
The ‘gorgeous' £10 buy that provides pretty colour and lights up your garden or terrace ‘all-year long'
SHOPPERS are racing to snap up a set of string lights designed to brighten up outdoor spaces while blending in with softer garden aesthetics.
These LED string lights adorned with warm white bulbs and artificial pink roses offer a simple way to introduce light and colour to gardens.
3
3
Retailing for £10 at The Original Factory Shop, the LED rose string lights promise to suffuse gardens, terraces and gazebos with warmer hues.
The product description reads: "It's a great no-fuss addition to any garden, terrace or gazebo, providing light in those darker corners and colour all year long."
The faux foliage and rose detailing aim to replicate the look of real climbing plants without the maintenance.
While not a replacement for outdoor lighting, the set can be a low-effort ambient addition to a space.
The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) is a British discount department store chain established in 1969 by Peter Black.
Its first store opened in Keighley, West Yorkshire, and it originally sold surplus soap produced by one of Black's factories.
TOFS today operates over 180 stores across the UK.
It comes as an expert revealed to The Sun seven ways to make a garden look bigger.
One easy method is to create zones, according to Ivana Agustina, Head of Project Management at ShrubHub, an online landscape design service.
6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails
Agustina said: "The human brain perceives multiple small experiences as more substantial than one uniform space.
'By dividing your garden into zones – perhaps a dining area, a lounge space, and a planting section – visitors mentally 'travel' through your garden, making it feel much bigger.'
Another approach is to train climbing plants to grow up trellises or along walls.
Agustina explained: "Vertical gardening is both practical and visually expanding.
'By drawing the eye upward with wall-mounted planters, trellises with climbing plants, or tall, narrow planters, you create height that makes the garden feel more spacious.'
Meanwhile, Gardener's World recently named trumpet vines (Campsis) as one of the best plants for covering walls and fences that are an eyesore.
A well-kept garden can add anywhere between 5-20% to the value of a property.
Sellhousefast.uk carried out a study and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from across the UK.
And the experts revealed the garden feature which adds the most value to a property is a shed.
Shed - 82%
Patio or paving - 76%
Secure fencing, walls or gates - 72%
Outdoor lighting - 66%
Sturdy decking - 62%
Water features eg. fountain or pond - 58%
Modern garden furniture - 54%
Artificial lawn/grass - 40%
These deciduous climbers produce striking tubular flowers in shades of red, orange or yellow, typically that bloom from late summer into autumn.
Known for their rapid growth, they can quickly cover trellises or frameworks, though experts recommend pruning annually to keep them in check.
While they thrive in warmer conditions, they are also frost-hardy once established.
3
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE What, no waistcoats? After Gareth, the Southgates' get a new (and even more glamorous!) fashion influencer
Her father made waves on the internet with his pitch-side fashion choices – remember that waistcoat? Now Sir Gareth Southgate 's daughter is following in his footsteps as a hotshot fashion influencer. While he is a private man with no social media accounts, Mia Southgate is the opposite. The 24-year-old shows off her outfits to 25,000 followers and offers glimpses of the family's historic Swinsty Hall mansion in Timble, north Yorkshire. She has collaborated with brands such as Next, Caudalie, a skincare firm, and Citizens of Humanity, a jeans brand, and earns money through affiliate links from clothes and items she has worn – though how much is a mystery. Mia has also recruited her mother, Alison Southgate, 57, for help promote content. They feature in multiple videos, where the mother-daughter duo show off their outfits for different events and swap items from each other's wardrobes – Mia having her own wardrobe room. One video caption reads: 'Getting dressed with my bestie.' Miss Southgate was recruited in April by the agency Blush Talent Management, an arm of digital fashion blog Sheer Luxe. She has written blog posts about 'what a cool content creator has on her wish-list' and starred in videos for 600,000 Sheer Luxe followers. Mia also works for upmarket high-street brand Mint Velvet as a senior social media assistant where she and Lady Southgate regularly feature on its social media pages. Another recent deal was with luxury car maker Bentley, where she told followers she had been lent the car in return for a social media post. Her father is conspicuously absent from her media posts despite having a proven track record of boosting brands. His appearances in a fitted waistcoat at the 2018 World Cup caused a 35 per cent rise in sales of them at M&S.


