Latest news with #garden
Times
6 hours ago
- Times
What to plant for summer scent
As I walk around my garden (and any I'm visiting) I will naturally open up my nostrils to 'full intake' setting. The best gardens are immersive, tickling all the senses, and scent can mark each season almost as clearly as sight. In autumn there's an earthiness, in spring a freshness and winter brings many scented plants into flower to cut through the crisp air. Summer has a different identity in the fragrance department: headier, richer and more lingering perhaps, with some perfumes taking us back to childhood or transporting us around the world. Jasmine does it all for me. When I smell the common jasmine I am taken back to a holiday in Tunisia (how exotic in the 1970s!) where one balmy evening all the children were adorned with a jasmine garland. The fragrance and evening will stay with me for ever. It was a different jasmine — Jasminum sambac, commonly called Arabian jasmine and the national flower of Tunisia — but the scent is close enough. • The 9 best plants for a Mediterranean garden look this summer Summer scent is often enjoyed in the evenings, as many plants pump out their offerings after dusk to attract the moths that pollinate them. There are hundreds of wonderfully fragrant roses (including my rambler 'Paul's Himalayan musk', which is wafting its unmissable scent in every direction), but I'm sticking to others for this piece as there are many to fill your nostrils, and in a small garden just one or two should do the job nicely. There are a few, some hardier than others. The hardiest is the common jasmine (Jasminum officinale), which is fast-growing, a little unruly perhaps, but great for growing over a pergola or shed. J officinale 'Devon cream' is smaller (3m in height and spread), but the creamy white flowers are a bit larger and highly scented too. Trachelospermum jasminoides (commonly called star jasmine) is not a jasmine at all but still a great evergreen climber with a similar fragrance. Again, a huge range (make sure you buy ones with scent as they don't all have it), but you can't beat Lilium regale, which grows to 1.5m and carries huge trumpet-shaped, fully perfumed flowers that alone will fill a small space. Plant bulbs from early autumn to mid spring. Be mindful it is toxic to cats. • The best plants for full-sun in hot weather A lovely evergreen, silver-leafed shrub reaching 4m in height and spread. In summer it delivers clusters of yellow flowers that smell distinctly of pineapple. Grows best against the warmth and protection of a south-facing wall. I've inherited a few and wow, their scent is fabulous. Vase-shaped shrubs. Philadelphus 'Virginal' is the most statuesque form (height 3m x spread 2.5m) with double white flowers; P 'Belle étoile' is more compact (height 1.2m x spread up to 2m) — ideal for the smaller garden with an arching wide habit and masses of simple, open white flowers with an orange tinge and a wonderful scent. • The garden designer's favourite roses for summer scent Perennials with a sweet to spicy scent. There are plenty of varieties to go for, including paniculata 'eventide' with mauve blooms that stand out in the evening light and 'Franz Schubert' with soft pink flowers. There are annual phlox varieties too with good scent. Loose climbers, essential in a cottage garden. There are many to choose from; one of my favourites is Lonicera periclymenum 'Serotina' for its creamy white flowers with a dark purple streak giving a two-tone look overall. It has a classic honeysuckle scent and flowers longer and later than others, sometimes from July through to October. If it gets out of hand and turns into a bird's nest, cut it back quite hard in spring to rejuvenate it. You may miss out on its flowers for a year, but it'll be back. A star plant for evening scent, this tall, statuesque biennial has sprays of elegant, white, drooping trumpet-shaped flowers that deliver a sweet jasmine aroma. Sow seed in spring for flowers the following year or buy in pots — it's not too late to plant out now. Height 1.5m x spread 60cm. • The best fast-growing climbing plants and garden structures A biennial with large, lemon-scented yellow flowers on tall, purple-tinged stems that open at dusk to fill the evening garden with fragrance. Sow two every year to ensure self-seeding and reliable flowering every summer. Grow in plenty of sun on free-draining, even poor soil. The showy evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) has pink or white flowers. Ah, the scent of summer. Sweet and airy fragrance and ideal for cut flowers to bring into the house. Climbing annual plants reach about 2m in height. Sow seed October to February or buy in pots ready to go in spring. Lathyrus odoratus 'Cupani' (two-tone with maroon upper petals and violet wings), the original, was introduced in 1699 and has a fabulous scent. Huge range of colours available.
