Latest news with #autumn
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
B&Q shoppers are racing to snap up incredible £5 plant that will keep flowering until the first frost
IF you're prepping your flowerbeds ahead of summer, one plant is sure to last well into autumn. You can pick up the popular flower from B&Q without breaking the bank. 2 This budget-friendly item will instantly brighten up your garden this summer. Add these colouful flowers to your pots, hanging baskets, and flowerbeds to create a "long-flowering" look. B&Q is currently selling Petunia Frenzy Mixed F1 6 Plug Plants for a lower price than ever, at just £4.99. This Petunia "Frenzy" mixture produces large blooms in "an array of beautiful colours throughout the summer months". And these plants are also known to survive until the first frost, providing a "bold and reliable splash of low maintenance colour which you can enjoy all season long". These plants have a compact upright look, making them suitable for filling small spaces all around your garden. Petunias can also be used to create impressive container displays throughout your outdoor space. When they bloom, these "large trumpet-shaped flowers" create a "mixture of vivid shades all summer long and into autumn". Simply pinch out the growing tip of each stem to encourage branching, helping to form a bushier plant which will produce more flowers later on. Once the weather is warm enough, you can gradually acclimatise petunias to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days. I hate my new build garden being overlooked so found a 5 METRE privacy fence to block out nosy neighbours for under £30 Make sure to select baskets, window boxes, and containers with good drainage and place them directly in the sun. Experts recommend feeding and watering petunia plants regularly, particularly during hot, dry periods. You should also regularly deadhead your petunia flowers to encourage further blooms throughout the summer. And the sooner you plant these B&Q buys the better as they will beging flowering in early summer. Petunias are also known to be low maintenance so you don't even need to be a green-fingered pro to see your garden flourish. Meanwhile, a Home Bargains buy is said to add a touch of glamour to your garden. And shoppers can also pick up a £9.99 novelty decor buy that adds character to flowerbeds. A £7 gardening gadget is also available from Home Bargains and is guaranteed to transform your lawn. 2
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Two New Picture Books About the Transformative Power of Language
'On a mild autumn morning, Oscar was doing his daily digging when he discovered a magnificent wooden chest.' Does this opening sentence raise questions in the mind of an adult reader? It certainly does. But even if you pause briefly to ask why Oscar digs every day — and whether child protective services should be alerted — the attractive picture book A CHEST FULL OF WORDS (NorthSouth, 48 pp., $19.95, ages 4 to 8), by the frequent collaborators Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger, soon sweeps you along. Because what Oscar finds in this long-buried chest is a tangled treasure of words — and they are, intriguingly, quite fancy words at that, such as bulbous, docile and featherlight. Wow. As Oscar begins to apply these adjectives to objects in his vicinity, the reader stops asking pitiful irrelevant questions and falls into the habit of pointing at an illustration and matching it to a single delightfully descriptive word. 'That lighthouse is fuchsia,' you say proudly. 'And that bear is winged.' If I were to apply adjectives to Oscar, I would describe him as practical and perhaps worryingly-adept-with-tools, but also, crucially, teachable. When he opens the chest, he is at first disappointed, as he had hoped for something cool, like a slice of pink cake or a diamond. Attempting to make the best of the situation, he extracts the word fluorescent and tries playing with it, but it's no fun at all, so he airily tosses it into a shrub and walks off. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Why Aussie shoppers can't get enough of 'flattering' $40 item with over 1,000 five-star reviews: 'Absolute dream'
A multi-use lip product is fast becoming a daily skincare essential for thousands of Australians. IMBIBE's Collagen Lips Peptide Treatment is a balm, mask, gloss, and treatment in one, backed by more than a 1,000 five-star reviews from customers thrilled with their results. Infused with collagen peptides that dissolve on contact, the $40 product deeply hydrates while visibly plumping and smoothing for fuller, cushion-soft, luscious lips. As many have learned the hard way, traditional lip balms tend to deliver a temporary dose of relief to chapped lips, only to have you feeling parched and reaching for the product again an hour later. But Collagen Lips is packed with nourishing Vitamin E, Coconut, and Shea Butter to lock in moisture, restoring plump, cushiony lips that are deeply hydrated and smooth— no chapping or painful cracks. It's the perfect buy if your lips are suffering in the cooler temperatures of autumn and winter. In a consumer study, a staggering 100 per cent of participants 'agreed it is effective in improving the moisture of lips after a single use**' and said that Collagen Lips had 'improved overall lips appearance**.' The skin of the lips is especially vulnerable to ageing and environmental stressors, often showing early signs such as loss of volume, fine lines, wrinkles, and reduced elasticity. The IMBIBE website is filled with rave reviews and before-and-after photos from happy customers. 