Realistic Resin Statues

Finally, Authentic Contemporary Statues

Here at The Garden Factory, we physically store over 60% of our inventory, but we haven’t actually tried and tested all out lines. Look, there are alot OK – over three thousand lines it’s simply too tricky (and expensive) to road-test. So we rely on the recommendations of worthy and reputable suppliers.

One product line that repeatedly pop’s up on the request list is garden statues. These are hard to come by at a price that is affordable. Many are so expensive as to make them viable for a select few, while cheaper stone models can be brittle, poorly cast or just downright ugly. And they’re expensive to send.

What about resin? But often resin looks so plasticky, doesn’t it, with a sheen that catches light like the scratched bonnet of a toy car. And resin models can be a shocker to send; they’re still brittle. Plus most are just plain horrid. Not really sculptures but a laymans interpretation of Henry Moore, with knobs on.

So when one of our suppliers approached me with some contemporary sculptures in resin, I was hesitant, to say the least. But these guys know what they’re doing so we ran with them.

Finally I caught with the sculptures at a recent trade show and was most impressed; contemporary garden statues made from amazingly realistic resin, with attractive curves and nice perspective, desoatched in foam moulded boxes

Here’s a video of Eternal Gaze. The finish is superb; exactly like stone. The light isn’t so good, but this video should give you an idea of the very effective texture that’s been acheived on this range of statues.

And they’re so good, there’s a whole new range popping out next year.

Watch this space.

Autumn Garden Ideas – The Realbarrow

Make Life Easier – The really excellent Real-barrow.

If you’ve got a barrow that makes your back stiff or is just too high off the ground so your arms ache, take a look at the Realbarrow. It’s a kind of wheelbarrow cleverly engineered with a reinforced metal edge so you can fill it like a shovel.

And it’s absolutely brilliant for mucking out or gathering leaves as the debris muck can be easily shovelled in, as opposed to lifted in.

It’s got two sitting positions and the weight is over the axle making it light to carry. Add in it’s vast capacity – and the wheels which won’t puncture … and it’s prestigious reddot design award …

… still not convinced, have a peek at the video: it’s a belter.

Add Minerals To Your Soil & See The Benefits

Rockdust – A Very Unscientific Trial

The jury has been out on Rockdust (natural minerals), but there’s nothing like giving it a try to see if it really does make a difference.

My tomato patch lies in poor soil outside on a south facing wall by my house. After applying Rockdust last Autumn, the tomatoes have been beautiful, big, deliciously tasty and relentless – in stark contrast to those planted in the same spot last year.

Admittedly we’ve had wonderful Autumn; ideal weather for ripening fruit of all kinds, but I’m enjoying large delicious outdoor tomatoes in late October!

What makes me think there’s something special going on is that my neighbours crops were riddled with problems and their crops were almost non-existant. One gave in and pulled the whole lot up in August!

How much Rockdust has contributed to this success is hard to define as my trial is totally without any scientific basis but I have grown tomatoes for several years and this years are the best.

Of course, correct watering, feed and sunlight are all vital to the success of any crop, but my watering was erratic (to say the least) and the plants were fed only sporadically. And it really was a lousy summer.

I’d like to think the x-factor is the Rockdust. After all, as any gardener worth their salt knows, the plants and health of a garden has a direct correlation to the soil they’re planted in.

Have a look at the video below. This is from the Highlands and their results in this barren part of the UK are spectacular.

As a further drop in the growing seas of evidence a customer kindly sent in a picture of two young Bay trees – one with Rockdust and one without.

Guess which one had the Rockdust! (Thanks to Mr. Smith of Chelmsford).

Spot The Difference!

It Rocks!

Rockdust is available from The Garden Factory in 20kg bags or tonne bags.

ADD “ROCKDUST” IN THE COUPON BOX AT The Garden Factory CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE AN INTRODUCTORY 20% OFF !

Give it a try. I think you’ll be impressed.

