Garden and patio
In autumn...It’s the perfect time for planting spring bulbs, and they’re good news if you want to liven up some shady spots in your outdoor patch – under a tree, perhaps…” says Patricia Tyrrell of Patricia Tyrrell Living Landscapes. “Bulbs flower in sequence, starting with snowdrops and crocuses, and finishing with tulips and alliums,” she says, “so it’s important to pay attention to flowering times to get a long season of interest.”
Plant autumn flowers to attract bees “This is a great time for planting new wildlife-friendly perennials for next year, and to sow wildflower seeds, too,” says Darryl Cox, senior science and policy officer at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. “Annuals sown in the autumn tend to flower earlier the following year.” Garden designer Claudia de Yong of Claudia De Yong Garden Design suggests Helenium ‘Mardi Gras’ (pictured), just one flowering plant that will keep your garden blooming late into the year. It’s a favourite with bees, butterflies and moths, with its mass of yellow flowers splashed with orange-red and deep brown around mounded central cones. Another good one Claudia recommends is Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’. Darryl recommends using the Trust’s Bee Kind online tool to find more bee-friendly planting recommendations.
What are the best indoor/outdoor flooring options? “If possible, I would always use the same type of flooring from inside to outside,” Stephen says. “For example, internal stone tiling can ‘become’ external stone tiling (ideally with joints aligning). Polished concrete inside and out is another option.” “For visual continuity, stone tiling is best,” Chris says, “with a flush threshold detail at the bottom of the sliding or bifold doors. You’ll need to choose a stone that’s suitable for outdoor use, such as granite or slate, and be aware that the stone tiles externally need to have a minimum thickness of 30mm. You can, of course, use thinner tiles of the same material internally.” The external paving should be laid to fall away from the house, he says, so the slot drain at the threshold of the sliding or bifold doors is only taking the rainwater running off the doors.
lighting along raised beds
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