Although you’ll be spending less time watering as we move into autumn, it’s no excuse to neglect your plants. There’s still work to be done to maintain their condition; not only is this part of being a ‘plant parent’, but losing them due to poor maintenance or disease can be heartbreaking and affect your confidence in your nurturing skills. Houseplants are expensive and replacing them all in the spring can be costly as well as unsustainable.

Increase light exposure

It sounds obvious, but the amount of daylight in the colder seasons is hugely reduced. With light being one of the fundamentals for your plants’ health and survival, it’s important to make sure they are getting enough. So consider repositioning them to a spot where they will receive enough for their individual needs. This is something you will need to pay careful consideration to for sun-loving plants like succulents and cacti. Plants that enjoy a bright position may also need to be moved closer to a window to ensure enough daylight.

Adjust your watering routine

During autumn and winter, the cooler weather means soil dries out slower than in spring and summer, so it’s important to adjust watering accordingly. The best way to check when your plant needs water is to monitor the level of moisture in the soil, using your finger. Common houseplants such as Swiss cheese, rubber, palm and prayer plants that are watered weekly in the spring and summer can probably go at least three or four days longer between watering. Succulents are fine with a monthly water (instead of weekly) and cacti can go even longer, sometimes two months, or more, will be enough. Remember to use the soil as your guide – and for succulents and cacti the soil must be completely dry before you water. Give them a thorough drenching when you do though, and allow the water to fully drain.

Watch the temperature

There is nothing houseplants dislike more than fluctuations in heat. It’s important to keep your green leafy friends away from extremes in temperature during the cooler months. Radiators, underfloor heating and draughts from sash windows are the main culprits, so you may need to reposition your plants over the winter. Look at this an opportunity to restyle your home rather than a chore. The ficus family of plants, which includes rubber plants and fiddle-leaf figs, particularly dislike extremes in temperature and being moved around too much. If at all possible, try to find a spot for these varieties that will suit them all-year round.

Care & maintenance

Trim away any dead leaves and freshen up the soil. Your plant won’t see much growth during this time so only repot if it has become too big for its container. The best time to repot is in spring, but do it now if you think your plant is looking squashed.

Wipe leaves with a damp cloth to allow them to breathe.

Keep a regular lookout for pests as well as discolouration of leaves.

Dilute or stop feeding during winter. Your plants are in their dormant period now and will have a significant reduction in growth; this is normal and you risk overfeeding. Adding a fresh layer of compost is a safer way to give them nutrients.

WORDS: ANGELA MAYNARD

The post Autumn guide to looking after your houseplants appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

Summertime in the garden is all about finding quiet moments to relax, or just to daydream and while away the afternoon in a secret sanctuary surrounded by nature. To kick off your shoes and feel the grass between your toes, to listen to birdsong, or smell the sweet scent of rose or jasmine, perhaps.

Here are some ideas for creating your own special garden retreat, inspired by the timeless chic of country cottage gardens.

Reading spot

For a new take on garden furniture, take your chintziest pieces outdoors. I’ve gone for a full whimsical living room setup here complete with floral lampshade, but you could get the same effect by making some pretty floral slings for deckchairs.

You can scour vintage markets, car-boot fairs and auctions for chintzy chairs. I find all my lampshades at car-boot fairs, but take a look at The Lampshade Loft for some gorgeous handmade ones.

Romantic canopy

Hang a simple net canopy under a tree to make a wonderful shady outdoor reading spot. I’ve customised mine by adding a fabric pelmet with bunting made from pretty vintage material, and stitched the net on to a hoop. Pile blankets and cushions over the lawn and enjoy the summer breeze with a good book.

The canopy is made from IKEA’s Bryne net. Some wonderful places to find gorgeous textiles are The Old Haberdashery, The Linen Garden and Vintage Home.

Room with a view

If, like me, you’re lucky enough to have a small summerhouse, then make it a sanctuary and decorate it as you would any other room. I’ve styled mine on a shoestring: the daybed is made from parts of my old sofa, and the side table created simply from an old steamer trunk revamped with a lick of paint and a marble worktop found on eBay.

The vintage eiderdown is from The Old Haberdashery, while the wire basket was sourced at Arthur Swallow Fairs.

