News - Page 54

How to care for garden birds in winter

Winter can be a tough time for garden birds. It’s cold, food is scarce, and they use up much of their energy reserves just keeping warm. Our garden birds need all the help they can get at this time of year, so here are a few things you can do to make life easier for them.

DIY Ideas: Natural Christmas Decorations

With all of the festive trimmings, it is great to add some natural christmas decorations for a special personal touch. It can be great fun to get outside and start picking natural decorations to make in to your own. Not only will you be getting outside in the fresh air but you can then get home and decorate your rooms with pine cones and sprayed twigs while warming up with a tasty hot chocolate.

DIY Ideas: Natural Christmas Decorations

Indoor Style: Cosy Comfort

Create a cosy comfort look with a touch of rustic for a contemporary and functional environment yet with the feel of homely comfort. It is a beautiful look to create with tones inspired by our wonderful natural world. How do you get the look though? We have some pointers for you!

Plants of the moment: Festive conifers

Conifers are everywhere at this time of year. From blue spruce (Picea pungens) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) to the classic Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana), the festive season wouldn’t be the same without them. But conifers aren’t just for Christmas. They’re easy to grow, add structure all year round, and come in so many shapes, sizes and colours that there’s one for every garden.

Planting a winter garden

Gardens don’t have to look dull and drab just because it’s winter. Plenty of plants come into their own at this time of year, with flowers, berries and even coloured stems bringing gardens to life through the coldest months. Here are a few of our favourite plants for winter gardens.

Guide to decorating the Christmas tree

It is that time of year to get decorating the Christmas tree with all the frills and sparkles that you desire! It is a fun part of the festive season and can be a real family event or just a romantic evening with a glass of wine while the fire is on. With so many options to decorate the Christmas tree, it can be really difficult to pick the style, colours and accessorise so we have put together this guide to help you out.

What to do in the garden in December?

With the year almost over, it’s time to make sure the garden is ready for winter. And it’s never too early to start planning for next year. With shrubs to plant, seeds to sow and winter crops to harvest, there’s always an excuse to get yourself out into the garden.

Houseplant of the month: Poinsettia

The Poinsettia is especially popular because of its beautifully coloured leaves. Whilst these are often seen as its flowers, these are actually bracts that are formed in a star shape. At this time of the year, you might be used to seeing the Poinsettia in red mostly. However, this year pastel colours such as pink, apricot, lemon and salmon are trending.

Plant-based Christmas Recipes

Try some delicious plant-based Christmas recipes this festive season instead of the traditional turkey and surprise your guests with some healthy plant-based, festive food. The options for plant-based food are endless now with so many ingredients and recipes to choose from. From using vegetables with tofu, seitan or jackfruit you can create some interesting and incredibly tasty plant-based dishes. We have picked some great recipes for you to try.

Guide to choosing the right Christmas Tree

Our guide to choosing the right Christmas Tree will help you to decide on the perfect Christmas tree to give your home the festive feel for December. From real Christmas trees with that traditional smell of pine needles to something pre dressed and easy to install, there are so many options. All you have to do is pick the perfect one for you and your family.

Celebrate National Tree Week

National Tree Week has begun, from 23rd November to 1st December we celebrate the UK’s largest yearly tree celebration. It is timed to mark winter tree planting season which is November to March every year and the perfect time to plant trees. National Tree Week has been running since 1975 by The Tree Council and is a great way to spread the word about the importance of trees and do something really special for trees. There are many ways to celebrate the importance of trees from running events to talking a walk in woodland and educating children and communities. Have a read of our ideas to celebrate this important week.

Microgreens for fresh nutrition over the winter months

The festivities can take over any kind of healthy diet plus there is less growth in the kitchen garden but there is a very special something that can be grown on a windowsill or in the greenhouse during the winter months. Plus you’ll be harvesting within one to three weeks. Microgreens are easy to grow and packed full of nutrition, in fact, more than the fully matured vegetable. Microgreens are the seedlings of many well-loved vegetables and herbs, simply grown to a few inches before harvesting. Perfect as garnishes, mixed in soups, salads and sandwiches to add a packed punch of nutrition to a dish.

Microgreens for fresh nutrition over the winter months