James

How to put a Gas Mantle on a Hotspot Gas Light

It’s Easy When You Know How

Many of you have bought our brillliant Hotspot Gas Light for your entertaining, weddings or camping trips this summer and I’ve received a number of calls about what to do with the mantle. HOW DOES IT GO ON?

It’s scary, right?

Nope. It’s a doddle. In any case, I thought I’d make a little video to help you master the gas mantle phoebia.

Hope this helps and have a great holiday.

James

Show Off Your Flowers With The Old Rectory Rose Arch

Create A Gorgeous Garden Feature

Ever wanted to smarten up a path or a give a path a new lease of life? The Old Rectory Garden Arch, new in at The Garden Factory will do just that.

Made from square section steel and painted in a powder coated antique white colour this superb arch comes with the side panels as whole units and bears bracing bars beneath giving it additional strength.

But the Old Rectory Arch will look great as not only a stand alone garden feature but will bear out the colours of your flowers and foliage as they wrap their tendrils around the arch panels and top.

Check out our video on the Old Rectory Rose arch below.

Freshen up your garden furniture with a dash of colour.

With a fortnight of torrential rain following my drought piece last time I’m hoping the sun will oblige us and we’ll be able to take a fresh peek at your green growing garden! The weeds have  gone crazy.

A couple of years ago a customer bought a set of cream metal furniture. Returning for a matching bench, she enthusiastically informed me that the whole lot had been painted bright red. Well of course, it’s everyone to their own taste, but a splash of colour on a bench, bistro set or arch really can liven up the dreariest patio or add a sophisticated charm to a quiet corner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTwhK2zyuZoTake our blue Regency half tree seat; solid and great looking it will sit elegantly by a fence or wall and the foliage it surrounds will really benefit from the colour. Half tree seats are wonderful – try two to make a full tree bench circle – practical AND gorgeous garden features.

There are bistro sets and garden benches in antique green, soft blue and cream, and of course we have the beautifully ornate hand-crafted slate mosaic tables as well. But nothing in bright red. (Oh – apart from this great kids bench).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNQTqwNt1ms

Browse through our selection and I hope you’ll find something that ticks your box. And remember, if it’s on the website, it’s in stock – in our warehouse, as always, at stunning Garden Factory prices.

And if you have any interesing colour schemes in your garden we’d love to hear about it.

Best wishes from The Garden Factory Team.

Use Up Excess Apples; Press Them For Juice

Make Sensational Juice

This year sees an abundance of swollen apples dotted on every apple tree, from crab to russet, cooking to cox.  I’ve seen branches hanging so  heavy that wearing a hard hat while picking was not the most ridiculous idea conceived by my picking friends.

But what to do with them? There are simply too many to eat, too many to store and countless windfalls lie scattered all over the grass. I don’t have a pig and there’s no chance of getting one in the near future. So what to do with this delicious fruit apart from rotting into the ground?

Well why not try finding an apple press. Our village is the lucky owner of good quality press and opens it’s pressing screws for a few days every year. For a small fee we had great fun pulping and squashing. And the juice is nothing less than sensational.

We’ve stored some away in plastic milk containers and hope to have another pressing later on this month. The juice is running out fast.

There are some great web resources for finding out more about this. Have a good look round.

Best wishes,  James

Ducks and Drakes

We have been trimming up hedges and ditches, chopping down unwanted trees, bushes and fallen branches and storing the wood for next winter. We are reshaping the climbing roses, and tying them up so that they bloom more beautifully and are safe from snapping in the spring winds.
We are deciding when to prune the others (my husband always says it should be the Grand National weekend) and also planning patterns and plants and where to put what, where.
I hardly dare mention the word Spring as the weather is so inclement but there have been the most spectacular swathes of snowdrops in gardens and along the roadsides.The polyanthus and daffodils are beginning to show their colours and the ducks on our pond are wandering around the garden making a dreadful mess trying to find worms, a place to nest and a suitable husband – in that order.They seem to waddle around in groups of three – two drakes to one duck –and they don’t give there favours lightly!
I was tempted to put out the large pot plants but didn’t, thank goodness as the weather became bitter.I also haven’t dared look at my poor banana trees and the datura which were covered and left in the garden over the coldest winter for 20 years. It will be a miracle if they are still alive.
Bumbleworld

Re-cycled Boxes

Thanks to Mr R from Kent for his recent comment regarding an order that arrived from The Garden Factory.