Pretty as a picnic

Pick a beautiful backdrop and create a lavish picnic setting in your own garden. Make a cosy spot using vintage cushions, blankets and quilts, and fill a hamper with pretty crockery for homemade cake and sandwiches.

Look on eBay or Etsy for floral cushions, or source some Sanderson fabric from The Linen Garden and make your own.
I’ve rolled up a vintage eiderdown and used it as a bolster – you can find similar-style ones at Decorative Country Living. The wicker basket is from The Vintage Kitchen Store, who have an amazing range of vintage picnic sets and hampers.

The post Create a beautiful garden sanctuary with country cottage chic appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

The Palace Gardener

Best for: City spaces

Established by David Fenwick in the late 1930s, The Palace Gardener is a friendly business in Fulham run by the second and third generations of the Fenwick family. Today the garden centre is a thriving hub with outdoor furniture, houseplants, gardening tools, outdoor plants, gifts, barbecues and a great range of pots and containers. Recent events organised by the team include a front garden competition and shopping evenings.

Winterbrook Garden Nurseries

Best for: Eco living

Garden antiques and quirky gifts make this small and friendly nursery near Wallingford in Oxfordshire a must-visit. Family-run, we love Winterbrook‘s sustainable ethos too – this was one of the first nurseries in the UK to use Posipots, a cardboard alternative to traditional plastic pots. The shop stocks Dalesfoot organic peat-free compost and lots of the plants are grown from seed or cuttings and watered using harvested rainwater.

Wellington Home and Gardens

Best for: Salvaged finds

Reclamation yard addicts with green fingers will love Wellington Home and Gardens. Created by Pru and Rupert Woods, the owners of English Salvage, both businesses can be found on the same site near Wellington in Herefordshire. What was once a run-down Wyevale garden centre is now a chic shop filled with quality plants and lovely gifts. Thanks to panelling made from old doors, a café with walls clad in reclaimed timber and salvaged gym flooring in the food hall, it oozes character throughout. A one-stop-shop for homeowners, gardeners, designers and architects.

Old Court Nurseries

Best for: Amazing asters

Old Court Nurseries specialises in Michaelmas daisies and holds the Plant Heritage National Collection of autumn flowering asters with more than 400 varieties, but you’ll also find snowdrops, heritage narcissus, ferns and much more. Based in Colwall, Herefordshire, the nursery was founded in 1906 by Ernest Ballard to propagate and sell his new range of Michaelmas daisies and today it’s run by the third generation of the Picton family. All the Michaelmas daisies are propagated and grown on site along with the majority of other plants that are stocked. The attractive 1.5-acre Picton Garden acts as a display garden and stock bed, and plants are all grown peat-free.

Ruxley Manor

Best for: Advice

Founded in 1964, Ruxley Manor is an award-winning fifth-generation family business in Orpington, Kent, that has roots stretching back to 1876. There’s usually a great programme of gardening talks and workshops, plus the expert Ruxley team publishes online videos and even a magazine filled with tips and step-by-step projects. There’s a café, a restaurant, a soft play area and a fantastic food hall. Ruxley offers an impressive guarantee too: if you purchase a hardy plant and (having followed the care instructions) it fails to grow and thrive, you can return it with your original label and receipt within five years to get a credit note or exchange.

WORDS: ELLIE TENNANT

The post Top 5 independent garden centres appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

The pretty garden of her south London townhouse is often the setting for relaxed summer dinner parties and she enjoys eating her lunch on an old wooden bench beside her shed whenever the weather permits. ‘I don’t go for new, shiny furniture,’ says Jane. ‘I love weathered, worn pieces. I want the garden to look as natural and textural as possible.’

Jane points out that older pieces of garden furniture are often much better quality than newer ones. ‘Vintage pieces tend to be solid and well-built. Nowadays a lot of new outdoor furniture is made in softwoods such as pine, or in imported hardwood from Southeast Asia that has a reddish look that I’m not keen on.’ Antique garden furniture is often made of cast iron or sturdy hardwood that silvers beautifully over time, while aged patinas, on zinc troughs for example, improve with time and blend seamlessly into the greenery.

