PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
TIME FOR A NEW KITCHEN? Sandra Robinson knows a thing or two about kitchens and bedrooms. Here she tells us more about why spring is the perfect time to take that next step. Starting your new kitchen or bedroom renovation can be a very daunting prospect and it’s not always easy to know where to start. After 27 years designing kitchens and bedrooms, I have witnessed tremendous change and evolution and there is now a vast amount of choice available to the client. With social media platforms like Houzz & Pinterest for inspiration, they demonstrate that anything is possible. I believe that you shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to your perfect kitchen. It has become the heart of the home, the hub of family life and main social space, so I believe in open consultations between clients and my experienced designers to hit that balance of wow factor & practicality.
As we move from the new year into spring, there is never a better time to take the plunge and start the ball rolling. With the assistance of our main British supplier, ‘Masterclass’, our company offers an online wish list to ensure that all of the basics are thought about and considered from the start. Full 3-Dimensional software is utilised to help and inspire, bringing the kitchen to life before a brick has been laid or a penny spent. Virtual Reality can transport you to how the future can look in your home. Our Town showroom has many displays showing kitchen design features to suit every lifestyle. You are in safe hands when it comes to choosing from the variety of combinations that bring together colour, texture and design elements in ways that will set your kitchen apart, moving from classic Shaker to modern handless minimalist style with a choice of colour palette to enhance your lifestyle. We’re passionate about design and can’t wait to hear from you.
CUTTING BACK AND MULCHING Jack Etheridge of Auburn Gardens give us some tips on what we should be doing in the garden right now. With spring just around the corner, the two tasks that we prioritise this time of year are cutting back ornamental grasses and any perennials you may have missed in autumn. I’m a big fan of refraining from ‘deadheading’ everything, I like to leave spent seed pods on certain plants during the winter if they look interesting. However, around February, after a few months of being bashed and beaten by the cold Atlantic winds, the time does finally come to get the secateurs out. Of course, for more prolific growth, cutting back is necessary to make room for fresh shoots come spring time. Ornamental grasses fall into two main groups, deciduous they die back over winter, or evergreen - colour year-round. Evergreens generally just require a tidy up and a comb over (yes, you can actually use a comb, my grandad did!).
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Guernsey Property and Construction
To cut back deciduous grasses, choose a sharp pair of secateurs or scissors, grasp top growth and cut around 5-10cm off the ground. Don’t cut back as hard if there is a lot of fresh green growth; however, a few bits trimmed here and there won’t hurt. Similarly with perennials, cut down to ground level and close to a node or new bud with a slanting cut. Once finished, you may be in a state of shock. Don’t worry. Your previously full, although slightly messy border, now may look a little barren, but fear not, it’s very beneficial and this hard work will result in much fuller, healthier plants in the summer. Now the ground is exposed, it is a lot easier to get some lovely mulch on the soil to improve its structure and add nutrients. Mulching in this context requires a good layer of compost or rotted down organic material such as horse manure. You don’t have to do this every year, but it’s a good idea to mulch every two to three years. Always try to buy local, there are a few commercial producers making gorgeous compost here, not only is it kinder on the environment, you will be supporting local artisans doing great things in the community.
