Garden Adventures for the Kids

Although the weather today certainly doesn't suggest it, summer is approaching. When the sun finally does get here, you'll want you and your family to spend as much time in the garden as possible and you'll want to keep your kids entertained. A great way to do this is through using toys and play areas.

On Alfresia, we've recently massively expanded our range of play areas. All these play houses are made using shiplap cladding. As we've spoken about before shiplap cladding is a far sturdier construction method than overlap cladding, which means that these play houses will last longer than and need less maintenance than those found elsewhere constructed using overlap cladding. A particular highlight of our range is the Tulip group of playhouses. This is a group of 4 playhouses which share the same design and construction methods. However, each model has different features, ranging from the basic play house to the play house tower with slide and swing. All of our playhouses comply fully with the EU saftey regulations and have been awarded the EN71 saftey rating. Equally, all windows and glass components across the entire range are fitted in the factory. Whilst these playhouse do represent something of a financial investment, they are great value for money being sturdy, safe and well made. Your child is sure to get hours of enjoyment from our playhouses and the range is wide enough to suit all needs and concerns.


Another range we've recently expanded is that of our outdoor toys.  These are pedal-powered tractors and trucks. We have products suitable for any ages between 2 and 8, which means that you're sure to find something to suit you! All of our ride on products are guaranteed for 3 years. The highlight of this range is the Premium John Deere Farm Tractor. This one is for kids between 4 and 8 and it displays an impressive range of features. A lifting bonnet, adjustable seat and a fully functioning front loader which can be removed mean that the tractor is fairly customisable, whilst a protected chaindrive, inflatable rubber tyres, an emergency stop break and 2 functioning gears make up the mechanic spec. The tractor can also be combined with a couple of trailer accessories too for added play value. Again, with these tractors and JCBs, there are options to suit any budget and all are guaranteed to be great fun your child to use!

Shiplap Cladding Vs Overlap Cladding

On Alfresia, we've just launched a whole new range of garden sheds, greenhouses, playhouses and summerhouses. These have just come in and can broadly be divided into two kinds of sheds: overlap and shiplap.

But what do these categories mean, and how do they should they affect your decision when choosing a wooden garden building?

What is Overlap Cladding?
Overlap cladding refers to the way in which the cladding is fitted together - the pieces of timber overlap. This style is easier and cheaper to construct, and the savings are passed onto the customer - overlap sheds tend to be cheaper than other kinds of shed. Whilst not as sturdy and durable as shiplap cladded sheds, overlap cladding is still a safe and secure mode of construction meaning that overlap sheds are great value products. The advantages and disadvantages of overlap cladding have led us to believe that it is suitable more for the construction of sheds and storage units - the cladding keeps your tools or garden clutter safe and dry and provides shelter if you use the shed as a workshop.

                                

What is Shiplap Cladding?

Shiplap and tongue and groove cladding two similar ways of interlocking the pieces of timber. This gives a far sturdier construction and reduces the chance of water getting inbetween the wood, in turn reducing the risk of getting wood rot. The sturdier construction also means that the shed will be less likely to be damaged by day to day wear and tear. The more advanced techniques required to build the sheds mean, however, that they cost slightly more money.

We believe that Shiplap Cladding is more suitable for use in the construction of workshops and garden buildings where you might be spending a longer period of time, time that you use to relax rather than do house/garden work. The sturdy construction makes these buildings secure for storing valuables and more comfortable for sitting in on a hot summer's day. They are also more suitable for use as children's playhouses.

Whichever kind of construction sounds favourable to you, you will be sure to find a shed that is ideal in size and style for you on Alfresia UK. Recently we've added a vast number of garden sheds, a collection of children's playhouses, a range of summerhouses, utilising both traditional and modern designs, and a small number of buildings suited to both  casual and keen gardeners.

Alfresia is also an online retailer of garden furniture.