Jane’s garden is home to an eclectic assortment of antique finds. ‘I inherited some 1960s garden chairs from my parents, which are still going strong,’ she reveals. ‘I scour junk shops for old tables then paint them. Kempton Market and Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair are great places to source vintage outdoor furniture.’ These big events are handy for the smaller items too – the little accessories that ‘dress’ your outdoor entertaining space. ‘Watering cans and enamel bowls can all be found in vast quantities at the bigger antiques fairs because dealers bring them in by the van-load,’ says Jane.

For inspiration, she suggests heading to Richmond’s Petersham Nurseries, which has a huge collection of vintage and reclaimed outdoor furniture in a pretty greenhouse café. ‘Head to your local junk shop too,’ she advises. ‘You can find pieces that were intended for indoor use and use them outside. I found a table with metal legs and an industrial wooden top – possibly from a school – for just £5 in a British Heart Foundation shop and I use it at the end of the garden. I’ve also got some “indoor” chairs from a junk shop on Streatham Hill which I painted and use outside in the summer.’

Jane says the key to ensuring your garden is the perfect setting for outdoor living is to treat it as an extra ‘room’. ‘My garden is an extension of my home in the spring and summer,’ she says. ‘It’s a place to relax, work and eat in.’ Decorating your outdoor ‘room’ as you would an indoor space can be a good starting point if you want to use your garden as space for entertaining. Jane’s garden walls are painted a subtle, pale green, which gives the area a sense of place without looking too brash. ‘I’ve painted some of my vintage outdoor furniture in similar colours so it blends in too,’ she says. ‘I try to make artificial things look as natural as I can. We’re only 300 metres from the South Circular, but we’re surrounded by trees and the garden feels like it’s in the countryside. It’s my retreat.’

‘I don’t want things to look squeaky clean,’ says Jane. ‘When I entertain outside, my look is always eclectic and informal.’ She has sewed vintage tea towels together to create tablecloths and collects antique linen napkins. ‘I rifle through baskets at big flea markets,’ she says. Her table is dressed with flowers from the garden – roses, lavender, sprigs of thistles, dahlias and alliums. ‘I always include a few sprigs of lemon balm because it’s such a pretty lime green colour,’ she says. ‘I arrange them in glass jam jars and pressed-glass jugs that I’ve picked up in junk shops over the years.’

Style is important, but a garden has to be a practical space too. ‘I have electricity cables so I can work outside, herbs growing down one side so I can pop out from the kitchen and cut them, and I’ve draped strings of outdoor lights across the whole space so we can see what we’re doing after dark,’ says Jane.
Good lighting is very important in an outdoor space. You can source reclaimed and restored industrial lighting that’s weather-proof at specialist suppliers, or opt for ‘vintage-style’ lights. Strings of festoon bulbs create a pleasingly old-fashioned feel. Warm-white bulbs are a must for a welcoming glow and candles can create a cosy atmosphere in the evenings. ‘I place them in vintage jam jars and hurricane lanterns so they don’t blow out,’ she says. ‘I hate severely lit gardens.’

Vintage crockery and cutlery is easy to get hold of at flea markets and can create elegant table settings. Keep your eyes peeled at flea markets for tough but beautiful textiles: vintage sacks – for flour, grains or coffee – make great seat cushion covers, while monogrammed vintage bed sheets look lovely as tablecloths. Set the scene with old zinc planters and watering cans, so your garden looks timelessly stylish, all year round.

WORDS: ELLIE TENNANT

The post Effortless garden styling ideas from Jane Cumberbatch appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

There are many ways to reproduce houseplants, with specimens propagated following different methods. Some, such as palms and rubber plants, need specialist conditions or can only be grown from seed, but there are so many plants that can be propagated at home, meaning you can share your plants or grow your collection. It can also be the most natural step after pruning.

The ideal time to propagate is during the plant’s active growth season in summer, but you can also take cuttings throughout the year. Experimentation is key. You’ll learn best through trial and error, so don’t be afraid to test different methods. There will be success with some and not others – this is part of the magic of the process! Here are the easiest and most common methods.

