March 8, 2010

Jobs To Do in the Garden in Spring

By our guest blogger – Tracey from I Grow Veg.com

With the lighter evenings, crocuses and snowdrop flowers opening with every burst of sunshine, we are all hoping that all the cold weather has vanished and that Spring has finally sprung! This would be a good time to wrap up warm and get out into your garden, there’s plenty of jobs you could be doing now to get your garden ready for Summer.

Flower Beds and Borders

  1. Check on the condition of your flower beds and borders
    Look at your whole bed or border and see what you could improve, think of design features that could add height or interest in your garden or check where you could make space for new plants or shrubs.
  2. Maintenance
    Your beds and borders have been left to their own devises over the winter which means weeds have invaded, plants have spread, leaves and dead twigs may be hiding under shrubs. Use a hand fork and trowel to ease out weeds to help your established plants have space to grow.
    Why not treat yourself to a new sturdy stainless steel Hand Fork and Trowel Set with ash handles to ease yourself into the weeding season.
  3. Garden Trading Tools in Bag

  4. Mulching and Plant Food
    To keep your beds in tip-top condition, add nutrients after weeding. The soil can be raked or loosened with a fork (taking care around your spring bulbs) and dig in compost or well-rotted manure, then top dress the soil around shrubs and plants with a multi-purpose balanced plant food to give your plants a boost.
  5. Sow Hardy Annual Flower Seeds
    When the soil has warmed up, sow hardy annuals in drills or scatter seeds over well prepared soil, cover with soil and water well. Hardy Annuals like alyssum, calendula, centaurea, cosmos, helianthus and larkspur can be sown from March.
    Sweet Pea’s can be sown in pots and planted out or sown direct at the foot of a support pole or frame – try this Set of 3 Willow Maypole Supports to give your garden design some height and a rustic cottage garden style.
  6. Set of 3 Willow Maypoles

  7. Plant Summer Bulbs
    Summer Bulbs like alliums, agapanthus, gladioli and cannas can also be planted in pots or beds  (Top Tip: if your soil is prone to waterlogging, add coarse grit to your planting hole) and any excess bulbs can be stored in this sturdy but stylish Bulbs and Seed Box.
  8. Bulb and Seed Box

Potting Shed or Garage

  1. Clearing Clutter
    Before the growing season gets going, take this opportunity to clear space in your shed or garage so you’ll be ready to pot up plants, sow seeds or take cuttings.
  2. Garden Tools
    Organise your tools with this handy Tool Hook Rail, a simple idea that will tidy up clutter and safety store your tools.

    Tool Hook Rail

  3. Seed Packets
    It is a good idea to sort through your flower and vegetable seeds and check the sow by dates on the packets. Any seeds that you don’t need anymore can be given to friends, family, neighbours or can be swapped online or at a local seed swapping event. Your remaining seed packets can be stored safely in a small or large Seed Box available in Apple Green,  Coffee or String from Garden Trading.

    Large Seed Box

  4. Cleaning Pots
    Wash old plastic pots and dry before storing and check the condition of seed trays and cells.
  5. Storage
    Collect together all your potting tools, string, pots, dibber, plant labels and store them together in one place for piece of mind and organisation. This rustic Tall Wooden Shelf is a fantastic storage unit with individual compartments to label and organise your tools and garden accessories which will give you more time to concentrate on your sowing!

    Tall Wall Unit

March 2, 2010

How to make a cake in a cup!

I just came across this little feature in the Daily Mail and had to try it straight away…. (and then share it with you!)

‘There is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked cake, but all that sieving and whisking – not to mention the mountains of washing up – can seem like too much effort.

Enter – the 5 minute mug cake, a chocolate confection you can cook in the microwave in a mug!

The recipe is sweeping the internet, finding favour with students and strung-out yummy mummies alike.  And it really couldn’t be simpler; put 4 tbsp self-raising flour, 4 tbsp sugar & 2 tbsp cocoa powder in a mug.  Stir in an egg, and 3 tbsp each of vegetable oil and milk, then add a few drops of vanilla extract and a smattering of chocolate chips.