‘Dear James, I appear to have been sent a consignment of fireworks. If you look at my order I ordered a Deer repeller. Whilst fireworks will probably do the trick, it isn’t exactly what I had in mind…’

I quickly wrote back noting that;

‘Dear Mr R,
Please open the box. Inside this box you will find the full contents including one deer repeller. The box is for packaging purposes only and fulfils our requirement of getting your goods to you undamaged and in good shape. There are no fireworks…’

It is worth pointing out that I have just moved house. Therefore, as I am a conscientious recycler (why throw away perfectly good boxes?) you may find, on buying, say, an obelisk a few strange scribbles on your boxes like, ‘children’s toys’ or ‘kitchen pans’.
Therefore, do not be alarmed. Open your box, check your obelisk is there in perfect, pristine condition and then recycle this box in the knowledge that it has performed a task greater than that of moving pans or pictures.
Final note. My daughter has lost one pink sock and a bear with ‘Barcelona’ on the tag. If found, please return.
Thanks
James

Magnificent Cow parsley

Cow parsley, also known as Anthriscus sylvestris boasts fresh, dainty, green fern-like leaves and frothy flat heads that line the lanes and roadsides in May.

May update

With the newsletter just released, the ringing of my ditty from my Grandmother, ‘Ash before the Oak and we’ll have a soak, Oak before Ash and well have just a dash,’ has grown louder in my ears: the heavens have opened, rainwater pours from the guttering.
Nevertheless, loads to shout about here. Plenty of lovely offers on the site and some top new products. The Easy Hammock has to be the bargain of the summer. At £40 I had to confirm the price twice.

The merry month of May – it’s a poetic thing.

One of my friends suggested that the homepage title of the ‘Merry, merry month of May’ sounded a little … Christmassy!? (‘It’s a bit too Merry, like Christmas …’)

JULY UPDATE

Wot a scorcha!
A headline that screams out from the front page, and is proceeded by a deluge of rain.

Majestic Urns

Shabby garden chic is an expression I’ve been hearing a lot recently. And it seems to be the trend of the moment. Nothing would suit this expression better than some of our beautiful cast iron garden urns.

Summer Holidays

Here in East Anglia, summer has been long and warm. I’m not so sure it’s been the same in the West where friends holidaying in the West country were under a constant deluge. A local farmer told to me how he couldn’t get his plough in the ground, ‘Too dry!’ he moaned. How strange that in one small isle, we can have such differing weather patterns.
At The Garden Factory we have been busy putting together offers for the Autumn, which will be on us shortly. Details to be announced shortly, but time to start thinking of planting bulb and elongating the last of the summer evenings. A range of bulb planters to suit all budgets are now in our Autumn garden section. Other popular products for this time of the year are the mini chimineas, of which the Dorado is the cutest, smartest little chiminea you could wish for. For a little fella, it certainly punches a big heat. For a more refined piece of outdoor fire heat kit try the fire bowls, available in black as well as stainless steel.

Spring Bulbs

Don’t get me wrong, but it’s a little depressing when spring bulbs arrive in their strange netted bundles to the garden centres, bearing the images of things to come. Why? Because it means, without a shadow of a doubt that summer has ended.

Moroccan Splendour

While working in a garden centre many moons ago one of the most frustrating things was caring for the houseplant section, which I grew to loathe. It may look easy but just keeping them alive up in the North East was fiendishly tricky.
On holiday it was a joy to sit in the charming garden of the hotel and admire how they really should look. Deliciously scented Jasmines, ever-flowering Bouganvillia, Ficus plants tall and bold, Cycas palms, Vriesias, Crotons, Birds of paradise with perfect flowers, spiky Mother in laws tongue.
And driving through the villages I stopped off at one of the terracotta emporiums dotted along the roadside. Piles of pots of all shapes and sizes to make your mouth water.