Stem cuttings

This is the easiest and fastest way to reproduce your plants. Take a cutting with at least one leaf node (or ariel root for monstera) just above the nodal point. The nodal point can be identified by the raised bump that almost looks like a hump or hill coming out of the stem; it is often a brown or slightly woody colour. This is the point at which new roots will appear once the cutting has taken. Remove any lower leaves from below the nodal point and place your cutting in water, ensuring the nodal point is fully submerged. Stem cuttings can take up to four weeks to root. Once the visible roots are around 2.5cm long they can be planted in soil. I like to make sure there is a decent amount of root before potting, to give the cutting the best chance of survival. Use a compost suited for cuttings, such as peat-free SylvaGrow John Innes No. 1 (available at melcourt.co.uk).

Plants to propagate

Tradescantia, monstera, pothos, string of hearts, string of pearls, hoya, Swedish ivy, beefsteak plant, begonia

Division

Prepare your plant by gently massaging the base of the pot to loosen the roots and compost. This will also allow you to divide the plant more easily if the roots and compost have become compacted. Once the plant is free from its original pot, carefully divide it, separating the roots. You may need to cut it with a sharp knife if the roots don’t separate easily. Be careful to keep as much of the root system in place as possible. Once divided, repot each new plant into its own pot. The pot should have enough room for the new roots to grow and sufficient width; I allow no more than 5cm at the base of the roots and around the plant.

Plants to propagate

Ferns, jade plant, calathea, oxalis, syngonium

Offshoots

Pinch or cut away any ‘pups’ or offshoots from the mother plant. For Chinese money plants, you will see new plants appear at the surface of the compost or visibly out of the stem – they should be cut as close to the main plant’s stem as possible. The pups should then be submerged in a glass of water for roots to appear. Spider plant offshoots can also be cut from the main plant and the base, which may or may not have started rooting already. Similarly, place them into a glass vessel filled with water so you can see the roots grow. Once the roots are just over 2.5cm, pot the new plant into compost. For succulents and cacti, once you’ve cut the offshoot allow the raw end to callus over (soft tissue grows over the cut end) before planting.

Plants to propagate

Spider plant, Chinese money plant, varieties of cacti and succulents, air plants

Leaf cuttings

Remove healthy leaves from the parent plant and place the raw edges down on lightly misted soil. Allow succulent leaves to dry and the raw edges to callus over for about three days before placing on soil, to avoid rotting. For sansevieria (snake plant), ensure you insert the cut edge of the leaves directly into the soil, while Begonia rex varieties should have the veins on the underside of the leaves scored first. Leave in a warm spot that receives indirect light. Once you see roots forming, cover them with a little soil to encourage growth.

Plants to propagate

Echeveria, sedum, Chinese money plant, Begonia rex, sansevieria

WORDS: ANGELA MAYNARD

The post Grow your houseplant collection, with easy propagation methods appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

Summertime… and the living is easy, especially if you create inviting areas in your garden to relax, work and socialise. Enhancing outside spaces is often simpler than updating rooms indoors. With fewer walls and fixtures, garden styling is all about the accessories, which means it’s easier to achieve a quick and thrifty makeover you can enjoy every time the sun shines. Upcycling works well outside too – a lick of paint on tired garden furniture, fences and structures such as sheds can do wonders. But don’t be afraid to let nature do the heavy lifting here – with some clever planting in beds and containers you can sit back and enjoy the natural decor of lush greenery, aromatic fragrance and gorgeous pops of colour as the season progresses.

Morning coffee

One of the joys of spring and summer is that early starts can be tempered by the opportunity to enjoy a peaceful cup of morning coffee outside. It’s a golden time in your garden, when the neighbourhood is quiet and the sun’s rays have a gentle warmth. Scientists say this is an ideal time to top up your vitamin D too, while also boosting serotonin levels to improve your mood for the day and get a good night’s sleep later on.

Before you think about styling the space, you need to pick the right location. Find a sheltered spot that basks in the early morning sunshine, has a good view of the garden and ideally should be private enough to sit outside in your pyjamas, if you like. However, if your front garden gets the best of the morning sun, don’t be afraid to set up a spot out front.

Seating is essential, of course, so look for a comfortable vintage seat, bistro set or simple bench, which could be styled with cushions and a throw for comfort – stow them by the back door or in waterproof storage outside, so you can get set up in seconds. An outdoor rug delineates a dedicated area nicely – this could double up as a lovely spot to practise morning yoga, and can smarten up less-than-perfect patio paving too.

