The Herald - The Herald Magazine
Fresh Ayr for all the family
Shore up for a luxurious new lifestyle at Westpoint Homes’ wonderful Seafield Gardens development that truly offers the best of both worlds ...
WITH the changing work/life pattern of the last 12 months, working from home has become the new norm for many people. As a result, many are now considering new options of where they choose to live without the previous key constraint of commute time.
Certainly, the possibility of a new life by the sea is more accessible than ever and a much more realistic option for current city dwellers. Living on the coast has many lifestyle benefits and this has become a significant factor for people looking to move home.
The appeal of an evening stroll on the beach with the dog, brisk walks in the
Scottish winter and countless new adventures for the kids are now genuine considerations.
The pace of life is also an important factor to consider. Where else would the thought of taking time to sit on a beach and ponder seem like a completely worthwhile activity?
If distance and work aren’t a limiting factor to coastal living, what are the housing options like? Westpoint Homes is a housebuilder renowned for creating unique, high quality and luxurious accommodation across Scotland. Each development envisioned by Westpoint Homes is bespoke to the site, with houses perfectly designed to fit their surroundings and mirror the wants and needs of discerning purchasers.
Stephen Cullis, Chairman of Westpoint Homes commented on creating coastal development opportunities: “For Westpoint Homes, we take great consideration when looking at a potential development, taking into account the customers and their key motivations, and then design a small range of houses that are ideally suited to the site.
“It would be an easier option to offer ‘standard houses’ that may have been used in previous developments. But that’s not us!
“At Westpoint Homes we pride ourselves on offering house styles that are unique to the site and carefully considered to construct a beautiful place to live. I love that Westpoint Homes is different from other housebuilders. We will always strive to create exceptional living spaces our clients can be proud to call home.”
If the thought of coastal living is for you, the southern edge of the picturesque town of Ayr would be an ideal choice. Seafield Gardens is an exclusive luxury development of 27 detached family homes offering a peaceful and safe environment in the affluent area of Doonfoot.
Expansive playing greens, a sandy beach and an established Links golf course, all within a short walk. For those unfamiliar with Ayr, there is a wide choice of nurseries, primary and secondary schools, including Wellington, Ayrshire’s only independent school, all a short drive from the development.
Ayr offers the combined benefits of coastal living and a bustling town. There is everything you need for shopping with many popular high-street brands and a choice of supermarkets. Entertainment is excellent, with the local theatre and a wide choice of bars and restaurants. There are also excellent road and rail transport links to Glasgow and beyond, and Prestwick Airport is only a few miles away.
Seafield Gardens is a private development comprising 4 and 5 bedroomed detached villas, all set in a landscaped cul-de-sac and ideal for safe family living. The contemporary kitchens are designed by the highly regarded Jackton Moor, with a number of door styles and colours for buyers to select. Neff and Hotpoint integrated cooking and refrigeration appliances continue the high specification, with Silestone solid surfaces finishing the kitchen to an exacting standard.
The onsite sales centre is open Thursday to Monday from 11.00am to 5.30pm. All Covid safety protocols will be adhered to, with visitors urged to make an advance appointment by calling 0800 587 1118.
Prices start from £465,000. At time of press, 15 of the 27 properties have been sold.
USING a propagator to raise plants gives you a longer cropping season and a wider choice of varieties to grow. You also avoid buying plug plants that are depressingly often raised in peat compost.
It’s best to put a propagator in a greenhouse but a windowsill can also work. Wherever you use it, electricity is obviously essential. There’s a wide selection of sizes and types of propagator and in some situations heat mats might suit.
When buying a propagator, try to get one with a thermostat and avoid those with a pre-set temperature.
The heat required for seed germination varies widely and many, but by no means all, seeds will germinate at this temperature.
The RHS seed germination guide offers useful advice for growing ornamentals from seed.
With vegetables, seed packets always indicate suitable temperatures for tender crops like tomatoes and courgettes but rarely give guidance for the likes of lettuce or rocket, crops that you want to fast track for an early picking.
Many seeds manage to germinate at 10-12C. This is fine for lettuces but tomatoes would germinate very poorly, needing 18-20C to grow well; they also fail above 23C.
On the other hand, the optimum temperature for aubergines is 24C.
If growing lettuce and aubergines in the same propagator, set the thermostat to 24C, and place thin pieces of bamboo or even twigs under the lettuce seed tray to lift it off the heated base.
Regularly check the lettuce moisture level as its tray will dry out more quickly.
Overheating kills seedlings, especially when the sun lends a helping hand. On all but wet, grey days, I remove tray tops to let in
as much natural light as possible while also preventing already cosy seedlings from sweltering in the heat.
As the season progresses, I’ll turn down the temperature and, depending on the plant variety, possibly switch off during the day.
Water control is equally important. The first step with a propagator is to spread a thin layer of horticultural grit or sand on the base. Trays and pots then sit on an even moist, warm base.
Automatic watering systems sound attractive but you do need to ensure bottom up watering doesn’t soak the bottom and leave the top fairly dry. This is vital with vulnerable shallow rooted little seedlings.
The surface must always be kept moist especially before seedlings emerge. Covering seed trays helps keep the surface moist and clean lids let in as much light as possible.
Regular watering is essential, but don’t drown the poor wee plants. Some years ago a friend very kindly came to do the watering and feed the poultry, but she watered so enthusiastically that, ever afterwards, we had to time our holidays so our seedlings were large enough handle her floods.
And so to heat mats. They’re a great idea but unlike propagators, they have no sides so must be placed where surplus water can drain away without causing damage.
Avoid windowsills to prevent a flooded kitchen. Realistically, you need a greenhouse bed or bench.
When planning, remember seedlings will grow and need pricking out into small pots that take up more room than a seed tray, or even than space-efficient root trainers. So you need to plan where transplants must go.
Some seedlings, like dill or spinach will grow in temperatures above 5C, so can be put on a bench or greenhouse bed.
But baby peppers or basil need to be kept at 15-17C, so must stay in the propagator till the weather warms up and will then spend the rest of their lives in the greenhouse.