OK, so what’s Twitter all about?

There’s no doubt that a large amount of you will have heard the hype, seen the strange looking bird and wondered, what is it all about?

Who uses Twitter? Is it relevant to me? Is it just a fad and anyway, how on earth do you use it?

So The Garden Factory’s quick guide (with thanks to JTweed at Coracle online).

So, WHAT IS TWITTER?

Quite simply, Twitter is free service that allows you to send and read updates (news, info, blurb) which are known as Tweets. Tweets are text posts of up to 140 characters, similar to an SMS text message but with the option of a much broader audience. And this audience is growing fast (20 million and counting) with a community sharing not only mundane but high quality and informative information. In a nutshell, it allows you to follow the noise and gossip of, say, celebrities, or to seek information on things that really interest you, like gardening, garden products, veg garden, politics, stocks and shares, discount offers and much, much more.

Here is The Garden Factory’s 10 step guide to using Twitter:

Step 1: Go to Twitter and set up an account.

The Garden This Autumn

Autumn has been a long time coming this year.

The new Aerobin: a compost bin for the Environment

New in store at The Garden Factory is the Aerobin, is a breakthrough in home compost bin technology. As the blurb says, it is a ‘revolutionary’ compost bin, which will add a significant tick to your environmental jobs check box.

‘Revolutionary and compost bin’ go together about as well as ‘Marxism and Champagne’, but in this case there’s a twist.

FIREWORKS OF AUTUMN COLOUR

Has there ever been such a vibrant, lasting blaze of Autumn colour? Here, in the East Anglia the Oaks and Poplars, Maples and Malus are showing off the very best colours of stirring autumn hues imaginable. And with every passing day of this mild Autumn the show becomes even more breathtaking.

In the garden, the abundant crops of apples still abound, and the blackberries (brambles) are nearly over, the final few pinched off by the birds. For cultivated blackberries, when the fruit has been gleaned off the bushes, cut out the old fruited canes at the base and tie in the fresh new canes to supports. With Loganberries, cut back the old and tie the new in place. Leave a gap in the centre and fill it next season with new stems, tied temporarily in a bundle.

Clean up Lavender hedges, removing the straw-like heads with secateurs, but trim rather than prune. Do this in Spring. Likewise with privet hedges where a trim will keep them tidy and orderly over the winter months.

And finally, as bonfire night approaches before the leaves get burnt, an Autumnal ditty:

Pretty leaves are falling down,
Green, orange, yellow and brown.
Here comes one coloured red,
It landed on my head.

Enjoy the season,
James

THE DEER SCARER – and it scares more than just deer.

Deters not only Deer, but Badgers, Squirrels and Humans!

The Deer Scarer

(A testimonial by Bumble)

What a joy it has been to go into the vegetable garden and find that despite the fact that all the cabbages are uncovered, the walnuts are multiple on the tree without protection, the carrots are not dug up and there are no holes in the ground that the badgers have used for lavatories,

Successes and Failures

At the end of the season, it’s  nice to look back and reflect on the successes in the garden – and the failures. As a result I thought it might be a bit of fun to run my own winners and losers –  in various categories – so that perhaps when they are less good / awful  I will be reminded of their merits / shortcomings.

Subscribe To Our New Newsletter

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So SUBSCRIBE today…

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Think Christmas – A Little Reminder

With a donation going to BBC Children in Need here’s an animated version of my poem in the newsletter,  ‘Think: Christmas‘, put to music. Hope you like it! Pass it on if you do!

Maintaining Garden Furniture

My little guide to maintaining garden furniture through the winter months.

Hardwood garden furniture:

Using a small to medium sized scrubbing brush (depending on the depth of dirt), clean using a mild detergent and elbow grease. When dry, apply a sporadic application of hardwood or teak oil. Our trusty Hardwood cleaner kit is an excellent way to get started. It has everything you need - my wife has removed the rubber gloves, cloth and scrubbing brush as her own and she claims it is one of the best potato scrubbers she’s ever used. Hmmm.