Gardening in March

 

March is the beginning of the busiest season of a gardener's year. There are many important jobs to do in the garden at this time, though you may not be aware of them all. This article isn't exhaustive, but it is a good start on how to prepare your garden for the warmer months.

With regards to the vegetable patch: You can start planting onions and shallots in a few days. They need the sunniest position with free drainage.  Don't bother putting manure on the soil, as these crops prefer a more mature soil. Position them in a line so that they are easy to weed. To avoid birds pulling them out of the soil, place a net over them until the roots have a hold.
Potatoes need time to chit before they are planted. Leave them in a cool, bright room to promote the eyes. Later in the month you can plant the early growers, but keep them covered in fleece to be on the safe side.

There are still some plants that need pruning. However, don't prune evergreen until April. Remove a third of spent flowering stems on plants that flowered in the winter, back to the old wood, This promotes fresh growth.Wisteria, clemantis and late flowering shrubs like Russian Sage should all have been pruned properly by the end of the month. If you don't, you will risk losing important fresh growth energy if this is left too late.

Later this month, you can probably start to sow some plants directly outside. Sweet Peas and Broad Beans suit an earlier planting, as do mustard and rocket. Hold off on planting any new turf until early April, though you can prepare the ground for sowing.

Slugs can be a danger to new growth but use pellets wisely and only where necessary. Try to use organic pellets because they provide no danger to any other animals or plants.

Alfresia UK is an online retailer of garden furniture.

Mexican Handmade Chimeneas

We've had a range of handmade clay mexican chimeneas on Alfresia for quite some time and they have proved so popular that we've doubled the range today, introducing some exciting new designs and updating some of the older ones.

One idea we find particularly interesting is the fusion of the old and new.

The Ellipse Chimeneas are a great example of this design ethos. The Chimeneas are handcrafted in Mexico, using the same techniques that the locals have been using for hundreds of years when using clay. This development time means that, today, the product is extremely efficient when burning fuel and allows the fuel to be lit easily.

 The expertise of centuries is poured into their construction. Fused with this traditional crafting is the modern design and styling of these particular chimeneas. They have been built in a round shape, with a huge mouth-shaped opening through which you can see the fire and stoke the flames. They are finished with a number of different coloured glazes.

Handcrafted, they offer great value for money and can even be used inside with the addition of a simple accessory - the Universal Chimenea Burner (see the post below on bio-fuels). Shop the Ellipse Collection today!

Mexico has a range of ceramic traditions that date back to a time before Mexico was Mexico! Today there at least 7 major recognisable styles of Mexican pottery, with many others that are less well known.

This hertiage means that clay products from Mexico are among the best in the world, and they are still made by hand! If you're intereseted in a new chimenea (that can now be used inside or out), check out our range of Mexican Chimeneas on Alfreisa UK. We promise that you won't be disappointed.

Alfresia UK is an online retailer of garden furniture and Chimeneas.

The Clean, Green, Renewable Chimeneas

What's wrong with our chimenea?
Chimeneas are great in your garden - they're warm, stylish and useful. However, they have some major disadvantages: they create loads of smoke, the fuel can be difficult to light and you can only use them outside. Additionally, burning the traditional fuels is also wasteful as they aren't renewable and produce emissions that aren't particularly healthy for the environment.

What's the answer?

The answer is here in the form of Bio-Ethanol fuels and chimeneas. We've just introduced two new models on Alfresia: the Lorenzo and the Celina.

They both have a hidden reservoir in which you pour the bio-ethanol fuel. They can be placed inside or out, on the floor, or a table because there are no emissions.

That sounds great, but I already have a chimenea...

If you're interested in using a cleaner fuel, but don't want to buy a new chimenea, you can purchase a universal chimenea burner. This features the same hidden reservoir, but does not have any of the periphery of the full chimeneas. You can place this smaller burner inside an existing chimenea or BBQ and let it burn from there. This means you can have your clay chimeneas inside!