Place the mug, uncovered, in the microwave and then cook on high (1000W) for 3 minutes.  Allow it to cool, then tip out onto a plate and tuck in!’

The Verdict

What a fantastic discovery!  Very yummy and actually comes out big enough for two.  I used a big mug to do mine that’s more like a bowl really, as it seemed to me like the ingredients would overflow in a normal sized mug.  Super-easy to make and tasty too.  (I would recommend cooking for a bit less than 3 minutes so that it doesn’t dry out)  Other versions I have seen online include adding a bit of coffee, using white choc chips, adding crushed hazelnuts & swirling in some Nutella.

Give it a try and let me know what you think – Hannah x

You can take a look at the Daily Mail online article here

March 1, 2010

Hello Spring!- Good Housekeeping

We loved this bright and sunny double-spread in the Good Housekeeping April issue  – featuring a few of our lovely Beach Hut Blue products!

Beach Hut Blue Fayence

Fayence Furniture

Our already popular Fayence Furniture takes on a whole new image in this brilliant coastal colour.

Folds away for easy storage.  Made of beech wood panels on a powder-coated steel frame.

Table: H70 x 72cm dia
Chair: H85 x W41 x D41cm

Due into stock April, but available to pre-order now as stocks will be limited.

Beach Hut Blue Tide Clock

Tide Clock

How does a tide clock work?

Tides are caused by many factors, but by far the most influential is the moon’s gravitational pull on the ocean. It takes the moon on average 24hrs, 50 minutes and 28 seconds to reappear at the same place in the sky, during this period most areas in the world have two high tides and two low tides.

The tide clock has been specially designed to rotate twice each period giving you a quick and easy indication of high and low water.

Due into stock in April, but available to pre-order now.  Alternatively – order now in String.

March 1, 2010

Wall Unit in Good Homes April Issue

A Place for Everything

If you believe in the old saying ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’ then our rustic cubby hole unit could be perfect for you.  You can give a home to all the little bits that accumulate in the kitchen, utility room or shed, and it will look lovely too.

Good Homes magazine have featured our wall unit in their April issue:

Handy Shelving for Gardeners

‘Keep all your gardening bits and bobs neatly stored in this wooden shelf unit.  Made of fir wood, it has useful label holders so you can keep things organised and it’s perfect for fixing on the wall, or sitting on top of a work bench.’

We also stock a taller version of the wall unit too.

February 27, 2010

A Fruit Cake with only 3 Ingredients

Whilst looking through You magazine recently I discovered an article about two women,  Rachael Bermingham and Kim McCosker, who have written a best-selling range of cookbooks that are full of recipes which contain only 4 or less ingredients.  You can visit their website here.

I was intrigued to find that one of the recipes that they featured in the article was a fruit cake – containing only mixed fruit, fruit juice or organic tea, and self-raising flour – so I thought I’d give it a try.  (Finding it hard to believe a cake could be made from just fruit, juice & flour!)

Ingredients:

Fruit Cake – Serves 4

  • 1kg mixed fruit
  • 500ml fruit juice or cold organic tea of choice
  • 350g organic self-raising flour

Directions:

Soak fruit in juice or tea overnight.  Preheat oven to 125ºC.  Stir flour into soaked fruit and mix well.  Spoon mixture into a 22cm lined cake tin.  Bake for 2-2.5 hours in the bottom of your oven or until cooked through.  Remove and leave to cool.  Place in an airtight container or wrap in foil.  Suitable for freezing.

Our Verdict

Nice and easy to make, but not as yummy as the real thing…

We chose to soak the sultanas in orange juice, and we found that the end cake had a slightly tart taste – although still very sweet considering the lack of sugar!  Next time we would try it with the organic tea option, and maybe add in some raisins and cherries.

We served ours whilst it was still warm with a dollop of cream.

Let me know if you give the recipe a go, or if you have ever tried any of the other ‘4 Ingredients’ recipes.    (Also – may I recommend a perfectly splendid example of a cake tin in which to store any leftover cake?)