'I love the rich texture of the Collagen Lips in Bare Silk. It feels very nourishing for dry lips and they definitely feel plumper afterwards. This colour is so versatile and sure to become a new everyday staple of mine,' one raved. 'Obsessed. I put it on at night before bed, lips no longer dry and cracked in the morning,' another shared. Many loyal fans revealed it's the one beauty product they always repurchase while others described the shades as 'flattering'. 'This is my fourth jar of collagen lip balm. I usually get dry lips especially as the weather starts to change, and this is the only balm that has truly helped me keep them not only hydrated but adding a beautiful natural color to my lips. I absolutely love it. Best healing lip balm ever,' one said. 'I have repurchased three times. It's my daily and nightly balm, so smooth, hydrating and moisturising. It nourishes and pumps my lips and I use it as a sleep mask on them, I even put the remnants on my cuticles dab on my cheek bones for highlight. I'm absolutely in love with all of my IMBIBE balms,' another added. 'Awesome lip nourishment. The experience was beneficial for the health of my lips - the residual colour was very flattering,' one raved. Some revealed the darker shades were the perfect alternative to lipsticks. 'The Collagen Lips in Rich Red is the perfect alternative to using lipstick (which often contains nasty ingredients). A small amount goes a long way. For me, I found that using a light dab gave me a beautiful flushed lip colour,' one shopper raved. 'Unlike traditional lipstick which makes your lips look and feel dry, I found that this product kept my lips hydrated throughout the day. I'm also very impressed with how long the tint stays on your lips. I loved combining the OG Collagen lips with the new Rich Red! This product is super versatile and a must have.' The lip treatment comes in three shades: Bare Silk, Plum Honey and Rich Red. Bare Silk is perfect for overnight wear, or a no makeup look. This clear shade elevates your natural lip colour with the all-natural light-reflecting pigment making them look fuller and plumper. For a pop of colour, the Plum Honey delivers a dash of rich burgundy hue to your lips. The buildable colour can vary from a subtle flush to an eye-catching pop of pigment that flatters all skin tones. Rich Red is the most pigmented shade, in a bright berry red with pink tones. Like Plum Honey, the colour is buildable, with one layer a sheer gloss, to a more impactful lipstick effect with two to three applications. Bioactive collagen peptides melt into the lips to help boost collagen and elastin, visibly smoothing and plumping. IMBIBE's Signature Fatty Acid Complex then locks in the peptides to keep lips moisturised for longer. All-natural light-reflecting pigment spheres make the lips look fuller, bouncier, and plumper. IMBIBE was founded by Felicity Evans, 43, 11 years ago and has grown into a globally recognised brand in topical and ingestible beauty and wellness Collagen Lips Peptide Treatment is just one of IMBIBE's offering of skincare and ingestible beauty and wellness products beloved by loyal customers in Australia and globally. IMBIBE was founded by Felicity Evans, 43, over a decade ago in her own kitchen, originally in an effort to fix her own hair and skin concerns, as well as gut health and fertility issues. 'What started as a personal wellness experiment has grown into a global wellness brand,' Felicity told Daily Mail Australia. IMBIBE's newest offering in their ingestible wellness range is hot chocolate supplement drink RECOVER REST, $55 'A desire for meticulous formulation and transformative results continues to propel us forward, our team of leading microbiologists, chemists and nutritionists strive to create holistic wellness products that are 100 per cent clean - no fillers, no artificial flavours, no nasties, just clinical-level actives that work.' The brand's bestsellers include their cult Miracle Collagen, $50 for 100g, which boasts 2,446 five-star reviews. Award-winning Collagen Eyes, $105, is a concentrated formula that infuses skin with 'intense hydration, nourishing fatty acids and clinically proven collagen peptides to actively target wrinkle depth reduction and brightness to the skin.' IMBIBE's newest offering in their ingestible wellness range is hot chocolate supplement drink RECOVER REST, $55 for 200g. The five-in-one complex contains Magnesium for nervous system support and muscle recovery, and Amino acids L-Glycine and L-Tryptophan to promote calm and deepen sleep cycles. The calming drink works to regulate cortisol, boost melatonin, and promote collagen and elastin. All products are available on a subscription, saving customers 15 per cent on their purchases.
