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<p>Lighting adds something extra-special to every garden. Whether it’s making long summer evenings even longer or adding festive cheer to dark winter nights, with a few well-placed garden lights, it’s easy to create the mood you want. With so many different types of <strong>garden lighting</strong> available, we’ve put together a few ideas on how to use them.</p>

<p>Lighting adds something extra-special to every garden. Whether it’s making long summer evenings even longer or adding festive cheer to dark winter nights, with a few well-placed garden lights, it’s easy to create the mood you want. With so many different types of <strong>garden lighting</strong> available, we’ve put together a few ideas on how to use them.</p>
<h2>All about solar lighting</h2>
<p>The days when your solar garden lights would work for a few months and then give up are over. Solar lighting technology has come on by leaps and bounds in recent years. Most solar garden lights use LED bulbs, which need little power to produce a very respectable amount of light. The bulbs last a long time, and with modern photovoltaic technology, batteries charge well even on cloudy days. Solar lighting systems are flexible and easy to install, letting you redesign your garden lighting to your heart’s content.</p>
<h2>How to create effects with garden lighting</h2>
<p>There’s no end to the effects you can create with your garden lighting. Here are our top 5 tips to get you started.</p>
<h2>1. Highlight structures with fairy lights</h2>
<p>Strings of fairy lights are perfect for highlighting a pergola or archway or wrapping around tree branches to create a sparkling night-time silhouette. A patio or seating area strung with fairy lights has an instant party atmosphere.</p>
<h2>2. Create atmosphere with bare light bulbs&nbsp;</h2>
<p>These are light bulbs with a twist - solar lights in the shape of bare light bulbs, but with a sparkling string of LEDs in place of an element. They’re available with individual solar panels, making them easy to clip or hook on to branches or structures, with no cabling to get in the way. You can also buy strings of bulbs, perfect for recreating the feel of a rustic taverna or beach cottage, evoking memories of special holidays.</p>
<h2>3. Light the way with path lights</h2>
<p>Path lights have beams that focus downwards, lighting the ground around them. Space individual spike-mounted path lights along a path to light your way, or to guide your guests to where the party is happening!&nbsp;</p>
<h2>4. Highlight features with spotlights</h2>
<p>Spotlights have a narrow beam, ideal for highlighting a special feature in your garden. For a dramatic effect, use them to light a statue, sculpture or decorative pot from below, or cross-light a feature with a spotlight on either side.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>5. Add a gentle glow with accent lights</h2>
<p>Accent lights have a wider beam than spotlights, making them good for spreading a glow of light over an area. They’re not as bright as spotlights, but this means they can stay on for longer. Place a few accent lights around a patio or seating area for a warm, welcoming effect, then add a few strings of fairy lights for some extra sparkle.</p>
<p>We have a great range of garden lighting systems in our centre, so visit us soon and light up your garden this year.</p>

5 ways to light up your garden

<p>Wondering how to <strong>help your garden birds</strong> during the colder months? As the weather changes and many trees become bare, gardens get tidied up, and berries start to disappear. It is more important than ever to make sure your outside space is home to wildlife. Birds will need to store fat to get through the winter, and there are many things you can do to help your feathered garden friends. Here are some tips for a bird-friendly garden.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Wondering how to <strong>help your garden birds</strong> during the colder months? As the weather changes and many trees become bare, gardens get tidied up, and berries start to disappear. It is more important than ever to make sure your outside space is home to wildlife. Birds will need to store fat to get through the winter, and there are many things you can do to help your feathered garden friends. Here are some tips for a bird-friendly garden.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Make a birdhouse to help your garden birds&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Get creative and have some fun making a birdhouse. Reuse old teapots, books, or wood to build a place of shelter and for nesting in the seasons to come. If you haven’t got materials to recycle, why not try a DIY bird box kit or find one ready-made. Either way, your birds will thank you for it, and you will enjoy watching them check out their potential new home in the garden. Make sure it is placed away from where predators such as cats can get to it.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Help your garden birds with supplementary bird food</h2>
<p>While the key to a thriving garden is plenty of diversity, planting for year-round interest and thinking about natural food sources for birds is the most important thing to do, supplementary feeding is still essential, and it is advised to try and help out. If you are in an urban or rural setting, feeding the birds is much needed and will help to keep their energy levels up. There are many types of food available from seed to fat balls and various size and style feeders as well. Keep them away from predators and enjoy watching the birds come in for a feed.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Provide natural shelter to help your garden birds&nbsp;</h2>
<p>One of the best ways to help birds through the winter, along with food, is to provide plenty of shelters.</p>
<ul>
<li>Plant evergreen shrubs and native evergreen trees so they have plenty of warmth and protection as the weather gets colder.</li>
<li>Deciduous trees and shrubs are still important, so a mix if ideal.</li>
<li>Even leave an area in your garden untouched.</li>
<li>Allow the grass to grow, and leaves to pile up.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>Help your garden birds with diversity in the garden&nbsp;</h2>
<p>For all garden wildlife, it is imperative to create a garden full of life to create a biodiverse space. This means different plants for all year interest, homes for hedgehogs and birds, ponds for amphibians and water for drinking and bathing as well—the more diverse the garden, the more insects and the more wildlife. Creating a thriving space will also give you so much interest to enjoy in the garden.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Visit our pet department for everything you need to help your garden birds this year.&nbsp;</p>