Teak Furniture

You really don’t need to store teak over the winter time. Teak contains natural oils which means

Garden Birds In The Cold

If it’s been a struggle for us humans, slipping and sliding, panic buying and missing school during the freezing conditions of late, think about our other earthly inhabitants – the birds and wildlife.

A cold and hungry Sparrow

It’s no surprise that there’s been a marked increase in country birds migrating into gardens to seek alternative sources of food. Sightings of Redwings and Fieldfares in gardens have gone up over 250%, Thrushes and Yellowhammers too as well as ground feeding species attracted in by the option of an easy meal.

As birds require enough food every day to survive through the night, help from householders leaving out provisions is simply a matter of life and death.

Bird feeders and bird food come in a wide range of products for all

Winter Returns

From The Garden Factory newsletter on Friday:
“Take a look around; snowdrops – the first signs of winters’ demise – stand tall, hellebores show off their nodding heads and the buds on trees are thickening. The sap is slowly rising; time to get back into the garden.”  

For a while my instincts were correct; on saturday the sun warmed our backs, the first day in a long while that I’ve had the will to get outside and start doing something about the growing list of gardening to-do’s I’ve been jotting down. Two days later, and I’m conscious of the snow flakes floating outside the office window and have spent too long damning them.  

My (growing) list in no particular order, includes:  

• Scarifying and de-thatching, repairing and re-seeding my lawn, which has gone to pot.
• Turn compost heap and add compost generator.
  

  Time to maintain your furniture

Seed Potatoes – A Short Guide

All About Seed Potatoes.

If you know the old adage: ‘Put your Late’s in Early, and your Earlies in Late.’  Read on to find out how true this really is…

There are dozens of different potato varieties, usually described as ‘Early, ‘Second Early and Maincrop potatoes. The idea behind these names indicate when they crop and should give you an idea of the space you’ll need – and when they can be popped into the ground.

• ‘Early’ varieties are the ticket if you’re short of space. Another bonus is that they’re less likely to encounter pest and disease problems; they’re lifted earlier in the year and don’t sit in the soil for as long as Main varieties. The First Earlies can be planted in the south (of the UK) around mid March; further north by late March/early April, depending on weather conditions.
• ‘Second earlies’ take 16 to 17 weeks to mature after planting, with harvesting from late June through to the start of August. Plant these at the same time as your Earlies.
• Main Crop Potatoes can be planted in the south (of the UK) during the first half of April; further north by late April and should be ready 18 to 20 weeks after planting. Again, the actual time will depend on weather conditions so aim to lift (harvest) them from July through to October. Maincrops take up the most space in the garden, but are best for storing.

Chitting – Why?
Although not done commercially, Chitting encourages the seed potatoes to sprout with tough shoots before planting thereby giving your tuber the best possible start and a quicker crop. 

Pepper Growing Trough in Eco Friendly Fibre

There’s a first time for everything and below is our first video of some of the new seed growing kits which are now in.
The fibre troughs and planters are particularly impressive, so much so that I’ve done a little video which shows their size and how easy they are to follow. A 2D picture only shows so much. Production quality is not so good and my apologies in advance for the camera shake etc…

These are a great eco friendly idea and also available are chilli, mixed herbs, salad, tomatoes and more.

When Spring Comes…

When the first snow appeared back in December, it was greeted with hoots of joy. The children rushed out to build snowmen, rushed in to complain of icy feet and hands and like countless others we searched for suitable clothing and a toboggan in which to surf the only hill for miles around.

Daffodils will soon burst into life.

By the end of January, the novelty of snow and ice had died. I could imagine gardening folk across the land scratching their heads. Some will have mended and repaired their garden furniture, others tidied sheds and greenhouses, installed irrigation systems, planned some clever completely-out-of-this-world designs or simply thinned trees and chopped wood. 