Have a great weekend! – Hannah

February 23, 2010

Vegetable Store in The Sunday Times

The Sunday Times featured our Vegetable Store in their Valentine’s Day issue, and we have had a brilliant response so far!

They said; ‘This pine unit is a more attractive way to store vegetables than one of the many plastic or metal options available, and can be neatly tucked away inside a cupboard.  The three drawers will keep your tubers nice and shady, while the slatted drawer bases allow cool air to flow freely.’

February 23, 2010

Country Homes & Interiors March Issue

‘The magazine for todays country home’ – Country Homes & Interiors have chosen to feature our Broomstick Bench as part of a Garden Life feature in their March issue.

They have very kindly listed our lovely bench as the first of 3 of their favourites – you can see our Broomstick Bench here.

‘Our eye-catching, exclusively designed bench is setting a new standard for garden furniture. Beautifully crafted and designed to mellow with age, our Broomstick Bench will stand the test of time.’

February 12, 2010

Coming Soon at Garden Trading

We are halfway through February and it has come to that time of year when we are rushing around like mad trying to get the Spring catalogue ready to send out to our lovely customers as soon as we can.  We know you are all eager to see the new products we are bringing in this year, so I’ll be working to get all the new lines up on the site as soon as possible for the eager-beavers who like to pre-order things!

So to whet your appetite for the fab new things to come (and to show off some of our new photography) I thought I’d share some of my favourite new products coming in soon, or that are already here.  Please do drop me a line to let me know what you think of my choices and if you have any favourites of your own – and as always if you have any product suggestions we would love to hear them.

Stylish occasional furniture

Every time I look at these pictures I get all wistful thinking about lovely hot weather and trips to the coast!  I absolutely love the Beach Hut Blue Fayence that we’ll be stocking this year only. It’s not very often you see bright blue furniture so I’m sure it will sell out fast, and the Bright White is so classic it will just look stunning anywhere!

Lovely outdoor lanterns

We’ve really increased our range of outdoor lanterns and votives this year.  We are still doing the bestselling Miners Lanterns that we did last year, but we are introducing bright white and beach hut blue to mix it up a bit and they look really striking.  My favourite at the moment is the Hanging Teardrop Votive, I can just picture lots of them hung from the branches of trees at a party or in the garden…think I might buy a few when they arrive at the beginning of March.

Gorgeous garden seating

Ok, so technically the Elysees Bench isn’t new (we did it last year too) but it was super popular and we unfortunately had to disappoint quite a few people when they sold out so fast, so we have come prepared this year!  We are introducing the Rhode Island Rocker made of sheesham wood, and the Portobello Bench that cleverly folds away so you can store it over winter.

Pretty garden accessories

Sometimes it is the little things that please me the most…we’ve got some gorgeous ceramic bird nesters coming soon, 3 new types of thermometers, and we’ve brought in the ceramic Wasp Catcher in our classy coffee bean finish.  I particularly like the Tube Thermometers, I think the knobs at the top and bottom are funky and the numbers are nice and large so you don’t have to get up close and squint to read it!

Rustic wicker homewares

I love the rustic look that these products bring to the room, there is something really ‘country cottage’ about wicker that appeals to me.  The Wicker Pet Beds are really lovely with little wooden legs and a washable cushion, and everyone is going mad for the wicker storage seats (I can imagine one at the end of a bed or in a hallway).  We stock lots of different sizes and colours of baskets now, but I think that the ‘dolphin grey’ finish is my favourite because it seems the most traditional and natural.

So that’s all for now! Of course there are lots of other beautiful things on their way, so do keep checking back on the website,  and don’t forget to order a copy of our Spring catalogue.

Hannah

January 25, 2010

Q&A with Jon Holloway

Jon doing a spot of gardening!

I grabbed the founder and owner of Garden Trading, Jon Holloway, to ask him some questions about how he started the business and what he’s looking forward to most this year.