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Lidl's £30 Middle Aisle garden gadget bargain is £20 cheaper than a B&Q one
LIDL is bringing back a sell-out garden gadget in days and it's cheaper than B&Qs alternative. The budget-friendly supermarket will soon be restocking the Grillmeister Barbecue Pizza Oven, a hot weather favourite amongst shoppers. Available for the bargain price of £29.99, it'll hit your local store's Middle Aisle from Sunday, July 6. The oven can be used on charcoal or gas barbecues and the Lidl claims its perfect for creating pizzas with a delicious crispy base. The design features a removable pizza stone and integrated thermostat. For comparison, B&Q stocks a George Foreman alternative priced at £49.99, making Lidl's gadget a fantastic £20 cheaper. Lidl's dupe will be available for a limited time only. This garden gadget is part of Lidl's exclusive Middle of Lidl outdoor event, which will also feature a wide range of items, including garden lights, outdoor tables, and even gazebos. If something catches your eye be sure to get to your local store quickly on July as shops will only receive limited stock and when it's gone, it's gone. You can find your closest Lidl supermarket by visiting When shopping Lidl's special deals, it's always a good idea to compare prices with other retailers to ensure you're getting the best value. You can use online tools like or Google Shopping to help with this. I tested all the high street pizza ovens - this one at over half the price of Lakeland's is the best Prices can vary depending on the model, size, and retailer, so comparing options is essential before making a decision. For example, Ooni is a leading brand for pizza ovens, but their models range from £299.99 to £799.99, making them a significant investment. Lastly, remember that a deal is only worthwhile if you genuinely need the product. Buying something just because it's on offer doesn't necessarily mean you're saving money. How to compare prices to get the best deal JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. How can I save money when shopping at Lidl? Lidl reduces items at the start of the day, and the best deals can be found between 7am and 8am, when most stores open. Shoppers can often find cooked meats, salmon fillets and breads reduced by 30% or more. Not only does Lidl have its own range of reasonably priced alcohol, it also has its own knock-offs of branded favourites – so say cheers to its bargain booze. Everyone knows about the "Middle of Lidl" – it's here where you'll find a load of random stuff you didn't realise you needed, at decent prices. But if you are hoping to avoid spending more than you planned, you can check what will be in the "Middle of Lidl" on the supermarket's website in advance. The Middle of Lidl is refreshed every Thursday and Sunday. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Times
15 hours ago
- General
- Times
Mornings are quieter now but the real stars are here
T he dawn chorus is now less rich, less showy — daytime birdsong is subdued and lacks the vigour of spring, but there are songsters still. In our garden there are melodious blackbirds and wood pigeons cooing calmly throughout the day. But the stars of the midsummer garden are a handful of song thrushes, whose calls remain as confident and tuneful as they have been all spring. These birds start early in winter, sing long days all spring and still perform into July. The song thrush is one of the loudest songsters for its size and the most interesting: each of our garden birds has a repertoire of repeated calls, sometimes simple phrases and sometimes more complex, often a mimic of a curlew or starling. My Merlin bird app still gets thrown by these inventive and energetic songbirds, misidentifying my garden thrushes as American warblers, Indian jungle birds or continental European songsters.
