With these uncertain economic times, and house prices not particularly moving one way or the other, many people are looking to increase the value of their homes whilst they wait for better days. Whilst some people may build extensions, others are thinking to improve their gardens.

If you are one of these people planning to make some garden improvements in the coming year, then there are a couple of tips which may be able to help you out. Firstly, although April is traditionally the time when garden products are promoted through the DIY stores, you may actually find that prices off season can be lower.

For example, if you were considering purchasing some garden furniture, then it might be worth looking into how to buy garden furniture direct. Off season prices may very well be lower, as stockists are glad to make sales in a period which is not rationally busy for them. (more...)

If you have put a lot of time and effort into your garden, then you will want to relax and enjoy it during the summer months as much as possible. There is no better way to do this, than by purchasing some quality garden furniture which will both compliment and enhance the garden, whilst enabling you to relax in style.

There are some quite exquisite teak furniture items available for the garden nowadays, and they really add value to a garden that has been well looked after. Certainly, they may cost a little more than the plastic garden furniture available, but they look a thousand times better!

Well made chairs and tables are just some of the items that will help to enhance your garden area. They go particularly well with decking, but also look wonderful next to a rose bed. (more...)

There is nothing quite like home grown fruit and veg and vegetable patches and allotments where you can Grow your own fruit and veg are becoming very popular across the country. Even if you do not have access to a garden, some fruit and veg can be grown in pots or containers on the balconies or in small yards.

Firstly there is the fun of growing your own and it is exciting to see the fruits of your labour grow bit by bit. You nurture them as you would a small child, feeding them and watering them and worrying about them in the cold.

You can spend many a day and evening looking after them and making sure that they have the right conditions to prosper. Weeding, watering and making sure that the snails and slugs do not get them. (more...)

One of the perils of gardening is of course the bugs and spiders that you come across. Many people do not mind these, but if you are scared of insects and spiders then you may end up running a mile every time you want to weed the border!

Most pests and bugs in the garden are completely harmless and can be either left alone or zapped using some home pesticide. You only usually need to call Pestforce if the infestation is really bad, such as a wasp nest in a place where there are people.

Slugs are a pain and they munch on your plants given half the chance. I use copper coil around the containers and sometimes leave slug traps out with beer, although I have been known to use slug killer. (more...)

Gardening does take a lot of hard work and dedication and it is not everybody's cup of tea, I must admit. You need to keep all areas of the garden neat and tidy, as it is easy to let it get on top of you with yard signs and empty compost bags lying around.

The garden needs to be a place where you can relax after all your hard work keeping it up to date, so tidying up as you go means that you do not have to relax in a cluttered and untidy area. It may seem a chore to have to pick up the weeds and cuttings when you are tired but if you do not, it will get worse as you go along until your once tidy garden is suddenly a major area of mess.

Try and keep the weeds down on a regular basis so that they do not suddenly threaten to take over the vegetable patch or border. (more...)

Italy has a rich history of Roman and Renaissance landscaping, and as a result the country has generated a copycat trend throughout the Western world. People across the globe are keen to bring a little bit of Italy into their back garden and, nowadays, this desire to replicate classical piazzas and porticoes has been joined by an enthusiasm for green gardening.

Along with marble tiles and Romanesque statuary, the fountain is perhaps the most iconic feature of the Italian garden. Draped over with trailing ivy and set in a wide, central square, a white stone water feature is bound to breathe some Mediterranean charm into your backyard.

While outdoor fountains of this kind are certainly the key to creating an Italian ambience, they do not meet the green standards of environmentally friendly gardening, or giardinaggio ecologico in Italian. This kind of water feature ordinarily runs on electricity and, what is more, is ordinarily wreathed in a tangle of electric cabling. (more...)

In this era of green living, more and more people are turning away from chemical pesticides or insecticides and looking instead to organic methods of pest control in the garden.

While those with small children and animals have always been aware of the dangers of having poison in and around the home, the number of organic converts is growing to include garden enthusiasts from all kinds of backgrounds. Pest control is beginning to be viewed as a natural process rather than a matter of chemical extermination and the result, hopefully, will reduce damage to backyard ecosystems all over the world.