Times
4 hours ago
- Times
‘Downsize, make money and have fun': the retirees moving to the city
Claire Carter has been selling country houses for 24 years, and she's noticed a sea change in attitudes. Twenty years ago empty nesters would downsize from a big country house to a village. 'They no longer move to villages, they move to cities,' says Carter, head of country houses at John D Wood & Co. 'They want something that's socially more interesting, with everything on your doorstep.' The dream of retiring to a bungalow in a sleepy seaside town or peaceful village is looking increasingly out of touch. Retiring to a city, after all, makes sense. Public transport in the countryside is notoriously poor, waiting times for GPs in rural areas are terrible and the best hospitals are in big cities. Living near adult children is another draw. Cities are also full of life. Henry Sherwood, founder of the Buying Agents, moved a retired couple from Cheltenham to Islington, north London. 'Their approach was that when you retire you have more time on your hands to do the things you enjoy, so why move to an area where there is less to do?' Older people also have increasingly younger mindsets. 'Most of my clients are older or retired age,' Carter says. 'And they've got Pelotons in the garage. One client, every time I ring him he's playing padel. They're more active, they're more social. It's so different now. It's a whole new life for them. So instead of moving to a bungalow when your health isn't good, they're getting ahead of the game: we're going to downsize, get some money out of this and have some fun.' One of Carter's clients, the empty-nesters John Dryden, 62, and his wife, Louise, 52, recently sold their five-bedroom house in four acres of East Sussex. John retired from running his travel business in November and Louise has retired from catering. In January they bought a three-bedroom, 1,700 sq ft apartment in the city of Brighton & Hove. It has two terraces and overlooks a busy park. They moved in May and have a spring in their step. 'Moving back to a city, it's amazing, it's buzzing,' John says. 'We go down to the park, it's all families, people playing tennis, people walking dogs. Stuck out in the country, we had lots of friends, but you don't always see people day to day.' 'The first night we moved in here, we ordered in from an Indian restaurant, and it was delivered bang! Twenty minutes, beautiful food. Last night we had Thai delivered, we have a Waitrose around the corner, everything is extremely easy.' The couple didn't want to be slaves to their garden. 'We've got seven tennis courts below us now, we're very active, we play padel … And we wanted the buzz: to get back into the bars, restaurants, theatres and exhibitions, cinema. Bring it on.' They've got rid of one of their two cars. 'We plan to cycle more, walk a lot more. We're walking to the supermarket rather than driving.' The average price for a two-bedroom flat in Brighton & Hove in 2024 was £314,400, according to Hamptons. John declined to say what they paid, but came out ahead financially from downsizing, leaving them enough to enjoy retirement and travel. They go abroad every winter and wanted a home that's easy to lock up and leave. And they reckon their flat is 40 per cent cheaper to run than their old house, but also big enough to accommodate their two adult children — and future grandchildren — when they visit. Other retired people are opting for bigger cities. According to a 2023 study by Age UK, there are almost 1.4 million older people (over the age of 60) living in London, the capital's fastest-growing demographic. A 2021 survey found a 15 per cent increase in the number of over-65s retiring to inner London in the past decade, according to solicitors Bird & Co, who used figures from the Office for National Statistics. Over-50s made up 8 per cent of all people moving into London from across Britain in 2022, according to Hamptons and ONS. Leafy outer boroughs like Havering, Bromley and Bexley have the highest percentage of over-60s, but central areas like Kensington & Chelsea and the City are in the top ten. Shaun Hargreaves Heap, 73, and his wife, Lyndsey Stonebridge, 61, recently moved into the heart of the capital. After their children left for university, they sold their five-bedroom house in Norwich, where he has lived for 40 years. In January they bought a two-bedroom, 960 sq ft flat in Bloomsbury for £960,000 from Greater London Properties. • Bloomsbury named one of the best places to live in London 2025 Hargreaves Heap, an economics professor, still works two days a week at King's College London, and his wife still works at University of Birmingham. 'I'm well past retirement age but academics really never stop working,' Hargreaves Heap says. 'Although there were work considerations, we made a conscious choice that we would like to be in central London because of what it offers in retirement. It's very cool for my wife to be able to use the British Library. For me, I can walk to King's, all the major galleries, all the major theatres, museums. And Bloomsbury has an amazing amount of green space, with so many squares. Russell Square is a wonderful place for seeing lots of people enjoying themselves.' They frequent the shops, cafés and restaurants of Marchmont Street and Lamb's Conduit Street (the Italian Ciao Bella is their favourite). And they walk to the Waitrose and Curzon Bloomsbury cinema in the Brunswick Centre. • It's not downsizing, it's 'rightsizing': how to move later in life He couldn't see themselves retiring to the usual retirement enclaves. 'In a seaside village, you just don't have theatres, galleries and museums. As you get older, you sort of appreciate the ability to see what the human species is capable of.' George McKerracher, 65, and his wife, Di, 60 have always been city people. George retired ten years ago from his job as a senior director at Asda, and Di two years ago as chair of a health company. Until recently, they lived in a three-bedroom 1,800 sq ft penthouse with a terrace in the centre of Leeds (it's now for sale for £1.095 million with Zenko City Living). To be closer to family, they've bought a three-bedroom duplex in a listed townhouse in the West End of Glasgow, for which they paid over £800,000. 