Add an abundance of vintage terracotta or stone pots filled with seasonal colour. Include scented blooms such as climbing roses trained over a pergola, arch or wall, along with varieties such as sweet peas, herbs and lavender – Lavandula angustifolia ‘Miss Katherine’ has particularly fragrant pink flowers – to bring an aromatic scent to your morning ritual.

Garden office

The ideal solution for outdoor working is a versatile sheltered workspace, which you could use for catching up on admin, or for more creative activities such as painting, crafts or writing. Depending on your space and budget, something that offers flexibility could be most attractive – a shepherd’s hut has great potential to double up as guest accommodation for family and friends, a lucrative Airbnb rental, a playroom, or an outdoor entertaining hub for a ‘holiday at home’ vibe.

A more budget-friendly option is to reinvent your garden shed as a workspace. Use paint, outdoor rugs, solar lighting and textiles to make it an inviting space – then add a table and chair.

If there’s no space for a structure, then a dining or seating area can do double duty as an office. You’ll need shade – which could be a canopy, large parasol or canvas gazebo – and make sure you have a wobble-free table and supportive chair. To make your own robust, flat work surface, all you need are some treated wooden planks and a set of hairpin legs, while an old kitchen chair could be upcycled with paint and the addition of a cushion.

Research shows that just being in nature helps reduce stress levels, while the sound of water is reputed to boost creativity – the perfect excuse to install a calming water feature.

Drinks with friends

For a gathering, setting up a temporary drinks station outside avoids too much traffic through the house and keeps all the action in the garden. A folding trestle table or an assembly of vintage apple crates against a garden wall or fence can create a temporary ‘bar’, which can be stocked with glassware. A vintage tin bath or galvanised buckets can be kept on the floor, filled with ice to keep bubbly or beer cool.

Dress your outdoor dining table with informal jugs of fresh flowers, tea lights, vintage linens, pretty dishes, platters of nibbles and jugs of cocktails and cordials. Strings of sparkling lanterns and fairy lights, reusable and recycled decorations such as fabric bunting, jam-jar tea lights and small potted plants are easy finishing touches. If you don’t want to bring your best dinnerware outside, scour charity shops for inexpensive mismatched china pieces for an eclectic vintage look.

A seating area with outdoor rugs, chairs and floor cushions arranged around a firepit provides a relaxed spot for guests to lounge as the evening progresses. Don’t forget to add some throws to keep it cosy as the sun goes down.

Reading nook

In our high-tech world, the idea of creating a low-tech reading retreat in the garden is a tempting one. Comfort is key here, so consider seating that enables you to recline and relax, such as a garden sofa or chaise. If outdoor space is limited, a wooden steamer chair or vintage deckchair can be tidied away in the shed afterwards. The gentle sway of a swing seat or hanging rattan egg chair is very restful, or for a traditional option go for a hammock. Don’t forget to add a small side table for your essential drinks and snacks too.

For shade, site your nook under a tree or add a permanent structure such as a pergola, or the temporary shade of a parasol or textile gazebo. While it’s lovely to be surrounded by aromatic blooms, remember that they will attract a host of buzzing insects, so you may prefer to angle your seating to have a view of your flower beds while not being too close.

Accessorise your reading nook with plenty of comfy cushions to make it feel cocoon-like, while a cosy throw, firepit and twinkling solar-powered outdoor lighting will ensure you can keep turning pages long into the evening.

Outdoor dining

Food always seems to taste better outdoors on a balmy summer’s day, and an alfresco dining area means you can enjoy those picnic vibes throughout the warmer months. Invest in your outdoor dining table and chairs as carefully as you would an indoor dining set – they should be sturdy, comfortable and suitable for leaving outside in all weathers. Both wooden and metal furniture will need regular cleaning and maintenance – while a tired set can easily be upcycled or refreshed with the appropriate paint or treatment. For a casual look, try two garden benches paired with a simple trestle table or a rustic hand-built pallet table, and surround with abundant seasonal planting in vintage pots to create a lush, intimate feel.

