Latest news with #OutdoorLiving
Irish Examiner
28-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
How a pergola adds drama and focus to your summer garden
Beloved since ancient times, pergolas offer architectural focus, blessed shade and a robust target for climbing plants to grab onto. Their post-and-beam bower character and lofty simplicity can dress up the most boring garden with an impressive patio feature or act as a richly scented walkway. The design is straightforward — a set of supportive posts mounted by beams onto which a grid of rafters is left open to the sky. The word pergola comes from the Latin word pergola, a projecting eave, and most timber garden pergolas have these very distinct overhangs. So, what could a pergola do for your garden, and what designs might suit from commercial kits, professional installs, or a complete DIY creation? There are a number of positions where a pergola can serve year-round. It can be joined to your house as an airy overhang on the patio (as early pergolas were), or free-standing, marking out a sitting position or a walkway and/or gate in the garden laced in soft, woody, flowering climbers. Some householders prefer the lines of their pergola to be completely uninterrupted by green stuff like ivy and roses, and in timber, they can sit in a cottage yard as well as the garden of a suburban semi-D. Containers can be set at the base of the posts for gorgeous displays you can shift around depending on what's giving its all at that time of year. Pergolas of any kind look especially beautiful set by water on a small deck if you're lucky enough to have a large pond or even a swimming pool, as you're looking through the structure and not complicating the view. If you don't want the pergola against the house, consider placing it against a fence or garden wall, being careful that no part of the roof overhangs your boundary. Think about using one or even two sides (set in a corner) to show off a stunning border or raised beds with plants that will thrive in its slightly shady but open conditions. Play up its height to break up the boring planes of a one-level garden. USB-charged or solar fabric lanterns are perfect for hanging from the rafters of an open-roofed pergola — magical by night. A retractable pergola offers great versatility, here in aluminium from a selection at Outdoor Living. Model shown from Verano (NL), Outdoor. Generally, pergolas gentle a breeze and diffuse glaring light, but typical and affordable pergolas used alone are not intended as protection from drizzle or driving rain. Variations on a typical rustic design channel the look but offer greater versatility and a surprising degree of optional engineering. Many homeowners with side-access at their homes connect the back garden to a driveway as classical pergolas joined pavilions, roofing in a pergola style structure in aluminium, wood, or fibreglass as a wall-mounted carport. These additions are a bit of an aesthetic Marmite, but taking the shopping to the front or back door, they can be a huge help in a streamlined choice. Tricking with the traditional open roof, there's also a new generation of what's termed 'bioclimatic pergolas' with a steel and adjustable, fabric louvred roof that can be set to open or close according to the weather conditions. You might have seen something like this in retractable roofing in a pub's beer garden. Some models include downpipes to sheet off rain when closed and even solar panels to independently operate the roof. With integrated LED lighting, motorised mechanisms, glass walls and shading zip screens at the touch of a button, we're a thousand years from a romantic horticultural spot for a couple of chairs surrounded by frothing wisteria. Check out and if you're seriously tempted by a very special spot. Prices for Zeus, Mirador and Biohort from €2,500 for a 3m x 3m bioclimatic pergola with crank-shut louvres. For a pergola-type wall-mounted 3m x 3m canopy (veranda) with an aluminium frame, solid polycarbonate roof and gutters, expect to pay from €1000 (assembling it yourself). Down at B&Q, the Klikstorm Alize is a serious bargain in a large pergola style with a retractable fabric canopy for any backdoor patio. The canvas shade even comes off for easy cleaning over the winter, €499, Returning to the dappled shade the Romans loved, you could add half walls in timber to create more protection from the wind and sun, delivering somewhere to position outdoor sofas and chairs. Adding glazing or trellis above the half walls on two sides further encloses this little building. Just work with the aspect of the room you have available. If you have to get undercover, a timber gazebo with an apex pitched roof in slow-grown pressure-treated larch would be a better option than a pergola. Bigger suppliers like The Shed Factory will offer both styles with prices from €930, There's nothing more satisfying