If there are any questions you would like to know the answer to that I didn’t think of – do let me know! – Hannah

Q: How did you start Garden Trading?

‘I started GT in a converted cowshed next to a small farm house that I rented.  I took a stand at the Spring trade fair in Birmingham in 1994 and the formula was well received; within  a few months I was selling to some large clients in the USA, and Conran, Heal’s and John Lewis in the UK.  I employed a part-time assistant in my cowshed and a great young guy called Steve in the disused brewery in Burford that I used as a warehouse – and it went from there!’

Q: Why did you call the business ‘Garden Trading’?

‘I came up with lots of names and came back to the ‘Keep It Simple’ principle and hence Garden Trading……………I was trading in garden products! Since then the range has moved into the kitchen and home, but we’ve never thought of changing the name as it is how people know us now.’

GT Catalogue 1999

Garden Trading Catalogue 1999

Q: Which were the first products that you made?

‘I started out with galvanised Barometers and Thermometers and the outdoor Fishing Lights, closely followed by the coloured Kitchen Bins – all of which we still stock today! Our products were made in the UK originally, until the demand got greater when we switched to overseas.’

GT Catalogue 2005

Garden Trading Catalogue 2005

Q: Why did you decide to start selling directly to the public?

‘We were receiving so many calls from the public, especially in remote areas, that we just had to supply directly as our stockist list wasn’t comprehensive enough.  We were starting to receive a lot of PR in magazines which helped bring the retail side about.’

Q: What is your favourite thing about being the owner of Garden Trading?

‘I love the product design and development side, I do still get a big buzz out of a successful product and thankfully we seem to have a growing number of them.  I also really enjoy talking with customers and of course the feeling that, within reason, I am in control of my own destiny.  I worked for a company once when I was 17 for less than a year- and haven’t worked for anyone else since!’

The 1st Retail Catalogue - 2006

Q: Can you tell us about some new products you are developing at the moment?

‘More interior lighting and also developing the exterior lighting as there is definitely a gap in the market.  More storage and furniture and we are evolving our kitchen ranges. We will review our garden ranges in the early summer once we know how sales are going for our 2010 range.’

Q: What is your favourite new product coming this Spring?

‘I think that the ‘Glamping’ set  (Jon’s idea for ‘glam’-camping furniture) is fantastic and I love the new colours of the Meriden Light.’

Glamping Set

Q: Where do you get inspiration for your products?

‘Almost purely ‘gut feeling’ but I  have a policy that our designs will have to stand the test of time.  I cannot stand clutter so the products generally have very clean and simple lines and that seems to be the appeal to many people.’

Q: Which product that we have discontinued would you most like to bring back?

‘The galvanised Belfast Lamp – but I just cannot get anyone to galvanise metal anymore because of health and safety laws regarding the galvanising process. It is a real shame as they were very popular.’

Q: Which product is selling the best at the moment?

‘Anything to do with composting!’

Garden Trading Catalogue 2007

We are working on our Spring/Summer catalogue at the moment, and we are hoping to have it ready to send out at the end of February.  Click here to pre-order your copy

January 21, 2010

Good Web Guide review of Garden Trading

The Good Web Guide have written a lovely review of our website - read the full review here. We would love to hear your comments and feedback on our website too,  so do click on the link at the bottom of the review to submit your own mini-review and let us know what you think!

RUSTIC APPEAL

‘Chic, elegant and well-made goods for the home and garden can be found at Garden Trading, a clear and cleanly designed site that is essential viewing for all homeowners.’

‘Excellent lifestyle photographs greet you when you first log onto the site: a dolphin grey wicker log basket, a rustic pine store for keeping logs in a garden or shed, stylish lighting, an elegant black coal bucket and more. Click on a picture you like to be taken to the item in question, or browse through the categories listed on the right hand side of the page. These include Garden & Potting Shed, Lighting, Household & Utility, Signs & Wall Art, Kitchen & Dining, Creature Comforts and FOUND by Garden Trading, which comprises a selection of rustic items such as a patio bench or serving bowl discovered by the Garden Trading team.’