Textiles instantly make an outdoor space feel more homely, so layer soft furnishings generously, including seat cushions, tablecloths or runners, rugs and throws.

You’ll need some shade – whether that’s provided by a wisteria-clad pergola, loggia, pleached trees or a canopy – while climbing plants trained up surrounding screens, walls or fences add natural decoration and privacy. Consider choosing varieties such as jasmine, roses and honeysuckle for delicious evening fragrance too. Tumbelina petunias in hanging baskets, small tabletop pots, or annual night-scented stocks in containers around your terrace or patio bring heavenly fragrance to the dinner table in high summer.

For serving food, consider a more rustic, earthenware set with an organic look paired with chunkier recycled glassware. Keeping pots of growing herbs on the table means it’s always decorated for dinner, while a sprinkle of tea lights and strings of solar-powered lights strung across walls and foliage add a magical finishing touch.

The post Create stylish outdoor spaces for alfresco living appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

There’s something special about picking produce or flowers yourself, from the earth where they grow in a field, woodland or your own garden. Not only can you guarantee they’ll be deliciously fresh,

Strawberries

British strawberries peak in June and July, when summer sun makes them super-sweet. They’re high in vitamin C, folic acid and manganese, so they’re nutritious as well as delicious.

Visit: Find a fruit farm near you at pickyourownfarms.org.uk.

Top tip: Strawberries won’t last long once picked, so eat them quickly or preserve for the months to come.

How to use: Serve in the traditional way with cream, make jam or layer in jellies and cakes.

Elderflowers

Elderflowers grow on elder bushes and can be found in hedgerows around the UK from late May to late June. The best time to pick is on a warm sunny day, when the blooms are fully open.

Visit: Go to woodlandtrust.org.uk to help identify elderflower and useful recipes.

Top tip: Don’t pick if there has been recent rain, as lots of pollen gets washed away and they’ll be less flavourful. Ensure you pick from a high bush, away from any roads, for the cleanest flowers.

How to use: Make elderflower cordial, sorbet or ‘champagne’, or scatter the edible tiny white star-like flowers on desserts for elegant decorations.

Asparagus

British asparagus season runs throughout May and June, and while it’s a crop that’s grown nationwide, you can pick your own asparagus at farms throughout the UK too. It’s full of vitamin C, vitamin E and folic acid and can grow 25cm in 24 hours.

Visit: The Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire is famous for its asparagus growing and hosts the British Asparagus Festival every year (britishasparagusfestival.co.uk).

Top tip: If you pick your own asparagus, wear footwear with closed toes as the crop is grown in very dusty, sandy soil, and take a sharp gardening knife to cut the spears close to the ground, as snapping them by hand can be wasteful and tricky.

How to use: Steam, blanch, roast or grill the spears. Asparagus is very versatile but traditionally it’s boiled for up to 4 minutes and served with Hollandaise sauce and buttered bread.

Geraniums

Also known, more accurately, as pelargoniums, not only do these beautiful scented flowering plants look and smell lovely all summer long, the leaves and petals are edible too. Geranium essential oil (extracted from the leaves) is said to help alleviate stress and depression and can be rubbed on your skin as a natural insect repellent.

Visit: See more on buying and growing the many different geranium varieties at rhs.org.uk.

Top tip: Keep stems in water until you need to use the leaves or petals, otherwise they will wilt.

How to use: Decorate cakes and desserts with the petals and addthe  leaves to summer salads. Gardening guru Sarah Raven grows ‘Attar of Roses’ and ‘Sweet Mimosa’ pelargoniums especially so she can use the leaves to make a lemon and rose-scented cordial, and for adding to blackberry and apple pies and crumbles later in the year.

Lavender

Easy to grow in a garden bed, planter or window box, lavender comes in a huge range of varieties and will bring bees and butterflies to your garden as well as smelling gorgeous on a warm day. It’s prized for being a calming scent and has been used in many sleep-aid products as a result. You can pick your own, or buy fresh and dried lavender at farms.

Visit: There are numerous lavender farms across the UK to pick your own or take Instagrammable images of the beautiful purple fields! Try mayfieldlavender.com, cotswoldlavender.co.uk or thelavenderfields.co.uk.