than making something yourself, sized to your highly specific needs. Even a small yard can be raftered into a pergola. B&Q offers a neat little guide on building your own pergola (it could be for a deck or walkway; the steps are the same). Just add up the price of the elements, including all fixings, before you start, as the effort and expense might outstrip the cost of having a pergola made for you and put up by a local carpenter or buying in a simple kit. See Vented sides added to a bioclimatic pergola-style building increase its level of protection from sun and wind. File picture With easily available timber elements, a saw, hammer, drill, coach-bolts and quick-set post concrete, pergolas are not intricate to design or assemble, but putting them up is most definitely a two-person job. Fastening the pergola to the ground securely is extremely important. You'll be using anchors on concrete and digging in posts for every other surface. Don't hang anything (not even a chair, swing, or hammock) from a pergola unless you're sure it's rated for the weight and set on a jointed area. Explore what other people have done to make their pergola unique. Dark, dramatic painted wood is trending this summer. Putting it together, you could replace the pergola's wood rafters with lengths of steel rebar, sticks with their bark on, or incorporate stone at the base of the posts if you're handy. A metal frame can carry wood rafters for contrast and interest. Adding curtain poles between the posts, and strong eyelet curtains can close off one or more sides of your pergola as the sun moves around, or you want additional privacy. Soft joints with furry green planting like micro-clover and creeping thyme bring a natural carpet right into your pergola. The spacing and sizing of the rafters can make a big difference to light transmission and the final look of your build. Maintaining your timber pergola, pay particular attention to plants using it for elevation. They will draw more moisture to the structure, which can allow rot and algae to take hold. Trim plants back to keep them under control and to allow the posts and rafters to dry out fully after rain. Pressure treating will protect your garden feature from fungal decay and insect infestation for many years, but every summer go over the pergola, looking for any damage or loosened screws. A quick check with a level will reassure you that it's still upright and stable. Powder-coated steel and aluminium pergolas just need a wipe down with soap and water once a year to refresh their modern, good looks.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Supermarket giant launches summer garden sale including BBQ and patio furniture
SUN-SEEKING shoppers can spruce up their gardens for less as George at Asda kicks off a sizzling summer sale – with deals starting from just £3. The wallet-friendly range includes everything from stylish patio sets to BBQs and outdoor ornaments – but you'll need to be quick if you want to bag the biggest bargains. 5 Black Orlando Outdoor Corner Sofa Dining Set 5 Piece is worth £348, down from £499 Credit: ASDA 5 Standing Egg Chair is now £198, down from £249 Credit: Asda 5 UniFlame Classic Big American Gas / Charcoal 3B Grill is also now £198 Credit: Asda Topping the list is the hugely popular Black Orlando Outdoor Corner Sofa Dining Set, now down to £348 from £499 – saving you a tidy £151. With over 380 glowing reviews and a solid four-star rating, it's the star buy for anyone wanting to revamp their garden space on a budget. If you're after something small but stylish, the Small Jute Ball Resin Ornament is now just £3, slashed from £6 – a perfect touch for brightening up patios and plant displays without breaking the bank. Also included is the in-demand Standing Egg Chair, now £198, down from £249 – a firm favourite every summer, and perfect for lounging in the sun with a book or drink in hand. For BBQ fans, there's plenty to get fired up about. The UniFlame Classic Big American Gas/Charcoal 3B Grill is now £198, reduced from £299 – a chunky £101 saving on a serious bit of kit that'll see you through burger season and beyond. Or snap up the UniFlame 4 Burner Gas Grill BBQ for just £137, down from £179 – giving you £42 off your next garden feast setup. 