ABC News
7 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Rain and cool weather forecast for Queensland ahead of winter's arrival
A weather system headed for Queensland is set to bring autumn to an end a few days ahead of schedule, forcing Queenslanders to pull out their winter woollies. Temperatures are forecast to plummet across much of the state by mid-week, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. "There's a big low sweeping across Queensland from today [Tuesday], it will hit the deep interior first," meteorologist Livio Regano said. "Places like Mount Isa, through to Longreach and Charleville will see dropped temperatures by several degrees, from high 20s to near what you'd expect in mid-winter." But towns further north will not feel the same icy blast. "Think of the cold front as a long stalk — as it gets further north, it just basically blends into its surrounding atmosphere, and you don't notice it anymore," Mr Regano said. Places like Cairns and Cooktown are not expected to see much change in temperature, while most towns south of Mackay will feel the drop. "We could get down to a max of only 16 degrees Celsius around the Coalfields and Central Highlands, having been in the mid to high 20s," Mr Regano said. It may also be time for Queenslanders to dust off their raincoats, with overcast and gloomy conditions on the horizon. Mr Regano said an upper-level trough would start to migrate across western Queensland from Wednesday, reaching the east coast on Friday. "It's a sheet cloud, so we'll see Melbourne-style weather, where it tends to fall a bit more uniformly rather than in lumpy patches as showers do," he said. Isolated falls of up to 50 millimetres are forecast, but Mr Regano said the average would likely be around 10mm. "It's not necessarily heavy but if you can imagine those cold winds undercutting the thick rain cloud, that's going to make for quite the chilly day, especially on Friday," he said. Mr Regano said although the system was not unprecedented, it was not typical weather for this time of year. "What's a bit unusual is this is an inland rain system — it will be coming from the west, not the ocean. But Tuesday will be the last day to get out in the open water [on the coast] if you want light winds." Some outback Queensland communities were able to sense the rain before it fell, using local "tell-tale" signs. In the north-west, properties around Julia Creek and Richmond have been inundated with swarms of gidgee bugs — an outback barometer that falls are on the way. Although cooler temperatures are on the way, southern Queenslanders have until now enjoyed a warm end to May, with temperatures in parts of the region reaching the high 20s Monday. The temperature in Tooowoomba reached 26.6C on Monday, just trailing the garden city's record for the month, 27.2C, set in 1958. So far, every regional centre in Queensland has enjoyed warmer May average minimums compared to previous years — except for Cairns, which dipped by 0.2C to 21.6C. Bundaberg has so far averaged a maximum temperature of 26C — beating its average of 24.9C. Rockhampton has also been above its May average maximum of 26.1C at 27.4C, while the Gold Coast has recorded an average maximum of 24C.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Prepayment meter customers issued summer warning to avoid shock energy bills
MILLIONS of households using prepayment meters have been issued a summer warning to dodge surprise energy bills this autumn. More than four million customers who rely on these meters to pay for their energy in advance are being advised to keep their meters topped up during the warmer months. 1 Citizens Advice warns that failing to do so could lead to unexpected deductions from their credit due to daily "standing charges" that continue to accrue, even when energy isn't being used. In a recent post on X, the charity warned: "If you use a prepayment meter, keep topping up your gas account over the summer months. "Make sure you're adding enough to cover your daily standing charges so you're not hit with an unexpected bill this winter." The problem arises when people switch off their heating and use less energy during the warmer months, assuming they can stop topping up. However, standing charges still build up daily, even if no credit is added. These fees, currently 32.67p per day for gas and 53.8p for electricity, cover the costs of keeping the energy network running, including maintaining wires, pipes, and cables, as well as staffing and office expenses. "If you turn off your gas central heating and stop topping up your gas meter over the summer months, then these charges will be waiting when you next top up," Citizens Advice said. This means a significant portion of any future top-up will be immediately swallowed up by accumulated standing charges, leaving customers with less energy than expected and forcing them to top up again sooner. Citizens Advice said: "To avoid being stung by unexpected payments this winter, make sure you're adding credit to your meter throughout the summer so your standing charges are covered." Keep in mind that the standing charge you pay can vary based on your energy supplier, tariff, and where you live. You can check the exact amount on your most recent bill or through your online account. Can I avoid the standing charge? MOST suppliers slap you with the charge, but there is one exception. Utilita, which only serves prepayment meter customers, has ditched it altogether. Instead, the company integrates the cost into its gas and electricity rates. Utilita operates a two-rate system. The first rate, which is slightly higher, covers standing charge costs. Once 2kWh is consumed (and standing charge costs are covered), customers automatically switch to a cheaper rate for the rest of the day. But this alternative might not suit everyone, particularly those who do not want to prepay for their energy. According to industry association Energy UK and watchdog Ofgem, eliminating the standing charge altogether isn't a straightforward solution. A spokesperson for Energy UK said: "If you were to switch these costs to the 'per unit' charges, then those customers disadvantaged by the current system, such as low usage households, would benefit. "But other customers, who might be more reliant on energy or have a less well-insulated home, could end up paying significantly more." CHANGE ON THE HORIZON Millions of households will be able to access "no standing charge" energy tariffs at all suppliers from this winter. Charlotte Friel, from Ofgem, said last week: "We're looking closely at how these tariffs will work in practice, but everyone will need to carefully consider which option best suits their needs. "The costs included in the standing charge ultimately have to be paid. But while they may not save everyone money, they will give people a choice, and greater control over their bills." The regulator first announced the shake-up to energy rules in December last year but it confirmed firms will have to offer the tariffs to customers in time for winter back in February. It also announced a consultation on how the new tariffs would work. What energy bill help is available? There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by. If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter. This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period. If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal. Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills. But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances. For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000. British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund. You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund. EDF, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too. Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR). The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill. Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling. Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