Help your garden birds

<p>Why not <strong>build your own Christmas village</strong> in your home for a great display of festive fun. There are so many options to create a wonderful scene which you can personalise and make your own. From mini houses to cotton wool snow, our tips will help you get started to create your own snowy village scene at home to admire and get you in the festive spirit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Why not <strong>build your own Christmas village</strong> in your home for a great display of festive fun. There are so many options to create a wonderful scene which you can personalise and make your own. From mini houses to cotton wool snow, our tips will help you get started to create your own snowy village scene at home to admire and get you in the festive spirit.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Start to build your own Christmas village with the right surface</h2>
<p>The most important decision to start with is <em>where</em> will you place your Christmas village. Once you have built it, it will need to stay in its position over the festive season, so make sure the space you have suits your plans. It could be a level surface or a cupboard underneath the shelves where you can build your village on numerous levels.</p>
<h2>Houses and structures are needed to build your own Christmas village</h2>
<p>Use books to build different heights for your houses to sit on.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Think about alpine houses up snowy mountains and how they are all situated at various levels.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Also, decide on your theme and if you would like other bigger structures in your Christmas village.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Perhaps you have a seaside vision and will need a lighthouse, but whatever theme you choose, you’ll need a Christmas tree!</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Build your own Christmas village and light it up&nbsp;</h2>
<p>When you have set out your scene with houses, accessories and lights and you are happy with the levels and where everything is placed, it is time to add some lights. Use Christmas lights to light up the homes and streets in your scene.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Don’t forget the snow when you build your own Christmas village&nbsp;</h2>
<p>Setting the scene is all about the snow. Now you have your houses and lights the village should be coming together nicely and giving you a fun, festive vibe. You can use many different materials to give the appearance of snow from cotton wool, to cotton drapes and blanket rolls.</p>
<h2>People are essential to building your own Christmas village&nbsp;</h2>
<p>When you have everything ready, the finishing touches will include mini people who will simply bring the whole scene to life. People going about their Christmas shopping, ice skating, being with family. Pop them around your houses and walking in the snow and you will have your very own perfect Christmas village to enjoy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Pop in some foliage from our perfect winter plants and pick some up in store.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Build your own Christmas village

<p>You can never have too many spring bulbs. With their fabulous flowers turning spring into a riot of colour, the only problem is finding space to plant them all. The solution? <strong>Lasagne bulb planting</strong>.</p>

<p>You can never have too many spring bulbs. With their fabulous flowers turning spring into a riot of colour, the only problem is finding space to plant them all. The solution? <strong>Lasagne bulb planting</strong>.</p>
<p>Lasagne planting involves planting layers of bulbs in pots, just like making lasagne. The latest-flowering bulbs are planted at the bottom of the pot, with layers of earlier-flowering bulbs above them. The result is a pot crammed with wave after wave of spring flowers, giving you colour right through spring.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Choosing bulbs for lasagne planting</h2>
<p>When planting a bulb lasagne, it’s important to choose bulbs with different flowering times for each layer. This will give you a long-lasting display of flowers as the layers bloom and fade.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For example, your lasagne bulb pot could use Iris reticulata or crocuses for the earliest wave of flowers. The next wave could include daffodils or early-flowering tulips, followed by late-flowering bulbs such as lilies or late tulips.</p>
<h2>How to plant a bulb lasagne</h2>
<p>Planting a bulb lasagne pot is very straightforward. Here’s how it’s done:</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p>First, pick your pot. For two layers of bulbs, you’ll need a pot that’s at least 15cm (6in) deep and ideally a bit deeper, to give your bulbs space to grow.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Put a few crocks at the bottom of the pot to stop the drainage holes clogging up with compost, as bulbs rot easily in cold, wet soil.&nbsp;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Put a 5cm (2in) layer of compost in the pot, then place the biggest, latest-flowering bulbs (e.g. late tulips) in a layer on top of the compost. Space the bulbs about 2.5cm (1in) apart.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Cover the bulbs with a 5cm (2in) layer of compost.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Add another layer of smaller, earlier-flowering bulbs (e.g. daffodils) on top of this compost, spaced about 2.5cm (1in) apart so that the bulbs below can find their way past them.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Cover these bulbs with another layer of compost.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you have a deep enough pot, you could put in the third layer of early flowering bulbs, such as Iris reticulata, and cover them with a final layer of compost.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>If you don’t want your pots to look bare through winter, you could plant winter bedding in the top layer of compost. Violas are ideal for this, as it’s easy for the bulbs to grow through them in spring.&nbsp;</p>
</li>
</ol>
<h2>Aftercare</h2>
<ul>
<li>Water the pots after planting and in the first few weeks, while the bulbs are putting out roots.</li>
<li>Put pots on pot feet to improve drainage and, in cold areas, wrap the pots in fleece to protect them from frost.</li>
<li>Once each layer of bulbs has flowered, deadhead and cut the foliage back to stop it looking untidy.</li>
</ul>
<p>Autumn is the perfect time to plant spring bulbs, and we have a fantastic range for you to choose from. Visit our centre and start creating your own spectacular displays for spring.</p>

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