PropertyAugust 2018 NEWS Keep your garden shining Page 2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Be inspired by the beach Back to school made easy! Pack the perfect case Page 4 Page 6 Page 12 Welcome to the August issue of Property News! Well, if the weather has been anything to go by, summer is well and truly here – and here to stay! The UK has been experiencing record breaking temperatures with little rain for many – which will be a welcome sight for families looking to enjoy the How to keep sunshine during the school holidays. your garden And if you’re getting ready for your holidays – whether shining and it’s at home or abroad – then we give you some looking like great tips inside on what and how to pack all your holiday essentials. summer A garden is many people’s pride If you’ve already been away and joy – and can be a work of art or dreading the thought of if looked after properly. Here is our Keep your tools leaving the relaxed days and guide on how to garden the efficient well-maintained chilled nights behind, then way this summer In most cases, a gardener is only fear not. Our design focus as good as their tools, for they play for your home this month an essential role in the appearance looks to the sea and the and health of your garden. After beach for inspiration, each use, all tools should be so that you can bring a cleaned and disinfected, especially piece of your holiday back if they touched a diseased plant. into your home! Keeping edged tools sharpened and in good working condition will However, if you also want to ensure your plants and vegetation be super organised for the will receive the very best, most return-to-school days, then efficient, treatment. As well as dull take a look at our uniform tools being harder to work with, pages to find out where they may also leave jagged cuts on have the best deals when plants which may invite disease. it comes to kitting out the kids. Plus, if you’re looking for something different for pack lunches for the new school year, we give you our top tips to help ensure the Take care to buy healthy plants kids’ appetites are satisfied! Obtaining a diseased plant is one of the unluckiest things to happen As ever, there is lots more to you and your garden. Therefore, inside to keep you busy it’s vital to understand what a reading. So, sit back, relax healthy plant should look like. and enjoy! A plant with dead spots, rotted Until next time. stems, or insects could be definite signs of an unhealthy specimen. Linda McKeown You should also always inspect the Editor root quality. Roots should be firm, usually white, and spaced all over the root-ball. Dark or mushy roots Page 2 are not a good sign. Water properly A vital thing to remember Weeding A crowd of plants is asking for with water when it comes trouble ! to gardening, is that many Weeds – the last thing a gardener pathogens in the soil and air wants to see an abundance of in It’s wise to take care when need water to move, grow, and their garden – is any gardener’s spacing plants and keep an eye on reproduce. To prevent this from arch nemeses. However, weeds established plants as they grow. happening, choose watering are inevitable. Getting them under If plants are overly crowded, they methods that limit moisture on control can be time-consuming, will create their own humidity which a plant’s foliage, such as soaker but the more you manage them, allows diseases like powdery mildew, hoses and drip irrigation which the easier and quicker it will rust, and downy mildew to thrive. both accomplish this. If you become to get rid of them. Allowing greater airflow around are watering by hand, holding your plants reduces this high relative the leaves out of the way as What’s useful is to use approximately humidity and allows foliage to you water the roots is a good two inches of mulch in your garden. dry quicker. tip. This is because the most Mulch will not only retain moisture common leaf problems are for your plants but will also Also, plants placed too closely exacerbated when leaves suffocate weeds and prevent together tend to grow poorly due to are wet. them from growing. their competition for light, water, and nutrients. Such plants are weaker Also, it’s handy to remember Once it’s been raining, weeds will and therefore more susceptible to that more isn’t necessarily have come up from the ground attack. To decrease the likelihood of better when giving your plants a clearer and are more likely to have disease, trim out crowded, damaged, drink. Waterlogged soil or pots the root system intact which, when or old stalks on plants that are prone can promote some root-rotting weeded, will reduce the chances of to powdery mildew, such as Phlox fungi and can also suffocate them growing back. So, it’s best to paniculata. roots, making them easy targets get weeding after it’s been raining! for the rotting fungi. From 5th August, millions of people living in the North West of England are going to be affected by a hosepipe ban