All that you need under one roof
MORE and more, Irish people a getting into the concept of outdoor living.
While our weather doesn’t always favour it, in a way it’s something we’ve always done - but now we’re getting more sophisticated about our outdoor spaces.
Well-designed indoor rooms typically build off one element - a sofa or piece of art, for example - which gives the eye something to land on; the rest of the furnishings and accents support that piece. That same principle applies to outdoor living spaces. For example, a pond can become the central gathering point, providing a spot to arrange furniture and orient views.
Equally, small accents, such as sculpture or water features, can do wonders to make outdoor living spaces feel dynamic and interesting. Scour flea markets or architectural salvage shops for castoffs that lend visual appeal without being too expensive. In place of a built-in fountain consider a tabletop version; use a tall column as a plant stand, too.
Benches, chairs, even pintsize stools: As many choices as you can include in an outdoor living space will help family and friends enjoy it. Scaled-down kid versions allow little ones to seat themselves, while chairs are a more flexible option - pull two together for a quiet chat or add extras around the table for a big dinner.
One tip: Don’t include so many that traffic patterns become cluttered.
Paths are great tools in outdoor living spaces for more than just finding your way. Include a gentle curve in the design and a path is instantly transformed into a walkway that encourages discovery and exploration in the garden.
Pots of all shapes and sizes are great options to add dashes of color and texture to outdoor living spaces. Go for lightweight versions or put yours on movable bases to make shifting them around easier.
Place a few at corners of a deck or patio to establish borders, or use a rotating series of seasonal plants - pansies in spring, daisies in summer, mums in autumn - for an ever-changing color palette.
If you have a fireplace inside your house, you know it’s where you love to curl up with a good book on a quiet night or where larger groups gather on chilly days.
The same is true in outdoor living spaces: A source of fire draws people.
If you have the space and budget, consider a full-size version; if not, investigate fire pits, which provide flexibility and affordability. Just check your local building codes to verify fire-safety and placement rules regarding outdoor fireplaces and fire pits before you invest in one. Hi, my name it Catriona. I am Topline Burton’s gardening horticulturist.
At our garden centre we offer a wide range of shrubs, flowers and seasonal bedding in order to bring your garden back to life. If you need any advice on starting off in a new garden or simply bring new life in to an existing garden, call in and we will set you on the right track.
At this time of year, especially after the hard winter, now is the time to apply a good quality lawn weed and feed and moss killer. It is also a good time to aerate the ground by using a spike method - this can be done with a standard garden fork. This allows air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. This helps the roots to grow deeply and produce a stronger and more vigorous lawn.
It is also the time of year to start on planting seed potatoes and onions in your vegetable patch.
At Topline Burton’s we provide everything for your garden and outdoor living, whether it is for decking, paving, decorative stone or the paint to lift your garden. It is all here under one roof at Topline Burton’s Hardware, Kanturk.