Top tip: Pick lavender late in the afternoon, when the sun has had time to work and the scent and oils will be at their peak. Grow ‘Vera’, ‘Munstead’ or ‘Hidcote’ varieties for the best flavours.

How to use: Make lavender sugar by putting a few dried stems in your sugar jar to infuse, which you can then use for cakes, jams and desserts. Fill a small zip-up pouch or bag with dried lavender and place it under your pillow to help you sleep, or put it in a drawer to scent your clothes.

The post Pick and cook your own summer harvest appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

 When did you realise you were a creative soul?
I’ve always loved drawing and making things, particularly out of fabric,  but it wasn’t until my Art Foundation Course that I felt like I could truly explore my creativity. Discovering that printed textiles and surface pattern design encompassed so many forms and materials was just so exciting! I also have an M.A. in printmaking and I’ve absorbed all these different influences over a long period of time. My love of colour is definitely reflected in the flowers we grow, the clothes we wear and our home furnishings.

The post June Star Maker: We Grow Colour appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

What’s special about reclaimed items?

The reason something has survived through time is normally because it’s either well made, was valuable or it held a special place in someone’s heart. One or more of these is reason enough for it to be part of your story. Through the continued use of reclaimed pieces, we can hope to take some of the pressure off the decline of our environment and nature, while bringing a warm glow to our lives.

What should be considered first?

Decide what part the salvage will play. Is there a theme and is the salvage being used as an accent or feature? Will certain pieces need to appeal from multiple angles and will the changing seasons offer a different perspective? If you are looking for pieces to create one or more focal points, decide on the height and scale required. To install large or heavy items consider access and, if the ground is soft, if you will need boards and rollers to move items into position.

How will reclaimed pieces add style to a garden?

Perennial favourites include metal and stone troughs overflowing with blooms, vintage park benches to enjoy the view and staddle stones for a hint of rural heritage. Be bold and add a sculptured or transformational item or two – either among the flora or as a riotous explosion that dares to be ignored. Part of the fun of reclaim and salvage is in the contradiction between an item’s former function and current purpose. In addition, decide whether pieces are to blend, complement or contrast with their surroundings. A vintage aluminium milk churn, tipped at an angle, could create a novel water feature as water flows from it over river-worn pebbles. While in keeping with a rural-themed courtyard garden, it could conversely be an avant-garde statement in a contemporary minimalist setting. It’s all about context.

What outdoor space will they work in?

You can either follow the rules or break them! Imagine a tiny walled garden in the city. There’s nothing to stop you installing a huge antique gothic chapel door on one wall, overgrown with trailing plants and ivy, to create a ‘secret doorway’. A large country garden doesn’t always need large statement pieces – perhaps a selection of stained-glass panels between the timber uprights of a pergola or rose walk for a fabulous effect in both sunshine and moonlight.

What should buyers check for?

Know what you’re buying. Reputable salvage yards will happily identify whether something is antique, period, vintage or simply used. Check that the items you buy are legally sourced. Talk directly to those with sound knowledge and experience of salvage and reclaim and, lastly, do haggle! You may or may not achieve a saving – but rest assured no seasoned salvage dealer will ever be offended. Dealers who are members of SALVO are strictly governed by a code of practice that protects and helps the customer.

How can garden salvage be maintained?

Avoid placing wood or metal items directly on wet soil; raise them slightly on bricks, tiles or gravel where the air can pass underneath and stop them rotting. Consider oils and waxes rather than varnish or coatings; the latter can break down allowing moisture to become trapped which can accelerate decay. If something has a delicate finish or surface, place it away from direct sunlight and cover it or take it inside during the winter months. Remember that everything reclaimed was once new – the lovely patina you see now may change further over time.

The post How to source and style garden salvage appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

Avoid using plastic plant pots

Single-use plant pots generate lots of plastic waste, with 500 million used every year in the UK. It’s not easy to source plants not sold in plastic, but look for those in pots made from coir, such as the cottage garden plants and herbs from The Hairy Pot Plant Company. And when you do have to buy plastic-potted plants, Recycle Now tells you where to recycle them locally. Or check with your local garden centre as some (Dobbies, for example) offer a recycling service for plastic pots and trays.

