Archived

Aster la vista: flower of the month

asters are a perfect flower for autumn colour in the garden

Tips for keeping cut flowers fresher for longer

keep cut flowers fresh for longer by remembering a few key tips..like changing the water regularly, cutting the ends of and trimming any dying foliage

Winter shrubs with lovely berries

Head to your nearest garden centre and load up on berry-laden shrubs.

Skimmia: an evergreen shrub that adds a touch of elegance to any garden, even in the middle and winter. It produces clusters of fragrant flowers in spring, followed by vibrant red or white berries that persist throughout the autumn and winter months. Skimmia is ideal for shady spots and can be grown in containers or as a hedge. They are low-maintenance and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions, so ideal for a beginner gardener.

Campaign to go pesticide free

Local councils and campaigners are urging the new UK Labour government to pan pesticide use in urban areas. They say the recent Olympics have showcased a beautiful Paris, a city that has been pesticide free since 2017.

Campaigners here argue we should live in spaces free of toxic chemicals to protect humans health and wildlife.

More than 150 councillors around Britain have joined 15,000 members of the public in a drive by the Pesticide Action Network to call for urban areas to be pesticide-free.

London Design Festival 2024

Top five ways to make your home stand out – and sell super fast

When you sell your home, it follows that you would want it to stand out from the competition - after all, standing out from the crowd is essential in attracting potential buyers and securing a quick sale! In today's competitive real estate market, it's important to make your property memorable and appealing. But how can you do it? Here are the top five ways you can make your home stand out and increase its chances of being sold swiftly. 

1. Enhance its curb appeal

Strike a pose: eco friendly yoga mats

The drive to leave plastic behind is gathering force and lots of areas of life we don't associate with plastic are keen to do their bit. Such as yoga, which does require a mat if you're doing it in a gym or hall with a hard floor.

Yoga Design Lab, based in Bali, launched in 2014 to produce beautiful designs that didn't cost the earth. The product range has grown and now includes towels. The brand's USP is the marrying of appealing design with eco friendliness - the eco credentials coming from its use of cork, natural rubber and recycled plastic.

Anti: designer lighting from waste material

Anti is a waste design business led by British designer maker Mark Howells. 'We use objects that end up in landfill as building blocks for beautiful product design,' he explains.

One billion umbrellas are broken, lost, discarded worldwide each year. The nylon canopies may take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade. Umbrellas are designed NOT to last, with an average lifespan of six months. Umbrellas create 240,000 tons of metal waste per year. That’s the equivalent amount of metal to build four Sydney Harbour Bridges.

Miscanthus bales could decarbonise construction

Miscanthus is a perennial carbon-negative renewable energy crop grown on around 8,000 hectares of low-grade marginal land in the UK. It's been identified as having outstanding building credentials and excellent insulation value and following a successful test building last year, the partners are building a Miscanthus bale house that will still be standing in 100 years.

Algreen nominated for Earthshot Prize

Algreen, based at Imperial College Campus is a leading innovator in renewable and sustainable product solutions.

It's been nominated for a 2024 Earthshot Prize - the global awards scheme set up by the Prince of Wales - in recognition of its work to develop bio-based alternatives to oil-based plastics and other fossil-derived materials.

Pages