What exactly are the benefits of Bio-Ethanol fuel?

As we've said, the benefits aren't only environmental. Yes, you there are no harmful emissions and yes, you can use it inside because of this. However, Bio-Ethanol is also the fuel of choice for many now because it lights easily (unlike logs or charcoal) and also dies down easily when you have finished with it.

What is Bio-Ethanol though? Where does it come from?

Sugar cane or corn are processed into ethanol, the undiluted form of alcohol, through fermentation. Then most of the water is distilled, so that the fuel is easier to burn. Following that, the mixture is dehydrated (further), making the resulting ethanol suitable for fuel.



If any of that sounds like a good idea to you (it does to me!) and you decided to make your chimeneas more versatile and cleaner, then check out our new range of Bio-Ethanol fireplaces and fuels.

Alfresia is an online garden furniture retailer.

February Gardening

With it nearly being March and nearly being spring, there are a few jobs that need doing in your garden to prepare for it.

You need to ensure that any vegetables that need an early planting are sorted before the end of the month;  aubergines, cucumbers, melons and peppers should all be planted inside a heated greenhouse. Tomatos, on the other hand, need to be kept under unheated glass.

You should, if the conditions allow, continue to prepare the soil for planting. You can use the technique of single digging to do this. Remove the soil from an area one spit deep and 15inches wide. Put it in a pile at the other end of the border. Move the soil from the next strip forwards into the area you have just dug out. Continue doing this until you reach the end of the border and put the first batch of soil into the strip you dig out.

You should also prune your trees, removing dead wood and any intrusive lower branches. Perform this with a saw, cutting neatly and cleanly. Start with an upward cut to stop the branch splitting if it is heavy. When you have finished cutting, you should apply a protective coat to the wound.

Carrying on with pruning, you should take a look at any Clematis plants. Vigorously growing examples, such as montana need little/no pruning apart from removing dead wood. You might also reduce the tangle of stems. This isn't vital but does reduce the weight that the plant's supports have to carry. Species such as Lasurstern, early flowering varieties, need to have all their dead wood removed, followed by a strict pruning of all weak growth, cutting shoots back to two strong buds. Clematis that flower on new growth, like Hagley Hybrid and Viticella, should be pruned almost to the ground in midwinter, so that all the previous year's growth is cut back, almost to the base, just above a pair of sound buds.

This isn't an exhaustive list of jobs that need doing before spring, but they are all important.

Care for your Valentine's Day Bouquet of Red Roses

Happy Valentine's Day! A bouquet of red Roses is the most traditional Valentine's Day present going. They are available from virtually anywhere but still manage to be incredibly romantic. Many people will recieve a bunch today but most of those same people will be unusure of how to care for their red roses. If you follow our tips your roses won't last forever, but they will live for a lot longer.



As soon as you are given your flowers, use a pair of garden shears or a sharp knife to slice one inch off each stem at a 45 degree angle. Do not use scissors as the pressure they exert will ruin your stems.


Fill a vase two thirds of the way with luke warm water. Place the stems into the water, removing any leaves and foliage on the stems first. This is because they will eventually fall off and decomposing material will contaminate the water.

To keep the water bacteria free, thus preserving your roses, you can try one of two methods:

• Adding bleach to the water sounds dangerous but, if use in moderation, it can be quite effective.1/4 tablespoon of bleach per quart of water is enough to purify the water and kill bacteria.

• Adding aspirin and a penny to the water is also effective. The aspirin lowers the water's pH level, warding off the bacteria, and the penny serves as a fungicide.

Putting a few tablespoons of sugar into the lukewarm water will give the flowers the nutrients they need to survive for a while, even though the roots have been cut off.

You should change the water everyday and keep putting the sugar in. This process is easy, takes up little time and will make sure your flowers look much nicer for much longer. After all this, enjoy your Valentine's Day.

Alfresia is an online retailer of garden furniture and barbecues.