Just because the sun sets before 6pm, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy our gardens in the evening. All you need is a bit of expert lighting positioning...and possibly a warm jacket! But if outside is lit with a warming glow, it's easy to enjoy your garden from inside too. As spring approaches, now’s a great time to start planning your garden lighting. To find out how to create the perfect outdoor lighting plan, we called upon the expertise of leading garden designer, Janine Pattison. Janine has won many awards for h...View more
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
March 6th, 2012
Liven up your garden with colour and song this winter by inviting your local birds to a tasty feast of nuts and treats, washed down with some cool, clean water. This is a great time for a spot of twitching, since birds are easier to see when plants are stripped bare of their leafy camouflage, and you may be surprised at the number of different species that pay you a visit at this time of year. Here's how to get the party started...
First, set up a bird café, with an assortment of feeders and smorgasbord...
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
January 14th, 2012
Make this fabulous Christmas garland with a few pine cones, cinnamon sticks, seasonal fruit and bits and pieces from your garden. It not only looks beautiful, but has a delicious scent too. When the Christmas chaos of shopping, card-writing, and parties just gets too much, I like to hide away, listen to some mellow festive tunes, and do something creative.
So if you’ve watched Kirsty Allsop’s attempts to get crafty on TV and thought you’d like to have a go too, try this easy Christmas garland, which I made in just a couple of hours last ...View more
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
December 8th, 2011
Winter is the best time to plant a tree and, yes, I know it’s cold and wet out there, but after the ‘digging a big hole’ workout you'll be warm as toast and reap the benefits of these dramatic plants...
An ancient Chinese proverb says that ‘the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the next best time is today’, and I couldn’t agree more. Trees are the most spectacular of all plants and I'm on a mission to encourage everyone to include at least one in their garden or on their balcony.
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
November 18th, 2011
With winter just round the corner and the nights closing in, you may feel that the garden is out of bounds, but with a garden room you can make the most of your outdoor space all year round. I’m a complete convert to these beautiful buildings, and bought a garden office about eight years ago to free up space in the house for my growing family. In fact, I’m writing this from my timber-clad hideaway, looking out on to beds of Michaelmas daisies, with birds hopping around on the trellis by my window, oblivious to me tappi...View more
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Posted by Zia Allaway, Garden Expert, ACHICA Living
November 4th, 2011
Understandably, global warming gets blamed for a lot of nasty things. But as it brings with it slightly longer summers, it is also indirectly responsible for the rise in quality outdoor furniture on the high street. Back in the 1980s all you needed was a couple of plastic white deckchairs that stayed folded up in the shed and didn’t really open properly, because you only needed to bring them out once or twice a season. Nowadays, however, we’re eating, playing, and generally living outdoo...View more
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Posted by Pip McCormac
June 17th, 2011
Sun’s out! Be inspired to get your garden in shape and make the most of your ‘fifth room’ with these gorgeous new trends from Cuprinol.
TREND ONE - DUSK HAVEN
After a busy day in the office, back gardens, urban courtyards and even bijou balconies can be turned into relaxing sanctuaries. Stylish purple and white planting is still omnipresent at key gardening shows, and for this look night-scented Nicotiana, bushy Lavender or climbing Jasmin...View more
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
April 1st, 2011
I was lucky enough to gain access to some of the greenest corners of the city last weekend, thanks to the Great London Garden Trail. For those who missed the event here's some highlights.
I braved the torrential rain showers that threatened to mar the day and wandered through some inspirational secret gardens. Varying in size from rooftop oases to multi-acre stunner, the gardens had colourful blooms, fragrant foliage, stunning landscaping and fantastic water features.
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Posted by Nina Fitton, Writer, ACHICALiving.com
May 10th, 2010
Finally, we can ditch the thermals. Leaving the house doesn’t feel like we’ve stepped into frosty Narnia. Hoorah! I know there’ll be rain by the time you read this, but as the sun keeps shining this week I'm dreaming of lazy summer days lounging around at the bottom of the garden. It might have something to do with these amazing Brazilian designed hammocks from Amazonas.
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
April 13th, 2010
Feast your eyes on Marco Pierre White's latest barbeques. Get set for delicious summer dining with the food guru's compact and efficient designs...
Get condiments at the ready - our latest promotion with HeavenChef and Marco Pierre White lets you cook up a perfectly tender burger and all the barbeque trimmings in minutes. Colourful, compact and easy to use the MarcO-Grill is the ideal grill for home and away. Invite the neighbours round for a last minute garden soiree or take it off on camping holidays, family ...View more
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Posted by Emily Peck, Editor, ACHICA Living
February 27th, 2010
