We all love eating outside, and with the sunny season finally here, there will be quite a few barbeques planned. With the barbeques come the impulse purchases, like an outdoor picnic table! Here are a few things to look out for / think about when purchasing one.

1 – Have to think about the material of the table. Should it be wood, plastic-coated metal, aluminium? All of these depends on what you favour more, durability or style. As the two do not always mix well.

2) The size of your picnic table. How much space do you actually have for this table? You also need to think about entry points for the people using the table, if it’s too cramped, then it won’t be a comfortable experience, which isn’t what you want!

3) Style of the table. Did you want it to be a rectangle, or are you more adventurous thinking about an octagon shape table? These are all things you need to consider before you go out there and make that purchase.

Outdoor sofas are absolutely brilliant. They changed the game for many homeowners because before they existed we were all sitting on very uncomfortable wooden or metal garden seating with no padding at all. Waterproof and weather resistant cushion covers have come a long way and now it’s incredibly easy to maintain an outdoor sofa because you only need to wipe the surfaces clean and wash the cushions ever few months. On a bright sunny day, it’s nice to be able to relax in the garden on a sofa that’s not only strong and reliable but comfortable too. You can choose to store the fabric in a shed or summerhouse during the winter months, which is what we advise, but leaving them out in the summer whether it’s rainy, windy or sunny is not a problem. If you haven’t invested in an outdoor sofa for your garden yet, what are you waiting for? They’re so comfy and perfect for barbecues and entertaining.

Not many people would expect this, but a canopy can be a wonderful addition to your property, even during Christmas time when the weather is damp and icy. When you’re having family and friends over for a Christmas meal, you can always utilise the outdoor space so long as you have a canopy and a heater – oh yes and some warm jackets. Drinking mulled wine outside with twinkle lights attached to your canopy is a wonderful way to spend an evening on Christmas day, and just because it’s cold doesn’t mean you can’t go outdoors. Why not get the chiminea up and running with it’s dancing flames warming you through? Even if you spend an hour outdoors you can soon start to feel cosy and enjoy looking up at the stars with a hot drink and the smell of the wood burning beside you. Canopies are cool additions to gardens all year round, even at Christmas, and they can be decorated accordingly too!

On hot and sunny days the sun can be blinding and parasols are the perfect way to cool down and shade yourself from the rays. Many days, the streets abound with people using vortex parasols in a wide variety of bold styles and vibrant colours. This is the perfect platform to use for your company or corporation to shine.

Anyone can see them and as such, personalized parasols are literally walking advertisements. But they aren’t crude or overbearing like flashy t-shirts or giant billboards. Vortex parasols are chic and fashionable. Each one has its own personalized flair and special designs, graphics and slogans can make them extra unique. (more…)

If you are choosing to buy a strimmer to help with your garden maintenance, and are struggling to decide between a petrol-fuelled and an electric strimmer we have decided to help you out by covering a few pointers to assist with your purchase.

A grass strimmer is definitely a great tool to assist alongside your lawn mower, is has the task of cutting away debris in your garden. Some models even allow you to clear away areas as wide as 18 inches with a single swoop across the area. Other devices provide a smaller range of cutting and are ideal to use in the garden around the plants you wish to protect.

A petrol-fuelled strimmer tends to be stronger allow you to cut through denser material with ease. When the material is dense, the electric motor is limited.

Cord length with an electric strimmer can be an issue for larger gardens, making a petrol strimmer a better option, remembering you will need to refuel the petrol variety. However, to many people, this is an acceptable compromise to get the job done much more easily and efficiently.