'Glasgow is a fantastic city,' George says. 'In the West End, the university is there, the botanic gardens, it's a cultural hotspot, with all the restaurants, coffee shops, cinemas. Di and I have breakfast out three times a week. The only thing is it rains 100 days a year, but the airport is a 20-minute Uber ride away.' Why not retire to a peaceful village? 'We're not ready for that. We're still youngsters at heart. We are very active. We've got lots of friends. We walk a lot. We go to the gym three times a week. We travel. We have annual Bupa checks. I don't like the word retirement. When Alex Ferguson retired, he said, I can tell you one thing I'm not going to do: buy a pair of slippers. I identify with that.' • Priced-out, stressed-out creatives are fleeing London for Glasgow McKerragher still dabbles in business and investing. 'But we'd had enough of the cut and thrust and have a whole list of other things that we want to do. If we don't do it now, when will we do it?' Apart from crime, the case against retiring to cities is the high cost of urban property. Carter says her clients usually come out in the black because they are downsizing. 'Most people want to walk away with change, to help the kids out or put a bit in the pension pot, and cover moving costs,' Carter says. 'I had clients who sold a chocolate-box house in the countryside in three acres for £1.8 million and bought a terrace in Clapham [south London] for £1.5 million.' While rural and seaside locations are still the most popular overall for retirees, the retirement home industry is noticing a shift in sentiment. James Lloyd, Director of Policy at Associated Retirement Community Operators, said: 'Integrated Retirement Community operators are responding, with a new trend toward urban developments clearly observable in places like London, Chester and Bristol. While country locations remain popular, we think that in ten years, there will be an Integrated Retirement Community in every town centre.' It's a far cry from the old days. 'Back then, every bungalow that came on the market, you knew who you were selling to,' Carter recalls. 'If I said to some of my clients now, here's a bungalow, they'd laugh at me. That's not what they're looking for. They want something modern, interesting, with more life going on. They're not just downsizing, waiting for the end.'


Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Love Island's Anna Vakili shows off her curves in a racy black cut-out dress as she joins stylish Matilda Draper and Demi Sims at SHEIN's VIP party during Parklife Festival
Anna Vakili, Matilda Draper and Demi Sims made a stylish arrival at SHEIN's VIP party during Parklife Festival in Manchester on Saturday. The Love Island star, 34, showed off her curves in a black dress, with a racy cut-out detail and daring thigh-high split. She completed the look with leather lace-up boots and gold jewellery, and posed alongside her glamorous sister Mandi. Meanwhile, last year's Love Island contestant Matilda, 24, put on a very busty display in a plunging brown mini dress, teamed with stylish cowboy boots. Also in attendance was TOWIE 's Demi Sims, 28, who flashed her washboard stomach in a cropped leopard print jacket and donned a pair of cargo jorts as she posed ahead of the event. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Anna Vakili, Matilda Draper and Demi Sims made a stylish arrival at SHEIN's VIP party during Parklife Festival in Manchester on Saturday She added some oversized sunglasses and wore her two-tone tresses in a poker straight style, while she accentuated her features with a sleek palette of make-up. Demi was joined by her sister Frankie Sims at the star studded event who also made sure she dressed too impress. Frankie looked incredible as she matched her sister's vibe. Her stylish ensemble consisted of a black fitted vest, which showed off her petite frame and a pair of army patterned jorts. Making sure she stood out from the crowd, Frankie also donned a black cowboy hat and left her long locks to fall down her shoulders. She toted her belongings in a small black and white bag and further accessorised the festival look with a cluster of bangles, and a colourful necklace. Also making sure she made an entrance, was Love Islander Kaz Crossley who turned up in her Barbie era. Kaz, 30, stood out in a baby pink top adorned with flowers, which she paired with denim shorts. Demi was joined by her sister Frankie Sims at the star studded event who also made sure she dressed too impress Kaz made sure to flaunt her toned midriff and slender legs - dedication to her hours spent practising Muay Thai - as she struck up several poses at the party. She kept things comfy with a pair of white crocs and further accessorised with a fuscia pink shoulder bag and pink heart shaped sunglasses to match. Jessy Potts, 26, also attended the star-studded event and put on a busty display in a black embroidered top and co-ordinating shorts from SHEIN's festival collection. The daring ensemble showed off Jessy's tiny waist, long slim pins and ample cleavage. The blonde beauty wore her hair in a natural wave and also sported a pair of chunky black knee-high boots. Nicole Samuel, 25, who confirmed she's loved-up with rugby player, Dylan Williams earlier this month, turned heads as she enjoyed the days festivities. The Love Islander who split from Ciaran Davies six months ago, flaunted her slender figure in a plunging halter neck top and white mini skirt. Nicole, who came second during last summer's series, couldn't hide the smile from her face as she paired the ensemble with some white cowboy style boots and an array of gold jewellery. Jessy Potts, 26, also attended the star-studded event and put on a busty display in a black embroidered top and co-ordinating shorts She slicked her hair back in a low ponytail and upped the glam with a heavy palette of bronzed makeup. Parklife is an annual two-day music festival in Manchester and the festival in Heaton Park predominantly features dance and electronic music as well as pop and hip-hop artists. This year, 50 Cent, Charli XCX, Jorja Smith and Peggy Gou will headline the festival on June 14 and 15. Alongside the headliners, Rudimental, Pawsa and Bicep will also perform over the weekend.