts can be positioned independently, with careful measurement, and left standing until the concrete sets before the infills are attached. If there is a necessity for a completed boundary in one step, the posts and infills can be constructed at the same time if you make sure to support the posts with temporary wooden stays until the foundations have set. The fence will need supporting for at least two days.

Alfresia is an online supplier of garden furniture and barbecues.

Miami Oval Patio Set for 6

Miami Oval Patio Set for 6, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

Garden Fire Pits

Bring a little warmth to your garden this winter with our exciting range of firepits. Alfresia UK is extremely competitive on price and quality and this is why we are selling so many! Enjoy the warm glow of an open fire and don't let the weather drive you indoors, especially when you can sit round your firepit and take the indoors out with you.

Friends and family will be drawn to the charm and utility of these Alfresia favourites. Our firepits offer a bbq cooking facility, where you can roast your spuds and cook your bangers, in addition to their heating job! Children can have hours of fun roasting chestnuts and marshmellows. It’s always a pleasure watching childrens faces light up in the glow of a real fire.

Don’t restrict yourself to logs or coals our fire pits will burn anything! Can you think of a more effective way of destroying receipts,credit card statements, bank statements and other confidential documents that can all too often fall into the wrong hands?

I use my firepit when I am tidying up the garden in autumn, I got tired of spending hours collecting the leaves together only to find that the slightest gust of wind would blow them back again. Now I just light my firepit and burn my garden rubbish!

We supply all our customers with a handy kettle hook which can be used as a poker and also for turning food. It is also essential for removing the hot safety spark guard or fireguard.

Our smaller models are excellent for taking on days out to the coast and camping,  ideal for evening
entertaining creating lasting memories of late night beach parties and singing around the firepit on your camping trips.

Our larger models incorporate attractive table and chimney features which will add a contemporary and stylish addition to any patio or decking area.

Check out our garden fire pits on Alfresia today. Alfresia UK is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Why Protect Your Garden Furniture Against Water and Snow?

Yesterday we discussed Alfresia's range of garden furniture covers, which offer protection against the many forms of damage that can occur to your furniture. However, it is very common to underestimate the effects of one form of damage in particular: prolonged exposure to moisture is very dangerous for your furniture.

Damaging water can be present in either a liquid form or a vapour form - this is known as moisture - and the dangers of both, despite being common problems, are often overlooked by homeowners and gardeners. 

 

To combat these issues, many people move their furniture into an outdoor shed, but this can provide a false sense of security - if the shed has a leak, or the damage has already been done, then the roof won't help! Pay close attention to any swelling or shrinking of your furniture - if this occurs, then you are probably leaving your garden furniture vulnerable to the probelms associated with moisture exposure.

 There are three categories of 'dryness':

1. Totally Dry.
2. Exposed to moisture, or water, but not yet reached the "fiber" saturation point.
3. Fiber Saturation and beyond

If the supply of water vapours fluctuates, then the garden furniture will tend to stay in category 2. When timber goes below the fiber saturation point, the cell walls of the wood expand and contract. This is due to the rising and falling levels of moisture in the timber, and this is what causes shrinking and swelling of the garden furniture. This shrinking and swelling results in cracking, peeling, and paint defects. This all means that, whilst putting your furniture under a roof can help, you shouldn't hesitate to put a fitted garden cover over your bench/table/chair too!

How to protect against Water

Whilst moisture will slowly saturate the wood, liquid water damage will cause the wood to reach the point of total fiber saturation very rapidly. The result of this is the breakdown of the wood's internal structure. The furniture swiftly loses its strength and this means that your chair or bench may no longer be safe to sit on!

When wood is near the fiber saturation point, rot/decay occurs. Decay is degradation caused by various forms of fungi which of break down the structural components of the timber for food. The strength of wood comes from the polymers which form the wood cells. Thus, if the wood is brought rapidly to fiber saturation point and beyond, via rain or other liquid water, considerable loss of strength occurs before visible damage is even apparent. The suggestion to use waterproof covers bears repeating here.




Alfresia is a supplier of garden furniture.

Protective Covers

The christmas months can be a happy time of year, however the weather often means that, whilst you're cuddled up inside the house, your garden furniture is suffering. Rot and damp can set into wood, rust into BBQs and the wind can pull parts off your things.

If you were going out, you'd wrap yourself up with a coat before you left home. Similarly, if you want to protect your investment, there really is no need for you to expose your barbecues, patio heaters, braziers, wooden furniture or chimeneas to the elements at all.

The most common material in our garden covers range is 260gsm woven polyester which is breathable, weather resistant and UV stable. This means that not only will our all-weather covers protect your garden furniture and BBQs and heaters from birds and falling leaves, but also from pollution, sun damage (which can bleach the timber), snow, frost and rain.

Investing in one of our protective, all-weather durable covers is a smart way to ensure that you get the maximum usage out of your product. Our range is huge and we supply covers for many of our products, particularly for BBQs of all sizes, for chimeneas and for patio tables. Don't think that your furniture is automatically imnmune from any of these types of damage - nothing lasts forever, but with a smart purchase of an all-weather cover then their life expectancy will be dramatically increased.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture.