Can it be that bold colour in interiors is making a comeback? We think so.

Intense, dramatic, yet sophisticated colour schemes are becoming more and more popular, as we reach out for ways to slice through the neutral haze in our homes. Whilst muted greys and restful beiges are still necessary to provide subtle backdrops that allow us to create harmony within our homes, we now want to show off that element of daring within us.

For this reason, Dulux have launched a range that meets the need for achieving that fashionable edge to counter-balance an otherwise fairly safe scheme. Dulux Feature Walls is a range of six colours that can only be described as indulgent, opulent and intense.

Dulux Feature Walls can be used to add depth to alcoves and fire-surrounds, inject interest into architecturally featureless rooms and to give structure to any space by creating a stunning focal point. As most of us find it difficult to co-ordinate colours, we often default to using the standard creams or beige combinations, in order to avoid making a decorating faux-pas. Helpfully, Dulux have specifically selected six creams to partner these Feature Wall colours, which takes the guesswork out of putting a successful scheme together, whilst still allowing you to create a room your friends will envy.

Feature Walls is available in Intense Truffle, Raspberry Diva, Redcurrant Glory, Overtly Olive, Teal Tension and Mulberry Burst. Dulux Feature Walls is available from Godfrey, along with the co-ordinating creams that will give your living room the designer touch.

Hardwood is a beautiful material for the construction of garden furniture. As a natural product, it will require much protection from the elements in order to maximise its life and maintain its attractive appearance. We suggest that you take care of your furniture in accordance with these guidelines:

1 - Preservative Protection & Teak Oil

Regularly apply (at least twice in a season) an appropriate preservative to the timber. We endorse the range of products manufactured by Cuprinol , in particular Cuprinol Hardwood Garden Furniture Oil

2 - Physical Protection

In the Summer:
Cover the suite whenever possible in order to minimise the exposure to sunlight and rain. We sell a range of covers to suit our garden furniture. Our staff will be very happy to advise you.

In the Winter:
Don’t leave it in the garden - store your suite in a garage or shed. It is not designed be exposed to winter weather no more than your indoor furniture is! Many chairs fold down for easy storage, and any rigid components can be carefully disassembled.

Whilst vinyl covers offer ideal protection during the summer they should not be regarded as an alternative to storing in a shed or garage. This is because these vinyl covers will encourage condensation which will be very harmful to the timber by causing mould or even rot.

Following the above guidlelines should ensure that you can enjoy your hardwood garden furniture for many seasons.

1. Mulch the soil

The sun and wind dry out soil by evaporating moisture from the surface. Gardeners can dramatically reduce this waste by adding a 5cm (2in) mulch layer of bark chips which also shades the soil and keeps it cooler. Levington Water Saving Decorative Bark is perfect for this purpose.

2. Buy a water butt

Connect your water butt to the rainwater down pipe from the roof. If you already have a water butt and it doesn’t have sufficient capacity for your garden’s needs then buy another and connect the two using a Harcostar Linking kit.

3. Water garden plants thoroughly

Just wetting the top inch of soil encourages plants to produce surface roots. Instead, a thorough soaking once a fortnight is better than daily dribbles.

4. Get water straight to the roots

Sink plastic pots or tubes alongside precious plants so that the water you give them goes straight to the roots.

5. Enrich the soil when planting

Improve the water-holding capacity of soil by digging in organic matter when you are planting new trees, shrubs or other plants. Levington Multi-Purpose Compost is ideal.

6. Add water-holding gel to compost and soil

Before planting, add water-holding crystals to ordinary composts and garden soil. It saves time and saves watering. We recommend Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Gel because it can absorb 400 times its own weight in water, ready to release it to plant roots whenever required.

7. Ban weeds

They steal water and soil nutrients. You will see them die in days if you wet the leaves with Weedol 2 or the ready-to-use Weedol 2 Gun!

8. Hanging Baskets

To best utilise the limited water available for hanging baskets and patio pots plant them in Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Compost that absorbs twice as much water as ordinary composts.

9. Water early morning or evening

Sun and wind speed evaporation from the soil surface.

10. Use bath water

If things get desperate you can use bath water, but only on plants growing in garden soil rather than those in containers. Add a tablespoon of Miracle-Gro Ericaceous Plant Food to every 5 gallons of this ‘grey’ water to help neutralise soap alkalines.

11. Feed in moderation

In drought conditions use a soluble plant food such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food that is applied in liquid form and use at half strength. Add a teaspoonful to each gallon instead of the usual tablespoonful. A healthy, moderately fed plant will utilise water more efficiently than an underfed plant.

12. Don’t waste water on sick plants

Pull up weak or dying plants and save precious water for the survivors.

Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. Weedol 2 and Weedol Gun! contains diquat. Weedol, Levington and Miracle-Gro are Trade Marks of The Scotts Company or its affiliates.

Easy hints and tips to ensure your lawn is the envy of the neighbourhood.

Cut to 4cm in Spring

1. Cut it regularly

Cut as often as you are able, ideally once a week. But don’t give the grass a close shave. That just weakens the plants and provides light and space for weeds to pop up.