The Sun
21 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
B&Q slashes price of £15 water ornament that matches ‘virtually any decor' & turns your garden into a trickling oasis
GARDEN lovers can turn their outdoor space into a relaxing oasis with a B&Q buy that has been slashed in price. With temperatures reaching 28C today, Brits across the nation will be spending their Friday afternoons lounging around in the garden. 2 2 And what better to enjoy the sun than treating yourself to a brand new water feature, that will instantly elevate your outdoor space. B&Q Tabletop Fountain B&Q's Grey LED Lighted Electricity Garden Fountain Resin Water Feature with Recirculating Pump has been slashed to £15.50, saving shoppers £1 on the original price of £16.50. The chic grey design matches "virtually any decor" so will look perfect in any style of garden, and is made of quality resin that is lightweight and durable. The tabletop fountain would look great placed on top of a garden wall, or outdoor table and the relaxing calmness of the trickling water will make you feel instantly at peace. The water feature also emits warm LED light, to add to the calming effect of the product. It's also super easy to use, as all you need to do is plug it into an outdoor outlet, and fill the lower level with water. B&Q said: "Relax and enjoy the sounds of nature with the fountain by Livingandhome! "This relaxing tabletop fountain lets you listen to the sounds of a waterfall crashing down onto the tiers below as the sound and sight of trickling water is naturally soothing and water fountains help induce a feeling of calm and relaxation." However, the product is not available in stores, so you will have to head to the B&Q website to snap up the bargain. More Bargain Water Features Wilko is also selling a stunning ornament that will instantly transform your garden into a serene haven. 'It's spacious enough for two adults' - The Range release double garden rocking chair less than €120 The Small Solar Floating Fountain floats on top of your garden pond or pool, creating a sense of calm and tranquility. It has three tiers, which create a peaceful cascade, and is solar powered, so there's no need to faff about with plugging it in. The fountain simply charges up in the sunlight making it an eco-friendly addition to your garden. Home Bargains is also selling a bargain water feature for just £9.99. Garden features that add the most value to a house A well-kept garden can add anywhere between 5-20% to the value of a property. carried out a study and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from across the UK. And the experts revealed the garden feature which adds the most value to a property is a shed. Shed - 82% Patio or paving - 76% Secure fencing, walls or gates - 72% Outdoor lighting - 66% Sturdy decking - 62% Water features eg. fountain or pond - 58% Modern garden furniture - 54% Artificial lawn/grass - 40% "Turn your garden into a birdwatcher's dream with the Jardin Garden Bird Bath! Made from lightweight, weather-proof plastic with a sleek metallic finish, it's a stylish spot for birds to drink and bathe," the product description reads. "The Jardin Garden Bird Bath is the perfect addition to your outdoor space, designed to attract wild birds while adding a touch of style. "Its lightweight yet durable, weather-proof plastic construction ensures it lasts through all seasons, while the elegant metallic effect finish enhances your garden's charm." The bargain garden find is ideal to transform your pond or water feature on the cheap.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Inside West Midlands' most beautiful garden hidden away behind bungalow
A dedicated pensioner has dedicated 27 years to transforming the space outside his bungalow into a breathtaking garden oasis, now considered one of Britain's most exquisite private gardens. The remarkable images reveal John Massey's garden in Dudley, on the fringes of the industrial Black Country, awash with vibrant summer hues. John, aged 76, has poured nearly three decades into his passion project, cultivating an impressive collection of 20,000 different plants, trees, and shrubs over ten acres. Read more: The truth about knife crime in West Midlands The Chelsea Flower Show four-time gold medal winner admits that maintaining the splendour of his garden throughout the year demands a commitment of eight hours daily, every day of the week. Generously, John opens his 'four seasons garden' to visitors, raising funds for charitable causes, and has recently celebrated the extraordinary achievement of generating £500,000 in donations. Esteemed within the gardening world, John's serene haven is acclaimed as one of the nation's premier private gardens. Originating as a simple lawn in 1998, the garden has flourished, showcasing native UK flora alongside more unusual varieties from Japan, South Africa, and Turkey. Kingswinford's green-fingered John remarked: "The garden hasn't really been planned, it's just evolved over 27 years." He confidently states: "We bigheadedly say we're a garden for every day of the year and that you would hopefully find something in flower every day you