following what is believed to be the longest heatwave in the UK since 1976. The hosepipe ban, otherwise known as a ‘Temporary Use Ban (TUB)’ is being enforced by water company United Utilities. Therefore, until the ban is lifted, different methods of watering Make sure you have great compost Feed the garden well – and your garden will be required. One important fact about compost frequently that too many people miss is that Feeding your plants throughout not all materials in a compost the growing season isn’t just pile decompose at the same rate. about producing bigger, more Some materials will have degraded prolific plants. It should also help Once it’s been raining, sufficiently to be put in the garden, promote flowering, brighten weeds will have come while others have not, so make foliage, encourage fruit production, up from the ground sure it’s all good to go. Thorough strengthen root growth and increase clearer and are more composting will result in high disease resistance. A healthy plant, likely to have the root temperatures for extended lengths like a healthy body, will fight off system intact, which, of time, which kill any pathogens in pests and diseases more easily. when weeded, will the material. Infected plant debris, for reduce the chances of example, which has not undergone this process will reintroduce potential them growing back diseases into your garden. Page 3 BE INSPIRED byNothing beatsthe the sounds of wavesbeach lapping on the shore or the feel of soft sand between your toes. Bring the beach-feel to your home with these holiday-inspired finds Starfish Decorations These limited edition, faux treasures from the sea are an ideal way to add a coastal feel to your home. Simply add them to hurricane lamps, tablescapes - as napkin decor or as nautical bathroom accessories. £9.50 www.nordichouse.co.uk To The Beach Signpost Bring the spirit of the seaside in to your home with this To The Beach Signpost. £6.39 www.therange.co.uk Octopus Dish Bring a unique under the sea theme to your home with this octopus winding his tentacles around the edge of the bowl! £18 www.freemans.co.uk Mikasa Into The Blue Stoneware Side Plates Celebrate the watery wonders of the sea with this set of side plates, perfect for introducing the nautical theme into your home. £22.88 www.amazon.co.uk Page 4 Ships Wheel Wall Décor Light your space with this vintage metal captain’s wheel in rich blue which is lined with LED lights for extra flair. A remote will turn on the wall sign using LED lights and 2 AA batteries (not included). It also features a simple on/off switch. £50.99 www.wayfair.co.uk Beach Style Rug John Lewis Coastal Day at The perfect way to bring a feel of the beach back home! the Beach Cotton Towels W16 inch x L47 inch. These charming ‘Day at the Beach’ bathroom Additional sizes available. towels are ideal for adding a nautical touch to your bathroom. Made from 100% cotton From ฀£10.64 and adorned with beach houses and little www.rosegal.com sailing boats. From ฀£8.00 www.johnlewis.com StyleTO STEAL Loft style wooden low cabinet - Beach House This pretty multi-coloured wood cabinet with its sun-bleached finish is very on trend and features a distressed Beach Huts On A Branch painted finish. Hanging Decoration £1 75 A super cute beach hut hanging decoration, www.scoutaboutinteriors.co.uk perfect for your home. Suitable for use in your bathroom, kitchen or living room. £8.45 www.notonthehighstreet.com Page 5 Back to SCHOOL Themade kids might have not long easy!broken up from school but it’s never too early to get organised! Here are some of the best back to school essentials available Page 6 Lily & Dan girls trousers Available in 3 colours From £2.49 www.aldi.co.uk Aldi’s special buy Offer allows parents to buy the whole uniform for £5. Including 2 x polos, a sweatshirt and skirt or trousers! From £5 Girls skirt with www.aldi.co.uk permanent pleats Available in 5 colours, From £9 www.marksandspencer.com 3 Pack boys slim fit easy iron shirt Grey bow detail Available in 2 colours skater school From £9 marksandspencer.com pinafore dress From £6 www.direct.asda.com And these… Lego lunch box Unicorn star £19.99 backpack www.amazon.co.uk From £10 Triple up hardtop pencil case www.paperchase.co.uk Available in 2 styles £18.50 www.smiggle.co.uk Rachel Ellen Mermaid water bottle £9.00 Unisex waterproof www.johnlewis.com school bag Available in six colours From £15.99 Personalised tools for www.amazon.co.uk school pencil case £9.99 www.etsy.com Page 7 RUGBY WIGAN ON COURSE TO ADD TO THEIR RECORD 19 WINS! The 2018 Challenge Cup, (also known as the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) is the 117th staging of the Challenge Cup, the main rugby league knock-out tournament for teams in the European Super League, the British National Leagues and a number of invited amateur clubs The defending champions were Hull, The format of the competition is who beat Wigan Warriors 18–14 eight knock-out rounds followed at Wembley on 26 August 2017.