Designing Garden Steps

Steps in your garden can be expensive to build but, when well done and located, provide a garden with added interest. Too frequently, however, gardeners will economise, making steps too narrow and too steep, or simply ugly. A flight should act as a sculptural feature, leading you from one area to another or welcoming you and your guests when used as a house access.

When designing steps, a strong horizontal shape can contrast well with vertically shaped plants and grasses, creating a powerful effect. Alternatively, you can use step treads, filled with gravel to allow planting to flow into the landings and with boulder groups to lead into a rock garden or just to add sculptural interest.  Turning some of the steps can give added interest too. The use of a shallow retaining wall can provide a casual seat and offers some measure of privacy. Ornamental and imaginative steps could incorporate a waterfall feature, which could be easily worked from a small, submersible pump located in a reservoir at the foot of the flight.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture for outdoors and conservatory, also selling garden accessories such as hammocks, charcoal barbecues, parasols and outdoor cooking equipment.

Braziers and Fire Baskets

The winter months are approaching, and, it seems, Autumn has already replaced any summer we may or may not have enjoyed. Either way, you could be forgiven for thinking that now is the best time to retreat from the garden, having finished all the preparations you need for spring. Surely now that it is colder, it is simply impractical to use the garden for leisure? Wrong.

On Alfresia we stock a wide range of braziers and fire baskets, from manufacturers like Gardecoa and La Hacienda. The idea of all these products is to enable you to engage with your outdoor space into the winter months. Sure, it isn’t barbecue weather, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot sit out with a cup of coffee or a glass of red wine in the crisp evening air, enjoying the heat and warmth that comes from one of our braziers or firepits.

The Cyrus Brazier Fire Basket from Gardeco or the Narrow Fire Basket from La Hacienda are both good examples of our range of products. A square tray at the bottom collects debris and fallen ash, and the semi-open sided construction allows the heat to warm all areas nearby, making it very efficient at heating.
Buy a fire basket or brazier today from Alfresia. You won’t regret it.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture for outdoors and conservatory, also selling garden accessories such as hammocks, charcoal barbecues, parasols and outdoor cooking equipment.

Garden Glimpses

Garden Glimpses, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

We love a beautiful garden at Alfresia, and so we're inviting readers across our social network sites to submit a photo of their garden!

Mail your entries and details to: info.alfresia@gmail.com

You could win a fantastic charcoal barbecue!

Electric Parasol Heater

Electric Parasol Heater, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

This electric parasol heater model is perfect for keeping you warm on chilly winter evenings and allowing you to make the most of your outside space.

6 Burner Kitchen Barbecue

6 Burner Kitchen Barbecue, a photo by alfresia.co.uk on Flickr.

This is our top of the range model from Fire Mountain. Offering 6 primary burners, as well as a motor powered rotisserie, side burner, warming racks, cast iron griddle and grills and a fully stainless steel frame.

Buying a Garden Shed

On Alfresia we sell a number of Garden Sheds in different sizes. Buying a shed can be a confusing process, and so here are some tips to make everything go smoother!

Obviously, the first consideration should be size; Garden Sheds come in sizes large and small, and you should always consider the dimensions of your garden, how much space you need, and how much space you are willing to take up with your shed. For example, if you only have a medium sized garden and are only going to keep a few tools in it, then a 16×10 shed with double doors probably isn’t necessary or appropriate. Similarly if you plan to keep everything but the kitchen sink in your shed, then a 6×4 might not suit your needs.

The second consideration should be price. The rule is quite simple here: the bigger the floor space of the shed, the more expensive it is going to be. Don’t pay for space you can’t afford, but don’t under-spend if you will use the extra space.

Thirdly, ensure that the shed is of good quality and comes from a well respected supplier (like Alfresia!). When looking at sheds, ensure that some kind of base treatment is applied prior to purchase and  that the roof is felted. Such treatment will mean that your shed will last longer. This doesn’t mean you won’t have to care for it, but you should at least have a shed that won’t rot instantly!
As we have mentioned, Alfresia sell a number of impressive garden sheds which are great value for money when you consider their quality: The 16x10m Coniston Garden Store is the largest model in the range, with 8 side fixed, styrene glazed windows and tongue and groove shiplap cladding. The smallest model would be the 6x4m Derwent Apex Garden Shed, and this really is available at a bargain rate. There are many other sheds available between these two sizes and all sahre the same, high quality, construction method!

Get the best use from your BBQ area all year round

Simple additions like parasols and gazebos in your backyard barbecue area can dramatically change its seasonal functionality so you can use it all year round

While most people would curse the cold autumn and winter weather, others use this is as an opportunity to go out and enjoy some fine barbequed food with friends and loved ones. While hosting a barbecue, it is evident that one would want to create a comfortable environment as well as impress their guests with elegant furniture accessories.

An appropriate and cheaper solution to building a barbecue friendly garden space would be adorning your garden with some elegant outdoor protection.

Putting up a classy gazebo like our BBQ Gazebo Shelter protects you and your guests from the elements and also helps create a larger living space in the garden.

Constructing a patio arbour also provides for a segregated barbecue space which adds to the aesthetics of your garden. Some of these installations can be further accessorized with decorative lighting fixtures or even patio heaters to create a warm cosy area.

Simple additions like this in your backyard barbecue area can dramatically change its elegance and provide a suitable area for all year round Barbeques.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture for outdoors and conservatory, also selling garden accessories such as hammocks, charcoal barbecues, parasols and outdoor cooking equipment.

BBQ Gazebo Shelter

The best outdoor wooden garden furniture

Most of the outdoor wooden furniture on Alfresia is manufactured from superior hardwood, a form of wood much stronger and more durable than many other timbers and is often used in building projects for windows and doors. As the name suggests, varieties of hardwood are usually harder and more resilient than varieties of softwoods, though not always.Some typical hardwood types are Cherry, Ceder and Oak.

Hardwoods have a more complex structure than softwoods. The dominant feature separating “hardwoods” from softwoods is the presence of pores, or vessels. The vessels may show considerable variation in size, shape of perforation plates (simple, scalariform, reticulate, foraminate), and structure of cell wall, such as spiral thickenings. Their purpose is to make the wood less pliable but much tougher, and this accounts for the higher cost of hardwood furniture.

Its important to invest wisely in your hardwood garden furniture so that you get years of enjoyment whilst reducing the amount of mainteneance needed to keep it in tip top condition.

If you are interested in investing in products made from this durable timber, start by considering this  tete-a-tete hardwood bench shown below or the portage extended dining suite. Just visit our Alfresia Website for a wide selection of high quality fine products.