For a hard-wearing lawn cut the grass to around 4cm (1 ½”) in spring and reduce this to 3cm (1″) in summer.

2. Spring into Action

Apply a lawn food in spring for a thicker, greener lawn and you’ll be amazed at the results. It takes about five minutes to treat the average sized lawn of 100m2. We recommend you apply EverGreen “I want Complete lawn care” in the spring to give triple-action benefits. One application in April or May gives fast-acting and long-lasting greener grass whilst controlling a wide range of broad-leaved weeds and any unsightly patches of moss.

3. Be ready for Summer

By June the lawn will need another feed to strengthen it ready for summer activities. Weeds may have sprung up in the lawn and will be fighting the grass for available moisture, food and space. A further treatment with EverGreen “I want Complete lawn care” will both feed and green the grass for the summer and see off many invasive weeds such as dandelions, daisies and white clover. If fine leaved weeds such as yellow suckling clover, black medick and lesser trefoil are spreading in your lawn then you will need to apply Verdone Extra to these weeds. This special lawn weedkiller contains three active ingredients to see off most lawn weeds with just one application a year.

4. Trim the edges

After mowing the grass, trim around the edges of the lawn to provide a sharp contrast against the soil of your flower borders. We recommend long-handled lawn shears so that you can do the job standing up. Alternatively you can fit Gard Edge edging strips around the lawn to reduce the sideways creep of the grass into the borders.

5. Water Occasionally

If a summer drought threatens, water the lawn thoroughly before hose-pipe bans prevent any extra watering. Water deeply or not at all. If you use a sprinkler check that the grass receives at least an inch of moisture so that it gets down to the grass roots. If you just wet the surface you encourage shallow roots that will be more vulnerable to drought. You will find that water pressure is higher early in the morning, rather than in the evening when most other people will be watering their gardens.

6. Spreading Lawn Treatments

On larger lawns you can spread EverGreen “I want Complete lawn care” using a Scotts EvenGreen Easy Spreader for easy and accurate application of granules. It’s adjustable for most lawn treatments and durable for years of easy lawn care.

7. Autumn Treat

To help your lawn recover from the hard wear of summer and to prepare it for the rigours of winter, apply EverGreen Autumn Lawnfood during September or October. This will encourage strong growth of the lawn helping it to thicken and knit together during the cooler autumn months ready to spring into action next spring.

Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. EverGreen “I want Complete lawn care� contains MCPA, mecoprop-P and ferrous sulphate. Verdone Extra contains fluroxypyr, clopyralid and MCPA. EverGreen “I want Complete Autumn lawn care� contains ferrous sulphate.

1.Keep paths and patios clean

Gravel paths and drives are often subject to grass and weed attack. But you can keep these areas weed-free with just one application of Pathclear Season Long, applied when the weeds are beginning to appear. Choose a dry day when rain is not expected in April when weeds are small and actively growing. This magical weedkiller not only kills the weeds that are present but it also prevents new weeds from germinating for up to 3 months and under ideal condition may be controlled for up to 6 months.

2. Control weeds between plants

Weeds between shrubs, perennials, vegetables and fruit are an unsightly nuisance. But they can be controlled quickly and easily with either Weedol 2 or the ready-to-use Weedol 2 Gun!

These products can be used around all plants without harming the soil - in fact seeds or plants can be sown once the liquid has dried. And they are also rainproof in 10 minutes so light showers won’t affect it working. Just spray the weeds you want dead and watch them wilt and die in just a few days. Just remember to keep the liquid off wanted plants - it will kill your precious bedding plants just as easily as grasses and annual weeds such as groundsel, chickweed, annual meadowgrass and dead nettle.

3. Control weeds on the lawn

You need a selective weedkiller that kills the weeds without harming the grass. Verdone Extra Ready to Use kills weeds, not lawns! Just point and spray the weeds and they will gradually curl up and die. One treatment gives season-long control of even difficult weeds, including common mouse-ear, black meddick and lesser trefoil. For best results we recommend you treat the weeds between mowings. Wait 4 days after mowing so there is good leaf are to absorb the weedkiller and wait another 4 days after treatment so the weedkiller is totally absorbed down to the roots.

4. Kill the tough weeds

Deep rooted weeds such as ground elder, bindweed and couch grass are a big problem that any amount of digging just won’t shift completely. That’s when you need the power of Roundup to kill the weed and kill the root. Because Roundup is systemic it needs to have a few hours on the leaf so that the glyphosate weedkiller can be completely absorbed. It is best to choose a warm dry day when no rain is expected. Spray the leaves of the weeds thoroughly on a day that is not windy as drifts on to the foliage of your wanted shrubs and trees could be fatal. Leave the weeds undisturbed for at least a fortnight so the weedkiller has time to move to the end of the root system. After this time it’s safe to clear away the top growth and tidy up the area.

Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. Pathclear® Season Long and Pathclear Gun!™ Season-Long contain glyphosate, oxidiazon and diflufenican. Verdone® Extra and Verdone® Extra RTU contain floroxypyr, clopyralid and MCPA. The Roundup family of weedkillers contain glyphosate. Weedol® 2 and Weedol 2 Gun!™ contain diquat.