When growing your own plants, go thrifty and raid your recycling box for toilet-roll tubes, yogurt pots or egg boxes to raise your seedlings. Or buy pots made from coir, cattle manure, paper pulp or bamboo fibre, some of which can be planted straight into the ground or composted when no longer usable.

Upcycle your furniture

Try to prolong the life of both wooden and plastic outdoor furniture for as long as possible. A wooden set can easily be freshened up with furniture oil or a stain, if you prefer a natural look. For a brighter makeover, or for more coverage, try an exterior wood paint from an eco-friendly brand, or for plastic, a proprietary spray paint. If buying new, look for furniture made from reclaimed or recycled materials – check out the garden collections at Sustainable Furniture and Modish Living. Or use salvaged wood or old pallets to create built-in seating or an outdoor kitchen. Remember too, that indoor furniture can be repurposed with exterior paint for outside use.

For antique and vintage pieces head straight to reclamation yards or garden salvage dealers. A cast-iron bistro set will last for many years with regular applications of metal paint to deter rust – although the faded elegance of a shabbier set can also look charming in the right setting.

Let your lawn grow wild

Wild lawns are beautiful – and increasingly popular. By leaving all or part of your lawn unmowed (except for one cut in late summer after flowering) and allowing grass and wildflowers – and yes, even weeds – to flourish undisturbed, your garden becomes a haven for wildlife of all kinds. You can sow more wildflower seeds if they don’t come naturally, or add clusters of bulbs or herbs, and either laying or mowing a winding path through the lawn ensures you can explore your beautiful wilderness easily. It may take some getting used to, but you’ll enjoy the sight of butterflies flittering in your mini meadow – and only dusting off your lawnmower once a year.

For turf and seed mixes perfect for lawns, try Wild Flower Lawns & Meadows or go to Landlife Wildflowers for native British wildflower seeds, including a flower and grasses mix. The Natural History Museum has advice for what to grow and how to maintain your meadow.

Make your own compost

Setting up a compost bin may be the most useful and planet-friendly task you can do. Organic materials such as garden waste and veg scraps rot down in landfill releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Making your own compost means this dangerous waste is magically transformed into a valuable free resource, which also locks carbon into the soil. There are a wide range of options on the market, from practical plastic to stylish wooden beehive-style designs, like this one from Primrose, or you can easily make your own using corrugated iron, pallets or leftover wood from other projects.

Encourage wildlife

The UK’s gardens cover an area of land that’s larger than the Lake District and the Peak District combined, which means our back gardens add up to a huge habitat – and every one is a unique pocket of biodiversity. Wildlife-friendly features can be attractive additions to a garden – from a beautifully landscaped (fish-free) pond for frogs and insects, to a rustic pile of logs in a little-used corner providing undisturbed lodging for insects. Nesting boxes on walls and pretty bird feeders hanging in the trees encourage feathered friends year-round, while planting a fruit tree brings a harvest for you and your wild guests. Cutting a 13cm square hole in the bottom of your fence allows free passage for foraging hedgehogs, while an unswept heap of fallen leaves and a wild nettle and weed patch will attract wildlife too.

And have a thought for pollinators when planting, choosing flowers, hedges and trees that attract bees, butterflies and other insects for a garden that’s gorgeous for you and the planet. Search on the RHS’s informative site for ‘best plants for pollinators’.

Look at landscaping

There’s a growing demand for low-maintenance gardens, with paving favoured over planting. But, collectively, this can have a negative effect on biodiversity and lead to flash flooding. The manufacture of hardscaping materials is highly industrialised too and often has a permanent impact on the planet, from quarrying stone to logging and transporting hardwoods thousands of miles.

If you’re planning a path or patio, ideally look for sustainably produced British products if you’re buying new, but the most eco-friendly materials are reclaimed. From slate, flagstones and bricks for paving and walls, reclamation yards are a great source, or try local selling sites to find materials going spare.

Woodchips are a biodegradable option for a soft, organic look, or gravel is also permeable but longer lasting. There are some interesting recycled options available now too, including composite decking produced from recycled plastic and wood made by companies like Envirobuild, or aggregates made from waste tiles (see Stone Warehouse), crushed bricks, slate chips or cockle shells.

WORDS: LINDSEY HARRAD

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