My guess is that many will have relaxed in front of  glowing fires, contemplating the first slender shoots of daffodils and the thickening of tree buds; strawberries fresh from the ground;  new potatoes smothered in butter. Waist lines expanding a little more as they did so. 

Nearly three months on and the icy grip has made way to normal seasonal temperatures. The time of those fire-side dreams ladies and gentlemen, has arrived. An explosion of natural life is flickering into life around us. A firework display of great natural beauty is about to detonate. 

You can almost feel it coming; the birds twitter and dive enthusiastically outside the window, the drab brown fields are brushed in a swathe of fresh green shoots, stubborn weeds re-emerge from my gravel driveway; children play outside after school in the longer light. 

With this burst of activity the warehouse at The Garden Factory is filling up to the rafters in anticipation of a great gardening season ahead. We very much look forward to seeing you there. 

Best wishesJames

New Firepits & Chimeneas for 2010

As the clocks spring forward tomorrow night, here’s a little video to whet the appetite for those long evenings in front of the fire – outside under the stars. Yep. Firepits, Chimeneas, Braziers, Firebaskets have landed in the warehouse and are ready and waiting for action.

So many thanks to Will Young (the preferred Doors version was over 7 minutes) for a very apt score.

Spring Bug Is Among Us

I found myself inspecting a border last week wondering what it would look like without the shrubs. An hour later I stared at rather a dull brown area, the carcasses of plants hewn about me; it was the spring bug that made me do it, I swear.

On reflection this could be a big mistake but I’m not the only one. The bug will snare others at this time of year, 100% guaranteed. For it’s a strange and malevolent beast that offers garden power but without the reasoning. Gin without tonic, bumble without bee.

My collegue turned to me last week and offered to fetch some bedding, tomato and chilli plants from the garden centre.

‘But it’s only the beginning of April,’ I said, holding back. ‘I’ve got nowhere to put them.’

‘Yeah. But the weather’s beautiful and … it’s time.’

Now this was said with too much keeness. Sure, it’s been a hard, long winter and a few bright and cheery days mean we’re desperate to get out there, but experience tells me it’s not time. My birthday is generally the right moment for all these things – early May, NOT early April unless you get a freak April like 2008. 

You’ll get burnt (frosted) and worse still you’ll get garden burnout just when you need your wits about you, which is normally just before you go on holiday.

 And the problem is, once you start it’s virtually impossible to stop; the waters have broken through the barriers. There can be no more restraint, resistance is futile.

So a word of caution. There’s still time for a devastating frost, and there’s plenty of time to get in your bedding and tenders. If the urge has already taken you, make sure  you fleece up or use a cloche or greenhouse. We’ve plenty in stock.

Don’t get fleeced, starting over at this time of year is never a pretty thing. 

Best wishes

James

May Days

Basking in late April sunshine, cleaning garden furniture, popping in seedlings, tackling my lawn, pruning shrubs -in a tea shirt- last month’s warm burst seems like a bit of a luxury now.

May weather so far has been disappointing. Flower-wise, it has been sensational.

The cold weather has returned. A brisk chilly northerly blows but the flowering process is unstoppable.

Everywhere you look, colour bursts forth; showy Photinias with vibrant waxy red foliage compliment the soft pinks and whites of thick snow-like blossom on the cherrys and hawthorn. Sassy lilacs and fiery forsythia, ruddy ribes and pom pom kerria floral delights. Wonderful shows emerge from the depths of a long winter.

To the big to-do list. The lawn is a disaster zone. Dandelions are prolific and Verdone will be applied shortly.

Verdone kills weeds not grass

Great plans are afoot for a swing seat and our hammock made an entrance outside only to be returned inside at the first spot of wet. The metal arbour looks stunning with wisteria drawn over it, its long flowers on the cusp of breaking out.

Planting up the garden planters and cast iron urns starts this weekend. These grand statement pieces look a little lonely at the moment but will burst into life in a matter of weeks. I can’t wait.