came. "There's hundreds and thousands of different plants, we're all plant nutters and it's a full-time job looking after it. "I usually get up at 7am and take the dogs out and I go around the garden all day from there. "Then there's the last walk at night to check for snails and slugs, that's usually 10pm until 11pm. "It really is an all-day thing. I started by the house and just moved out - and just kept going and going. I absolutely love it all." The garden, which offers picturesque views of the scenic Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal, is a true horticultural haven. Every nook is alive with striking blooms, lush greenery, an assortment of conifers and shrubs, complemented by intricately designed pots. John, with a remarkable 57 years of gardening under his belt, reveals this botanical paradise has grown so extensive that it now takes a team of four to keep it pristine. His passion was ignited by none other than Princess Greta Sturdza, the visionary Norwegian behind Le Vasterival, among France's most celebrated gardens. After being honoured with the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society, John remarked: "I was privileged to meet the late princess Greta Sturdza, a Norwegian. "We became sort of friends and she invited me over and had, in my mind, the greatest garden that I've ever seen. "She taught me how to garden. Her big thing was transparency pruning, you prune every tree, shrub and conifer so it was its own sculpture in its own right." John, a passionate gardener who took the reins of the family nursery at just 18, has no formal training in horticulture but shares a deep-rooted love for gardening passed down from his grandad. He's dedicated to maintaining a vibrant green space throughout the year, ensuring there's always something sprouting. Speaking about the nursery that neighbours his home, John remarked: "Some beds are replanted twice a year." He believes in constant renewal to keep visitors returning, saying, "If we want to keep people coming back we need change." John's approach involves a three-tier system: "We work on three layers, the big trees we raise the canopies and lift the branches." This technique allows for underplanting: "We lift the canopy of the shrubs so that we can work under that." The garden boasts an impressive collection of witch-hazels, with John's Garden featuring over 40 different varieties. Seasonal changes bring a variety of hues to the garden, with hydrangeas in summer and cornus and spindle trees in the colder months. Springtime sees an array of hellebores, bulbs, and various flowering shrubs, keeping the garden brimming with life. John explained his philosophy: "We're always trying to get happy plants, I wouldn't want to grow a plants that weren't healthy." He's selective with his plants due to the local climate: "There are certain plants we don't grow as we're a real frost pocket. We try and grow plants that are hardy in this area." The nursery is also known for its conifers and witch hazels: "We've got a wonderful selection of conifers, both dwarf and small. Then there's witch hazel, we've got 40 odd varieties." And for the autumn spectacle, he added: "We've got the grass bed and the asters which look their best in September and October. "I love it all, I do love the whole garden. We had the Danish horticulture society here the other day and they said each corner there's something different to look at. I think you should walk gardens both ways". "The garden is constantly changing, with something majoring on different groups of plants right the way through the season." John stepped away from day-to-day duties at Ashwood Nurseries next door in 2000 to focus on his passion for gardening. The site opens its gates every Saturday from February to December, welcoming nature lovers for just £8 a pop. John and his expert team have scooped more than 50 gold medals at prestigious Royal flower shows, bagging four from the renowned Chelsea Flower Show alone. Additionally, they have proudly collected four Farrer Trophies, two Williams Memorial Medals and a couple of Gardeners' World Live golds. He went on to share: "I've been in horticulture for 57 years and I'm still learning, it's one of those subjects where the more you learn, the more you realise you don't know. "A friend of mine described horticulture as the slowest form of art as it takes 20 years to reach its maturity. "We used to show a little alpine plant called Lewisia. What we tried to do is take a particular genus and try and get it to the highest possible level. "Then take on another family of plants and try and get them to that level. The beauty of plants is you don't have to be monogamous and can keep building them up." Since flinging open its doors to visitors in 2003, the garden has mushroomed over £500,000 for various charities. John confessed: "I wouldn't like to think how much I've spent on it, I wouldn't know. It's a passion, but it would be frightening." He further added, "The main thing is we've raised a lot of money for good causes in the process." And he finished by saying, "The garden is constantly changing right the way through the season, and I love it."