Those seeking methods of organic pest control usually turn to Diatomaceous Earth as their first port of call. This naturally occurring white powder contains algae which is harmful to insects but safe to humans and pets, and can be sprinkled in problem areas to reduce the insect population. (more...)

Birds are one of the most prevalent garden pests and are also notoriously difficult to deter. From pigeons to geese, birds can destroy domestic fruit production, and can similarly coat lawns and plants with unsightly droppings.

Upon selecting a bird deterrent, it is first and foremost, necessary to ensure that your purchase is safe both for humans, pets and the birds themselves. Lethal methods of bird control are not only frowned upon, but are also, for the most part, illegal.

Gardening enthusiasts have a wide variety of protection systems available to them, and perhaps the most popular of these is the simple, visual deterrent. Like a scarecrow in a cornfield, these devices scare birds away from an area because they look predatory or alarming. Ranging from plastic foxes to old CDs strung up in the branches of a tree, these visual irritants come in all shapes and sizes. (more...)

Often rats build their nests in residential gardens, a location from which they can easily move into homes and garden based structures, such as sheds and greenhouses. It is necessary, once you have established the presence of a rat's nest, that you take steps to protect your home from infestation.

To begin with, it is important that all entrance points into your house remain sealed unless necessary. Holes in the walls or roof need to covered and vents must be secured. If the problem is severe, it is important that you call a professional exterminator who will begin the process of Desratizacion as soon as possible.

Smaller problems involving a few rats can, however, be dealt with at home. The amateur rat-catcher has two basic options: the first is the trap and the second, poison. (more...)

In the last few years, we have seen a marked shift away from inorganic or chemical pesticides. More and more frequently, people are rejecting conventional bug sprays and manufactured poisons for use in their homes and gardens, and are turning instead to organic methods of pest control.

Homeowners with small children, dogs and cats are often particularly keen to switch from poisons to organic pest deterrents, however gardening enthusiasts from all walks of life are slowly going 'green'. In place of chemical pesticides, earth conscious plant enthusiasts are looking to Mother Nature to keep all kind of harmful garden Nuisibles at bay.

Diatomaceous Earth is a particularly popular form of organic pest control. This soft granular powder is naturally occurring and contains algae that are harmful to insects. Totally safe for children and pets, this is a great option for those wanting to protect their gardens without chemical pesticides. (more...)

Garden ants, found fairly ubiquitously throughout Europe, can become problematic if they invade the home. Keen on sweet and high protein foods, these ants follow well-defined paths into kitchens and warm appliances, and in high numbers they are something of a nuisance.

Dealing with ants can be a fairly simply process. There is a wide variety of insecticides available for home use and these will effectively eliminate a small ant infestation.

However, serious ant problems need to be dealt with by a professional. An ant control expert will identify the species of ant causing the problem and then begin extermination accordingly. Methods of elimination might include fumigation or might simply involve the strategic laying out of poison. (more...)

Gone are the days when people grew traditional flowers in their garden and now many people like to experiment and see how far they can go with growing exotic fruits, veg and flowers that are not native to our country.

While I am still not that experienced and my exotic efforts are a little hit and miss, many of my friends are growing fabulous flowers that would not look out of place in The Flower Shop Southampton or London.

You know what I mean, decadent orange Birds of Paradise flowers, fragrant orchids or heliconias, flowers which are not used to growing in our often harsh climate. (more...)

Of course, we all know how we would react if we discovered pests through small creatures such as fleas or bed bugs, it would be full on war and we would not hesitate in attempting to obliterate the bloodsucking little blighters. However, when it comes to larger animals, such as birds and even squirrels, our attitudes change, and to be honest, most of us probably would not attempt to deal with such an issue.

This is where the experts would really need to be called upon. If we are talking about squirrel trapping for example, we have an onus of responsibility to ensure that the creature is caught in a 100% humane way and remains totally unharmed. At the same time, we need to make sure the creature is removed from any area of our property where they may have been posing a nuisance.

Before you dial the telephone number to the first company you see advertised in the directory, it is always a good idea to have them run through their standard practices in dealing with any such pest. At the end of the day, you need to feel sure that the pests on your property are going to be dealt with in the most careful of ways. (more...)