Will report anon.

Best Wishes, JAMES

Picnic & Summer Stuff

Writen July 2010

New Things In For The Summer

When the postie walked in to my office and found me bare chested sitting behind my desk, fan blowing at full pelt, she probably thought had heat had finally got to me.  As I stood up, she dropped the mail and dashed out blushing as I gathered myself, and said rather lamely, ”It’s ok. I’m not naked.”  Ach. That wouldn’t have looked good.

It has been wonderfully boiling hot. Sometimes a little overbearing – our office has  been like a Finnish Sauna.

Nevertheless, the weekends have been blissful – picnics here, lounging there, camping with the kids, loads of  watering (I love watering the tomatoes and bedding in the evenings) and outdoor entertaining.

A whole host of interesting summer things have filled up the dwindling gardening shelves in the warehouse, which, for your curiosity is one of the cooler places in the south East if you’re not in a pool or the sea.

First off and it’s a cracker. It’s the cool bag and barbecue all in one, appropriately called the Chill ‘n’ Grill

Mini Barbecue and Coolbag All In One. Genius.

I tried it out last Sunday on a family trip to the beach and was smitten.

The canvas bag has thick insulation padding and two zips, the lower one which holds a mini enamel barbecue and the top one where you can keep things cool, like drinks or meat.

The barbecue has a couple of detatchable fold down legs, a grill for charcoal to go on and of course, a cooking grill. Piece these together and its a very dinky going on. I cooked 12 large sausages (video to come) and the we scoffed them down. All the while the cool bag was doing it’s job perfectly in the heat. Hot dogs and cold beer at the beach. Perfect.

I guarantee the Grill and Chill will make a perfect present for anyone who likes picnics or camping and with the price around the £15 mark, it’s very affordable.

Next in are a set of colourful table top barbecues and kettle barbecues from Revolution. There’s no great science involved here but for those who simply want to cook on a quality kettle charcoal barbecue, without bursting the budget, we reckon these are the best buy on the market.

The refinement may not be that of a Weber, but with enamelled surfaces, ash catcher and air vent, solid handles, sturdy wheels and a whopping 22″ (56cm) of cooking area it’ll do the job nigh on the same. And we’re selling it for around the £50 mark.

With the Junior or Table Top barbecue, you get the same quality finish as the kettle but in a smaller, handier version.

For such a little chap it’s got a hefty 34cm of cooking area and comes in three colour of black, cobalt and green. It’s great looking and has nice features like the spring lid handle and properly solid legs.   At under £20 we think it’s stonking good value.

Table Top Stainless Steel Garden Flare

A range we’ve had great success with is flame torches or garden flares. Personally, I’m a massive fan and I’ll find any excuse to spark one up. Now in is a range of stainless steel table torches and the tall stainless steel flares at unbelievable value. I’ll be posting some videos of these which I snapped at a party recently. They were incredibly effective helping to create a terrific atmosphere.

The heat shows no signs of letting up. And for your info, the postman has changed into a bloke. If you ever read this postie, I’m ever so sorry.

Best wishes

James

Chill n Grill Video

It’s a little wobbly, but it should help make some more sense of the excellent Grill n Chill barbecue and cool bag all in one now available from The Garden Factory.

Drought News

Today the Government and Environment Agency announced that several parts of the country are now officially drought zones following the driest spring in many areas for over 100 years.

Reports say that while agriculture and industry will be hit for a percentage of the water they use, regular householders won’t face an outright hose-ban … yet.

There are a multitude of ways to water your garden efficiently. Using a sprinkler at night will greatly reduce daytime condensation, leaky pipes will direct water accurately to your plants and micro irrigation systems operated by water computers give you the control to water not only accurately but efficiently too.

These systems are straightforward to install and operate, and represent an excellent investment for gardeners and garden lovers who plough so much time, effort and money into their gardening.

We have a category dedicated to irrigational matters at specially watered down (ouch!) Garden Factory prices.
And we’d love to hear how you’re getting on in your area.

James