5 Whilst customers are able to snap up the UniFlame 4 Burner Gas Grill BBQ for just £137 Credit: Asda 5 The Small Jute Ball Resin Ornament is now just £3, slashed from £6 Credit: Asda Websites like Trolley and Price Spy let you compare thousands of products across different retailers to find the best price. Price Spy even lets you see how much an item has cost over time. A quick scan on the Google Shopping/Product tab will also bring up how much retailers are selling a certain item for too. Shopping discounts - How to make savings and find the best bargains Recently, shoppers raced to Aldi after it dropped its latest garden must-haves — with prices starting from just £2.79. Elsewhere, B&M released a number of garden furniture pieces — including a Sienna double egg chair for £250 and a Paris 2-Seater Pod Chair also priced at £250. Argos has also slashed prices on outdoor and DIY essentials with discounts of up to £60. And earlier this year, Wilko dropped prices on patio sets, lounge chairs and bistro sets ahead of summer. In February, Dunelm had a huge clearance sale with discounts of up to 75% on hundreds of items. And most homeware stores hold sales in the summer. Last summer, Dobbies launched a huge sale with prices slashed by up to 50% on garden furniture, plants, and homeware. It's worth signing up to the Asda Rewards scheme to save money at the supermarket. The loyalty scheme, which is free to join, lets you earn Cashpot points by completing "missions" like hitting spending targets or buying products in certain categories. You can also earn cashback by buying "star" products. If you're a regular shopper and often go for Asda's premium lines, it's worth taking on the "downshifting" challenge, too. This means going for budget lines instead, which could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your shopping. It's worth joining specific Facebook groups where shoppers flag bargain deals they've found online or in-store. Two worth checking are the Latest Deals Facebook Group and the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group. The Sun revealed earlier this year the best time to score deals at Asda is once in the morning and again in the evening. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
Scottish Sun
13-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Aldi is selling a £5 solution to help keep bugs away from your garden – and it doubles as a trendy table decoration
Another shop is offering a similar candle for even less BUZZ OFF Aldi is selling a £5 solution to help keep bugs away from your garden – and it doubles as a trendy table decoration Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the summer sun on the horizon, everyone wants a chance to get outside and soak it up. But no-one likes being bothered by pesky bugs while getting fresh air. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Aldi is renowned for its bargain buys Credit: Getty 4 The candle comes in a gorgeous round shape Credit: Aldi That's where Aldi has come to save the day, with a bargain candle to keep annoying insects at bay for less than a fiver. The concrete citrine candle is selling for just £4.99 now on Aldi's website. The candle conveniently comes in different shapes and sizes to suit the look of your garden table or patio. Shoppers have the choice of either black or grey in rectangular shape, or white in a round mould. With a weight of just 300g, the candle is easy to shift around your garden, wherever you choose to sit. It also boasts a lengthy burn time of 30 hours, so you won't have to buy a new one every time you want to step outdoors. This candle is just the latest in a huge range of affordable outdoor kit from Aldi, in their new budget-friendly garden range. The store has also begun selling individual garden fence panels. The fence is made from a durable powder-coated metal, which is also anti-rust and UV resistant. Measuring at 91.19 x 71.12cm, the fence features clips which allow you to link multiple panels together. Aldi's $4.99 Gardenline Plant Supports: Affordable Spring Gardening Must-Have! Aldi often goes viral because of its low-cost, high-quality garden equipment. But Home Bargains is also offering low-budget bug repellent methods. Its Outdoor Living Collection Torch Citronella Candle is available for just £2.99. According to its manufacturer it can help to "light up your outdoor spaces" this summer. "This stylish and effective torch not only keeps pesky bugs away but also adds a warm glow for those perfect summer evenings," the product description says. Alternatively, if you've had enough of the sun, B&M's three metre sail shade is currently available for just £7, reduced from £10. It is described as "perfect shelter for patios, gardens, or other outdoor areas". The shade is easy to install and can be fixed to walls, trees, fences, and posts using the ropes included. Are you king of the grill? If so, B&M is also selling an outdoor, portable fire pit for only £8 by the brand Outdoor Adventure. The mesh fire pit is perfect for evenings in the garden, or barbecues with family and is light enough to travel with you on camping trips and other adventures. It measures at 42cmx42cmx34cm and folds down to make it easily transportable. Ikea, Lidl and The Range are offering a brilliant range of affordable flowers if you're looking to spruce up your garden. These pretty plants can make all the difference giving colour, attracting wildlife and adding interest to your green areas. 4 No one likes bugs ruining a summer's day Credit: Getty
